A little-known low-cost airline just announced 18 new routes and its first international destinations

• Avelo Airlines launched in 2021.
• On Wednesday, the airline announced 18 new routes with prices starting at $52.

Avelo Airlines announced plans for 18 new routes this fall, including its first two international destinations, for as low as $52 one-way.

It's impressive growth for the Texas-based low-cost carrier that only started flying in 2021.

"The expansion we are announcing today is the most substantial in our airline's three-year history," Avelo Airlines founder and CEO Andrew Levy said in a press release.

Avelo's new routes are scheduled to commence service in late October or early November, depending on the destination, and operate out of its bases in Hartford, Connecticut; Lakeland, Florida; Concord, North Carolina; and Wilmington, Delaware.

The carrier's first two international destinations are the vacation hot spots of Montego Bay, Jamaica, and Cancún, Mexico.

Avelo plans to fly to each destination on Wednesdays and Saturdays of every week from its base at Hartford's Bradley International Airport.

Montego Bay flights are expected to start on November 16, while Cancun flights are set to start on November 20 of this year.

With the newly announced routes, Avelo now services 52 destinations in the US, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and Mexico.

Levy, who was previously the CFO at United Airlines, touted the benefits of operating out of smaller secondary airports in an interview with Business Insider earlier this year.

For the airline, secondary airports are cheaper to operate in and out of and boast less competitive from other carriers, Levy noted. For the customer, service to secondary airports offers greater travel options while also allowing them to bypass the congestion of larger cities.