Breeze Airways Enters Phoenix Market, Plans More Routes

Credit: Joe Pries

US startup Breeze Airways entered the Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) market with two routes launched on Nov. 19, and immediately unveiled additional destinations to be served from the Arizona airport in 2023.

The carrier, which opeates a mix of Airbus A220-300 and Embraer E195 aircraft, is now flying 2X-weekly service from PHX to both Provo (PVU) in Utah and Charleston (CHS) in South Carolina.

The carrier will add three more nonstop routes from PHX in February 2023 to: Fayetteville (XNA) in Arkansas; Hartford (BDL) in Connecticut; and Richmond (RIC) in Virginia. All three routes will be operated 2X-weekly.

Additionally, Breeze will open 2X-weekly one-stop/same aircraft service between PHX and New Orleans (MSY) from Feb. 17. The airline did not specify at which airport the aircraft would stop before carrying on to MSY, but by Feb. 17 it will be operating to multiple airports from both PHX and MSY, including CHS, XNA, BDL and RIC.

Breeze president Tom Doxey noted in a statement that all five nonstop routes from Sky Harbor will be exclusive to the airline. “Breeze always seeks to connect cities which have previously had no nonstop service,” he said.

“The addition of the new service routes from Breeze Airways will provide residents and visitors with more low-cost flight options than ever to fly in and out of Phoenix,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said in a statement. “It is a win-win for travelers and our economy.”

Breeze, created by Azul Brazilian Airlines and JetBlue Airways founder David Neeleman, launched operations in May 2021. The new PHX routes will bring the carrier’s total number of nonstop routes to 106, all domestic.

Aaron Karp

Aaron Karp is a Contributing Editor to the Aviation Week Network.