Breeze Airways to open base in Hartford, setting up Connecticut as low-cost battleground
The Constitution State is becoming a competitive market for the nation's newest ultra-low-cost carriers.
Breeze Airways on Thursday announced it would open a new base at Hartford's Bradley Airport (BDL), which will include eight yet-to-be-announced destinations on top of the four Breeze already flies from there. Breeze's move comes a day after Avelo Airlines announced it was launching service to four new destinations from its base at Tweed-New Haven Airport (HVN), where it's now selling tickets on 10 nonstop routes.
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Bradley is 56 miles north of Tweed-New Haven by car. The airports are linked by Interstate 91, a key transportation corridor through a relatively densely populated area with residents that would find both airports convenient. Therefore, Breeze's move can be seen as competitive to Avelo's.
Breeze has served Bradley since its first day of operations in May of 2021, and currently serves four destinations from the airport: Charleston, South Carolina (CHS), Columbus, Ohio (CMH), Norfolk, Virginia (ORF) and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (PIT). Its new Airbus A220 will serve all four of its current Bradley routes starting in June. The Utah-headquartered airline said that it would announce its eight new destinations from Hartford in early March.
Avelo on Wednesday announced that it too will serve Charleston from its Connecticut base. It currently serves six cities in Florida and, in addition to Charleston, will soon add Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (MYR), Savannah, Georgia (SAV), and Nashville (BNA).
In announcing Breeze's new base, CEO and founder David Neeleman played up his airline's connection to the state.
"As a long-time Connecticut resident, it’s personally really exciting for me to announce today with Governor [Ned] Lamont that Hartford’s Bradley International Airport is becoming Breeze’s fifth base of operations,” he said in a statement. "We also can’t wait to share the news on all the new destinations coming from Hartford in just a matter of weeks."
More: Avelo Airlines adds 4 new cities, will now fly 10 routes from East Coast base
Breeze's move will create over 200 jobs, the carrier said. It will earn a nearly $1.3 million grant in arrears from Connecticut's Department of Economic and Community Development that is contingent on the airline creating and retaining 212 full-time jobs.
In addition to service from Breeze, Hartford is also served by American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines and United Airlines. Avelo is the only carrier at Tweed-New Haven, which is undergoing a terminal expansion project. The airport was formerly served by American, which discontinued service there during the pandemic.
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- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). |
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Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.60,000 bonus pointsAnnual Fee
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Why We Chose It
There's a lot to love about the Amex Gold card. It's been a fan favorite during the pandemic because of its fantastic rewards rate on restaurants (that includes takeout and delivery in the U.S.!) and U.S. supermarkets. If you're hitting the skies soon, you'll also earn bonus points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders) and up to $120 in annual dining statement credits at eligible partners, there's no reason that the foodie shouldn't add this card to their wallet. Enrollment required.Pros
- 4x on dining at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1x)
- 3x on flights booked directly with the airline or with Amex Travel
- Welcome bonus of 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first six months
Cons
- Weak on travel outside of flights and everyday spending bonus categories
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber/food credits
- Few travel perks and protections
- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
- Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $250.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees