Breeze airways to launch International Service with Flights to Mexico and the Caribbean
NORFOLK, VA - January 8, 2024 – U.S. startup airline Breeze Airways announced today it will begin its first international flights this month, expanding its network to include destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean. The airline will kick off service on January 10 with Saturday-only flights between Norfolk, Virginia, and Cancun, Mexico, followed by roundtrips between Charleston, South Carolina, and Cancun on January 17, also operating solely on Saturdays.
Additional routes to Cancun will begin on February 7 from New Orleans, Louisiana, and a week later from Providence, Rhode Island. in March, Breeze plans to add Thursday and Saturday service between Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina and Montego Bay, Jamaica, as well as Wednesday and Saturday service to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. Flights from Tampa, Florida, to Montego Bay are scheduled to begin on February 11.
Breeze Airways, founded by JetBlue’s founder David Neeleman, debuted in May 2021 during the pandemic. The airline has been working with the Federal Aviation Administration for years to secure international flight certification, becoming the first sizeable U.S. passenger airline to do so since Virgin America – wich was acquired by Alaska Airlines in 2016.
“We feel really confident that it’s going to be a guest response,” said Lukas Johnson, Breeze’s chief commercial officer, in an interview. The airline will continue its strategy of flying Airbus A220-300s between cities with limited competition. Fares for the new routes start at $99 one way, with Johnson noting strong demand for the airline’s premium-class seating options, with a double-digit percentage of customers upgrading to more expensive seats on repeat flights.
