Travelers hoping to experience new low-cost airline Breeze Airways have had limited options since the low-cost airline launched last year.
The JetBlue founder’s startup only offers flights in pockets of the country, mostly serving smaller airports with short, infrequent flights. Airline’s largest airport by daily flights: Charleston, SC.
Breeze’s road map is about to change drastically, with the addition of its first destinations in the western United States and its first cross-country flights. In a major expansion, the airline said on Tuesday it was adding flights in 10 new cities, including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Nashville and Jacksonville, Fla., and increasing service in others. , including Charleston and Hartford, Connecticut.
In total, Breeze adds 35 routes between May and August, nearly doubling its flight range. The airline will offer 77 routes in 28 cities in 18 states when all new flights are in place in early August. By the end of the year, the airline’s fleet will more than double, from 13 planes to 30.
Additions include the airline’s first long-haul flights, including Providence-Los Angeles, Syracuse-Las Vegas and Charleston-San Francisco. The airline will also become the first commercial airline to take off from San Bernardino International Airport, east of Los Angeles.
Like fellow newcomer Avelo Airlines and pioneering low-cost carrier Allegiant, Breeze focuses on nonstop routes that other airlines don’t serve.
“We generally always try – 95% of the time – to find routes where people are flying or where people would fly if the fares were better and the service more convenient,” said Breeze Founder and CEO David Neeleman, in an interview.
He cited Syracuse, New York, Jacksonville and Fort Myers, Florida, and Norfolk and Richmond, Virginia, which are getting new flights to Las Vegas.
“These are all major cities but there is no nonstop service to Las Vegas,” he said.
Of the 35 new routes, only three have nonstop service on other airlines, including Nashville-Hartford, served by Southwest Airlines.
As is currently the case, Breeze will only offer flights a few days a week on most routes instead of a daily service like the major airlines, which means passengers must have flexible travel dates. . And a handful of new routes, including Los Angeles-Providence, are seasonal.
‘The plane is truly amazing’: Breeze CEO talks about the airline’s new bigger jets
Breeze’s long-planned expansion is linked to the arrival of new, longer-range aircraft, the Airbus A220s. The airline has 80 new A220s on order, with 13 arriving this year.
Neeleman calls the aircraft, which Delta and JetBlue are also flying, a game changer and the most technologically advanced commercial aircraft on the market. Taking a look at major airlines like American and Southwest, he said it was “a much more comfortable ride” than the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, industry workhorses for passengers. domestic flights.
“The plane is really amazing,” he said. “It has a wide seat. You can go first class for a bargain price. The windows are bigger.”
Breeze’s A220s will have 126 seats, at least initially. That compares to between 108 and 118 on the 13 Embraer regional jets it currently flies and will continue to use on shorter flights.
Unlike Breeze’s smaller jets, they will offer built-in power and USB ports, with Wi-Fi slated for this fall.
The biggest change that passengers who have traveled with Breeze will notice: the addition of first class seats. Breeze’s A220s will debut with 36 First Class seats. (Embraer jets don’t have first-class seats.) Fares will generally be about 50% above Breeze’s standard economy fares, Neeleman said, though the upfront premium on new flights from coast to coast the other of Breeze is 100%. First class tickets come with two free checked bags, one carry-on bag, one drink and one snack. (Breeze doesn’t yet serve alcohol but plans to add some this spring.)
“You don’t get on too many planes that have 36 first class seats,” he said.
As with non-operating flights, Breeze will drop that seating plan if travelers don’t book enough first-class seats, Neeleman said.
“If I can get enough people to pay me 50% more for the fare, I’ll keep it,” he said. “If I can’t, I’ll put more coach seats… Our customers will decide that.”
Four flights in two days: What it’s like to fly with new low cost airline Breeze Airways
Which cities does Breeze Airways serve?
Breeze introduces flights to and from 10 new cities and strengthens service in several existing markets.
New towns: Las Vegas; Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Bernadino, California; Nashville; Savannah, Georgia; Syracuse, New York; and Jacksonville, Fort Myers and Sarasota/Bradenton, Florida.
The full list of new routes is on the airline’s website.
An overview of the new routes, including start date and launch one-way fares. Tickets must be purchased by March 11 to travel by August 31. (Breeze’s schedule is open for flights only through September 6.) Dates around the July 4 holiday are hidden.
Breeze uses an a la carte pricing model, with premium fares and additional fees for seat assignment, carry-on and checked baggage, and printing boarding passes at the airport.
Las Vegas to and from:
► Richmond, Virginia: June 9, $99
► Syracuse, New York: June 10, $99
►Fort Myers, Florida: June 11, $99
►Charleston, SC: August 5, $99
► Jacksonville, Florida: August 5, $99
►Norfolk, Virginia: August 4, $99
►Huntsville, Alabama: August 4, $99
San Francisco to and from:
►Richmond, Virginia: May 25, $99
►Charleston, SC: May 26, $99
►Louisville, Kentucky: May 27, $99
►San Bernardino, August 4, $39
Los Angeles to and from:
►Providence, Rhode Island: June 29, $99
►Norfolk, Virginia: June 30, $99
►Savannah, GA: July 1, $99
Jacksonville, Florida to and from:
►Richmond, Virginia: May 19, $49.
►Columbus, Ohio: May 27, $49
►New Orleans: May 27, $49
►Providence, Rhode Island: May 27, $59
►Norfolk, Virginia: May 27, $49
►Hartford, Connecticut: June 3, $59
►Las Vegas: August 5, $99
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USA Today
