Breeze unveils big 11-route expansion, begins to fill Spirit's void in Atlantic City
Last year, Spirit Airlines operated 99% of all flights from Atlantic City, New Jersey. Now, the budget airline is gone.
But not all is lost at Atlantic City International Airport (ACY).
Breeze Airways on Tuesday announced it's picking up four routes Spirit previously served from the airport — all to popular southeastern vacation destinations.
Between July and December, the Utah-based carrier will launch nonstop service from ACY to:
- Orlando International Airport (MCO): Daily service begins July 3.
- Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR): Twice-weekly service on Thursdays and Sundays launches Oct. 22.
- Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers, Florida: Thrice-weekly service on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays launches Oct. 22.
- Palm Beach International Airport (PBI): Thrice-weekly service on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays will launch Dec. 17.
Each of those four routes were ones Spirit previously operated.
Filling Spirit's void
Breeze was already set to launch Atlantic City service on Wednesday. And, its arrival on the New Jersey coast came months after budget competitor Allegiant Air arrived in town, as Spirit pulled back and rumors swirled about its possible demise.
This is the latest example of airlines swooping in to fill a void left by Spirit. Notably, just hours after Spirit shut down over the weekend, JetBlue announced 11 new routes out of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), Spirit's former home base.
In addition to Atlantic City service, Breeze's new routes announced Tuesday go beyond Spirit's former footprint.
Read more: Spirit refunds 'most' passengers, but points and vouchers in major jeopardy
A larger 11-route expansion by Breeze
The airline on Tuesday unveiled seven additional routes to Florida, Mexico and the Caribbean.
The expansion includes the carrier's first-ever service to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with three new routes to Cancun and two more to Punta Cana.
Here's the full rundown.
| Route | Launch date | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) to Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) | Jan. 8, 2027; seasonal | Twice-weekly on Mondays and Fridays |
Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) to Cancun International Airport (CUN) | Jan. 7; seasonal | Three times weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays |
PIT to PUJ | Jan. 7; seasonal | Three times weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays |
PIT to Vero Beach Airport (VRB) | Oct. 1 | Three times weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays |
Richmond International Airport (RIC) to CUN | Jan. 8; seasonal | Twice-weekly on Mondays and Fridays |
Tampa International Airport (TPA) to CUN | Dec. 19 | Twice-weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays |
TPA to Cyril E. King International Airport (STT) in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands | Dec. 16 | Twice-weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays |
This expansion by Breeze will give Richmond its first nonstop service to Cancun, and give Tampa a nonstop link to St. Thomas.
Besides Atlantic City, Pittsburgh was the biggest winner with three new routes. Breeze will go head-to-head with American Airlines on the Pittsburgh service to Cancun and the Dominican Republic.
What to know about Breeze
Breeze started flying in 2021, and while it's a low-cost airline with bare-bones base tickets at the cheapest level, you can also upgrade to the carrier's bona fide first-class recliners up front. They are sold as part of its "Nicest" fares or as an add-on item at checkout.
Related reading:
- When is the best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare?
- The best airline credit cards
- Which US airline is best? TPG's latest rankings
- Flight delayed or canceled? Here's what to do
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
- What are points and miles worth? TPG's monthly valuations
- Summer sticker shock: Airfare up 15% as high jet fuel costs take hold