Breeze Airways launches cobranded credit card, adds 5 new cities, plans loyalty program revamp
Breeze Airways announced its first cobranded credit card on Tuesday and kicked off an expansion of its loyalty program — now known as "Breezy Rewards" — in the latest step by the startup airline to try to reach profitability by year's end.
The airline also announced several new markets and routes in its latest expansion.
The Breeze Easy™ Visa Signature® Credit Card, which will be issued by Barclays U.S., offers as much as 10 points per dollar spent on various purchase categories:
- 10 BreezePoints per dollar spent on "Nicer" and "Nicest" fare bundles, along with ancillary add-on purchases (five points per dollar when the flight is purchased and five additional points per dollar once the flight is completed)
- Four BreezePoints on "Nice" fare bundles, the airline's basic product (two points per dollar when the flight is purchased and two additional points per dollar once the flight is completed)
- Two points per dollar on grocery store and restaurant purchases
- One point per dollar on everything else
The card will also offer several perks, including priority boarding and free inflight Wi-Fi on equipped planes for the cardholder and all passengers on the same reservation. The airline's Airbus A220 fleet offers connectivity and will operate all of Breeze's commercial service by this fall, according to chief commercial officer Lukas Johnson.
New cardholders can get a signup bonus of 50,000 BreezePoints after spending $2,000 in the first 90 days of card membership, along with 7,500 bonus anniversary points each year that they spend at least $10,000 on the card.
The information for the Breeze Easy credit card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The airline also said on Tuesday that it would add five new airports to its route map: Bangor International Airport (BGR) in Maine; Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW); Lancaster Airport (LNS) in Pennsylvania; Capital Region International Airport in Lansing, Michigan (LAN); and Pensacola International Airport (PNS) in Florida.
From BGR:
- Orlando International Airport (MCO) Thursdays and Sundays starting Oct. 3
- Tampa International Airport (TPA) Mondays and Fridays starting Oct. 4
- Fort Myers Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) Wednesdays and Saturdays seasonally starting Oct. 5
From DFW:
- Provo Airport (PVU) Mondays and Fridays starting June 7
From LNS:
- Orlando International Airport (MCO) Thursdays and Sundays starting Oct. 8
From LAN:
- Orlando International Airport (MCO) Wednesdays and Saturdays starting Oct. 2
- Fort Myers Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) Thursdays and Sundays seasonally starting Oct. 3
From PNS:
- Tampa International Airport (TPA) Mondays and Fridays starting June 28
Breeze updates loyalty program
According to Breeze executives, the credit card launch is the start of a broader reconstruction of the loyalty program.
"We launched in Covid and so loyalty — the definition of that has shifted greatly," Angela Vargo, Breeze's head of marketing, told TPG during a conference call late last week. "We want to build a program that allows [users] to get value for the experiences that they want."
Read more: Breeze adds 3 summer routes from Raleigh-Durham focus city
"We're making it as flexible as possible, but we're really just using this as a baseline so we can grow it," she added.
BreezePoints are worth one cent per point toward fares or other purchases with Breeze, although the airline plans to tweak the program to make the points more valuable — either through promotions or other incentives for users to spend them.
"We know we want to get above the one cent per point," Breeze chief commercial officer Lukas Johnson said.
"Throughout the year we'll be enhancing it with a bunch of different structures," he added. "So we've got the shell of the program, plus the co-brand [credit card]."
The announcements come as Breeze prepares to sunset the Embraer E-190 and E-195 jets it first launched with, moving its entire schedule operation onto its fleet of Airbus A220-300 jets as it continues to take delivery of them. Last month, founder David Neeleman said that the transition should be complete by the end of the year, although Johnson told TPG last week that the transition should be complete by early fall.
Related: Breeze will move entirely to Airbus A220s and buy more jets; adds 50th city
The airline uses a point-to-point operating model that aims to operate nonstop flights between smaller markets that do not otherwise have direct air connectivity.
Breeze is also pursuing profitability this year, Neeleman previously said (following peer startup Avelo Airlines), despite recent suggestions that the airline has lost significant amounts of money.
Chief financial officer Trent Porter pointed to increasing fuel costs and competition in the third quarter of last year. However, he noted that the airline had still improved its margin for the quarter over the previous year.
"With us scaling as quickly as we have been, we're finally at that scale, with the number of aircraft that we have, to be able to be profitable," Porter said. "That's really what the change is for this year in what we're looking at."
The airline tripled in size last year, Johnson added.
With the new markets, Breeze will have a presence later this year in 56 cities across 29 states, the airline said.
Related reading:
- When is the best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare?
- The best airline credit cards
- What exactly are airline miles, anyway?
- 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
- What are points and miles worth? TPG's monthly valuations
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 4X | 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
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.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
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.