Budget airline turf war: Breeze adds 10 routes to New Haven, Avelo's biggest stronghold
There’s a budget airline turf war heating up in Connecticut between the two newest U.S. airlines.
For months, low-cost airline Avelo Airlines has staked significant East Coast growth plans around Tweed New Haven Airport (HVN), which until recently, did not have commercial service.
But Avelo is about to get company in New Haven — and in a big way.
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Fellow startup carrier Breeze Airways will launch New Haven service in December, with plans to operate 10 routes from the southern Connecticut airport by February — including more than a half dozen routes on which it will go directly head-to-head with Avelo.
The two carriers will compete on a handful of routes to Florida as well as other Southeast destinations like Charleston International Airport (CHS) in South Carolina and Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) in North Carolina.
Breeze also announced plans to significantly expand its presence at Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Hartford over the coming months, where the two carriers already compete head-to-head. The plans, Breeze noted, include future international service.
Avelo announces additional New Haven service, too
For its part, Avelo isn’t ceding to the pressure. The Houston-based ultra-low-cost carrier announced Tuesday it will launch a new nonstop flight to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) in November — its 27th destination from New Haven.
The route will launch Nov. 14 with two weekly round trips on Thursdays and Sundays.
Plus, the carrier said Tuesday it will add two additional New Haven nonstop flights to San Juan, Puerto Rico, beginning Nov. 8, and expand the number of Boeing 737-800 jets it operates out of its largest base.
“Avelo is proud to be Connecticut’s Airline and continue growth in New Haven,” Avelo CEO Andrew Levy said in a statement Tuesday.
Breeze’s new routes
Here’s the full rundown of Breeze’s new nonstop routes from New Haven. The routes phase in from December through February.
| Route | Launches | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
HVN to Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) | Dec. 10 | Five times weekly |
HVN to Orlando International Airport (MCO) | Dec. 11 | Five times weekly |
HVN to Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) | Dec. 11 | Five times weekly |
HVN to Vero Beach Airport (VRB) | Dec. 13 | Twice weekly |
HVN to Charleston International Airport (CHS) | Feb. 6 | Four times weekly |
HVN to Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) | Feb. 6 | Twice weekly |
HVN to Norfolk International Airport (ORF) | Feb. 6 | Twice weekly |
HVN to Richmond International Airport (RIC) | Feb. 6 | Twice weekly |
HVN to Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) | Feb. 7 | Twice weekly |
HVN to Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) | Feb. 7 | Twice weekly |
Breeze’s Northeast growth
Breeze’s major New Haven expansion comes just days after the carrier seemed to close in on some of Avelo’s territories, taking on the carrier on a handful of additional routes to New England, most notably Hartford.
These 10 new routes are also just the latest Northeast expansion for the Utah-based airline — with New Haven its eighth New England destination and 64th city nationwide.
“From day one, our playbook has included significant growth across the Northeast region of the U.S. due to the high population density and limited nonstop travel options,” Breeze Chief Commercial Officer Lukas Johnson said in a statement Tuesday.
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In addition to its significant growth planned in Hartford, Breeze is planning to dramatically increase its Providence footprint, the carrier shared earlier this year, including international service.
The airline is in the “final stages” of securing certification to begin flying internationally, Breeze said Tuesday, with hopes to sell tickets on international flights by the end of the year.
A win for New Haven
Ultimately, as these two airlines seemingly battle for supremacy in New Haven, it’s travelers in the region that come out ahead.
Just a couple of years ago, the airport had limited commercial service — at one point losing it altogether. Now, with more than two dozen destinations after Avelo's arrival, it will soon get additional nonstops and weekly frequencies with the arrival of a second carrier in Breeze.
It's also worth noting that New England more broadly has been a key focus for several U.S. airlines of late. On top of Avelo and Breeze expanding in Connecticut (and Breeze's focus on Providence), JetBlue has doubled down on the region as part of its recent network realignment — with a particular focus on routes from the Northeast to Florida and San Juan, as well.
Tweed New Haven is around 75 miles from New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA), about 80 miles from midtown Manhattan, and just 55 miles from Bradley in Hartford.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. 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, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.