Breeze Airways’ Past & Present Longest Routes

When Breeze Airways began services in 2021, the airline promised to connect underserved communities with point-to-point and affordable flights to other secondary airports in the United States as well as the top leisure spots across the country. After all, the carrier has described itself as the “premium leisure carrier connecting underserved cities across the US.”

Since it began flying in May 2021, the airline has significantly expanded its fleet, network, and route length. Data showed that, for example, in June 2021, its longest route was between Tampa and Tulsa, with the two airports serving the two cities being separated by a great circle distance of 839 nautical miles (1,553 kilometers). In June of this year, its longest route is now transcontinental, connecting two airports situated on both coasts of the US. Simple Flying explores Breeze Airways’ past and current longest direct routes.

Breeze Airways’ Humble Beginnings

Breeze Airways took off for its first-ever flight on May 27, 2021, with the airline using an Embraer E195, registered as N190BZ, to fly from Tampa International Airport (TPA) to Charleston International Airport (CHS), a journey of just 322 NMI (596 km), with the filed block time of the flight being 85 minutes, according to data from the aviation analytics company Cirium’s Diio Mi airline planning tool.

Throughout the next few weeks, the airline added more routes and more aircraft, with ch-aviation data showing that as of May 27, 2021, Breeze Airways had welcomed two Embraer E190 and three E195s, all acquired on the second-hand market. Still, by June 2021, Breeze Airways’ network expanded to nine routes that originate at either Charleston or Tampa. Interestingly, the airline, which had scheduled 34 weekly flights during the month, had no flights on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, per Cirium’s Diio Mi. In a recent sit-down, David Neeleman, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Breeze Airways, said that it was a hard experience to start an airline during the pandemic.

“Started flying our flights in May of 2021, which is just coming out of Covid. So I think I’d like to believe that we’re a better company today because we had to go through those challenges, and so we are really focused on being better everyday, and we learned a lot during Covid, but we’re glad we’re through with it, and hope to never see it again.”

Onward And Upward With New Airbus A220-300 Aircraft

According to Cirium’s Diio Mi data, the carrier’s June 2021 network included four flights from Charleston and five from Tampa, including a direct connection between the two. Each route was served either four times per week or, in the case of flights between Tampa and Tulsa International Airport (TUL), and Tampa and Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA), thrice weekly. At the time, the longest route was the aforementioned connection from Tampa to Tulsa, with a great circle distance of 839 NMI (1,553 km).

By June 2022, the airline had taken delivery of more aircraft, including its first six A220-300s. The first A220-300, registered as N203BZ, was delivered to the airline on December 14, 2021, with the aircraft entering service in May 2022. By that point, Breeze Airways’ direct flight schedule had grown from 35 weekly departures to 200, as well as the addition of several more airports to its network. To note, by the end of 2022, Airbus had delivered 11 A220-300 aircraft to the airline. Ten were leased, namely from AerCap (seven), Azorra (two), and Jackson Square Aviation (one).

Cirium’s Diio Mi showed that when the A220-300 entered service with the airline on May 25, the airline based the single-aisle jet at Richmond International Airport (RIC). From there, the aircraft flew to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Tampa, with the flight to the former instantly becoming Breeze Airways’ longest direct route with a distance of 2,128 NMI (3,941 km). Other routes were significantly longer compared to its then-current route network in June 2021, such as flights from Charleston to San Francisco, as well as several direct connections to Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS).

Adding Additional Medium-Haul Flights

During 2023, Breeze Airways added nine more A220-300 aircraft, all of which were leased from either AerCap or Jackson Square Aviation, except for one, registered as N221BZ. As such, by June 2023, the airline’s weekly direct departure count had increased to 682, up from 392 in June 2022, representing a 135.2% year-over-year (YoY) rise. This resulted in a 152.5% increase in total weekly seats.

However, the Richmond to San Francisco route no longer had the longest route crown among Breeze Airways’ connections. That was given to the Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport (PVD) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) route on May 17, 2023, when the airline began flying the connection, with the two airports being separated by 2,253 NMI (4,172 km).

When Breeze Airways unveiled the route in December 2022, the Rhode Island airport, which is located near Providence, the capital of the state of Rhode Island, Tom Doxey, the then-president of Breeze Airways and the current Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Southwest Airlines, said that Breeze Airways looks for underserved routes where it can add non-stop flights, low fares and its ‘Seriously Nice’ service.

Rhode Island airport is a prime example of what happens to an airport’s connectivity when Breeze Airways enters the market. In June 2019, for example, the airport had a single direct route, Norwegian’s flights to Dublin Airport (DUB). In September 2019, Sun Country Airlines added departures to Las Vegas, per Cirium’s Diio Mi. By June 2023, Breeze Airways had added several routes, as well as one-stops to Orange County John Wayne Airport (SNA) via Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH), and Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT).

In addition, by June 2023, the airline had scheduled several more routes with a distance of more than 1,600 NMI (3,000 km), including several California-bound connections from the East Coast of the US. This includes examples such as flights from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Orange County-John Wayne, or from Raleigh–Durham International Airport (RDU) to Los Angeles.

Flights Between Rhode Island And Los Angeles Remain At The Top

Not much has changed since then. As of June of this year, Rhode Island to Los Angeles remains Breeze Airways’ longest route, with the airline scheduling three weekly flights on the route. Compared to June 2023, the carrier’s direct routes with a distance of more than 1,600 NMI (3,000 km) now also include flights from/to San Diego International Airport (SAN). From there, the airline flies to Cincinnati, Jacksonville International Airport (JAX), Norfolk International Airport (ORF), Raleigh–Durham, and Pittsburgh.

During the aforementioned sit-down, Neeleman explained that Breeze Airways’ emphasis is on finding routes without non-stop services. About 86% of the airline’s routes have no rivals flying the same itinerary, with the founder of the airline praising its schedule planning team for its ability to select cities that work well for Breeze Airways.

Neeleman also cheekily ‘replied’ to the inquirer, who is from Orange County, California, asking them to ask the city’s council to grant Breeze Airways more slots at the airport since the airline now has only three slots. The carrier’s chief executive would love to acquire at least 20 at the Californian airport to potentially expand its flight network from the airport.

Breeze Airways Eyeing International Flying

However, the list of longest routes operated by Breeze Airways could soon be filled with regular international connections as well. On June 6, the Department of Transportation (DOT) approved the airline to operate scheduled foreign air transportation of people, cargo, and mail between the US and all countries with which the US has an Open Skies or Multilateral Agreement on the Liberalization of International Air Transport (MALIAT) agreement.

When the carrier applied for the exemption request in May, which the Department approved from June 6 through June 6, 2027, or “until 90 days after the Department’s final action on Breeze’s corresponding certificate application in this docket, whichever occurs earlier,” Breeze Airways said that its international operation would be similar in stage length and “sophistication” as its current domestic-only flights and charters that it has operated to the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands. A previous exemption request, which was extended for two years on March 21, has allowed Breeze Airways to operate flights from the US to Mexico.

“The grant of authority allowing Breeze to operate to Open Skies countries is in the public interest. It will promote competition and increase the scope of Breeze’s high-quality, low-fare services,” it said, adding that all of its international flights would be operated with the A220-300. The airline has not yet unveiled its first and/or potential destinations outside the US. Considering its leisure focus when flying domestically, one could guess that leisure destinations along the Gulf or in the Caribbean would be among the first airports to receive regularly scheduled Breeze Airways international connections.