Breeze Adds Longest Flight As Part Of Network Changes

Credit: Rob Finlayson

US startup Breeze Airways has unveiled eight new services to start during the first half of 2023, including further expansion from the two newest points on its route map and the launch of the farthest flight in its network.

In November, the carrier revealed plans to make John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County and Raleigh-Durham (RDU) in North Carolina its 34th and 35th destinations, launching two and three routes respectively starting in February 2023. Now, the airline has said it intends to add three more routes out of Orange County and two more from Raleigh-Durham.

From Orange County, a 2X-weekly service to Columbus (CMH) will begin on March 29, followed by a 3X-weekly route to Cincinnati Northern Kentucky (CVG) the next day. Flights to Pittsburgh (PIT) will start on March 31, operating twice a week.

The expansion from Raleigh-Durham will see Breeze open a 2X-weekly route to Columbus on May 18, as well as a 4X-weekly service to Jacksonville (JAX) on the same day.

Elsewhere, the airline will launch flights from Providence (PVD) to Cincinnati on March 30, operating 3X-weekly, and from Norfolk (ORK) to Los Angeles (LAX) on May 18, operating 2X-weekly.

The eighth new route will run from May 19, connecting Providence and Los Angeles twice a week. At 4,162 km (2,247 nm), the route will become the farthest in Breeze’s network by distance. The current leader is Westchester County (HPN)-Los Angeles at 3,975 km (2,146 nm).

Data provided by OAG Schedules Analyser shows that none of the eight new routes are served at the present time, and only three have received scheduled nonstop service during the past decade.

Delta Air Lines linked Raleigh-Durham and Columbus until the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, while Frontier Airlines served the same route during the summer 2019 season. Allegiant Air also provided a limited summer seasonal service between Providence and Cincinnati, most recently between June and August 2022.

Three operators have provided nonstop Raleigh-Durham-Jacksonville flights in recent years. JetBlue Airways served the route from February to May 2021; Frontier between April and September 2019; and Delta from September 2019 through March 2020, and again from February until June 2021.

Other Breeze network changes planned for the summer 2023 season include the resumption of Columbus-Providence from March 29; Columbus-Hartford on May 19; Columbus-Jacksonville on May 19; and Columbus-Norfolk on May 19.

However, services including Los Angeles-Provo (PVU), Hartford-Nashville (BNA), Norfolk-Palm Beach (PBI) and Charleston-Los Angeles are among routes that look set to be suspended from May 2023.

Breeze has 24 aircraft in service at the present time, CAPA Fleet Database shows, comprising 10 Airbus A220-300s, 10 Embraer ERJ190s, and four ERJ195s. A further 70 A220s are on order.

David Casey

David Casey is Editor in Chief of Routes, the global route development community's trusted source for news and information.