U.S. startup Avelo Airlines is adding an 11th destination from its Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) base in North Carolina, introducing service to Melbourne (MLB), Florida.

The airline will launch the RDU-MLB route from June 23, to be operated 2X-weekly. The flights will start shortly after Avelo adds a second Boeing 737NG aircraft to its Raleigh-Durham base. The route will be exclusive to Avelo.

MLB will become the seventh Florida airport the airline will serve from RDU, including Orlando International (MCO), for which MLB is viewed as a secondary alternative. The airports are 60 mi. apart.

Airports served from RDU outside Florida include Manchester (MHT) in New Hampshire (MHT), Memphis (MEM) in Tennessee, Rochester (ROC) in New York and Tweed-New Haven (HVN) in Connecticut. 

Avelo this month is swapping out the 737-700 that has been based at the airport since February with a 737-800 this month and in June will add a second 737-800.

Avelo opened its RDU base in February and 50 Avelo employees are now located at the airport. The airline plans to add another 35 employees at the airport. 

“Avelo continues to build momentum at RDU as they grow along with our community and add new nonstop destinations,” RDU CEO Michael Landguth says in a statement. “It has been rewarding to watch them expand at such a fast pace and increase the number of options [Raleigh]-area travelers have to choose from.”