A Breeze Airways aircraft on the tarmac at Tampa International Airport (TPA) in Tampa, Florida, on Thursday, May 27, 2021.
Matt May | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Breeze Airways plans to add eight flights out of New York’s Westchester County Airport, including a flight to California, a bet the start-up can convince suburbanites who want to avoid travel to the New York City area’s major hubs.
Launched by JetBlue Airways founder David Neeleman, the airline offers non-stop routes from Westchester to Los Angeles; San Francisco; Charleston, South Carolina; Jacksonville, Florida; Savannah, Georgia; and Norfolk, Virginia. It will also offer a one-stop flight to New Orleans.
The announcement comes a month after Breeze Airways said it would nearly double its network this year. The Westchester flights are part of a strategy by upstarts like Breeze and Avelo Airlines to capitalize on demand from travelers in smaller cities.
“They want to work non-stop, and they want to make it more efficient,” Breeze CEO Neeleman said in an interview.
Neeleman said the strategy is focused on leisure travelers, noting that many business travelers prioritize airlines that offer multiple frequencies, as well as frequent flyer status.
Breeze Airways plans to use its Airbus A220-300s, which include 36 first class seats, on intercity routes.
The airline also offers service from Hartford’s Bradley International Airport to Las Vegas, its eighth route from Connecticut Airport.