Breeze Airways Sees Growth and Expands Routes
Breeze Airways, the U.S. carrier that celebrated its third anniversary in May 2024, has experienced remarkable revenue growth in 2024, according to Chief Commercial Officer Lukas Johnson. In an interview with Aviation Week, Johnson highlighted that Breeze has achieved a monthly operating profit twice this year, following its first monthly operating profit reported in March. The airline has consistently seen growth in unit revenue, measured in revenue per available seat mile (RASM).
Founded by David Neeleman, the visionary behind JetBlue Airways and Azul Brazilian Airlines, Breeze Airways is not publicly traded and is therefore not obligated to disclose detailed financial figures. However, management has recently begun to provide insights into the airline’s performance. “We’ve made huge gains this year,” Johnson stated. “Every single month this year has shown tremendous year-over-year growth in unit revenue.” Earlier in the year, Breeze reported a unit revenue increase of over 30% year-over-year in the first quarter.
Johnson noted that significant yield increases are primarily due to the maturity of markets where Breeze has established its presence over time, allowing for higher fares. Remarkably, about 25% of Breeze’s traffic comes from repeat business in markets where it has been operational for at least six months.
As a premium low-cost carrier (LCC), Breeze focuses on leisure traffic and emphasizes connecting smaller destinations to larger markets. More than 80% of its routes are non-competitive. The recent addition of Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to its network marks the airline’s entry into the D.C. area.
Breeze is launching its first U.S. government-subsidized Essential Air Service (EAS) route, connecting IAD with Ogdensburg, New York, with daily flights starting September 27. Additionally, Breeze will operate three weekly flights from IAD to its base in Provo, Utah, beginning October 1, along with two weekly flights to South Bend, Indiana (starting November 8) and Vero Beach, Florida (starting November 21).
Johnson explained that Breeze views IAD as a “destination” market while also aiming to serve the entire region. Given its ongoing EAS service at IAD, expanding to additional markets made strategic sense. “We’ve got our Provo base, and South Bend and Vero Beach don’t have service to any of the D.C.-area airports,” he noted.
Currently, Breeze operates over 200 routes, connecting more than 60 U.S. airports. By the end of 2024, the airline expects to have 32 Airbus A220-300 aircraft in its fleet, with plans to expand to 90 by the end of 2028. Starting next year, Breeze will operate only A220-300s for scheduled service, dedicating its 10 Embraer 190s to charter flights.
The A220-300s are configured with 137 seats, including 12 premium seats with a 39-inch pitch. Johnson remarked, “Most of our passengers are comparing the experience to a regional jet, and then they get onboard [the A220] and they’re blown away. It’s a brand-new, larger jet. The feedback has been awesome.”
In addition to IAD, Breeze serves major U.S. hubs, including Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Newark, and Phoenix, primarily transporting travelers from smaller, underserved cities to these destinations. “We treat them as destinations,” Johnson emphasized, while avoiding routes heavily serviced by American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines.
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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, Breeze Airways