Breeze axes key New York-to-Los Angeles flight
Editor’s note: This post has been corrected to show seasonal routes will cease operating as planned in September. The airline expects most to resume next year.
New airline startup Breeze Airways is facing headwinds on some of its routes.
Most notably, the carrier will stop flying its transcontinental service between New York and Los Angeles beginning May 1, as seen in Cirium schedules and confirmed by airline spokesperson Gareth Edmondson-Jones.
Given the nearly six-hour flight time, the route required too many crew and aircraft resources. Also, the timing of the flights didn't work well for Breeze's operation, explained Edmondson-Jones.
Plenty of established airlines serve the New York-to-Los Angeles market. However, none have tried what Breeze thought would work: flying from Westchester County Airport (HPN) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
HPN is a breeze to navigate — I've never waited more than five minutes to clear security there. It also boasts a very affluent catchment area, which includes some parts of Connecticut that would otherwise require a two-hour car ride to get to the major New York City-area airports.
Even without fancy lie-flat seats, Breeze thought it could convince enough locals to choose the airline over its competitors flying from larger and busier airports. Introductory fares started at just $149 for a one-way trip — not bad for a ride on one of the carrier's comfortable Airbus A220-300 aircraft. The nicest seats (essentially domestic first-class recliners) started at just $249 each way.
Breeze founder and CEO David Neeleman thought he could turn White Plains, New York, into a major market for Breeze as he did 16 years ago for JetBlue Airways (another airline he founded). However, his ambitions seemed to have been a bit too high this time around.
In fact, the Los Angeles route was the only (somewhat) successful transcontinental market for the airline's HPN operation. Though the flight commenced a few months later than initially planned, at least it's been consistently served on a near-daily basis since November.
The same can't be said for Las Vegas and San Francisco — the two other cross-country routes that Breeze initially planned to launch from White Plains, as locals like to call the airport. Flights to San Francisco were cut before they even launched, while service to Vegas operated for just three weeks before also being slashed.
Aside from Breeze's failed transcontinental experiment, the carrier is tweaking service from HPN to some southeastern cities. The airline will scrap service to Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) at the end of May, and it'll temporarily suspend flights to Norfolk International Airport (ORF) and Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV) after Labor Day weekend.
Beyond New York, two-dozen other seasonal routes will wind down with the end of the summer schedule. Those routes were introduced as seasonal options and will end after Labor Day weekend.
Edmondson-Jones told TPG that these are "seasonal shifts and the re-directing of resources" during the winter schedule. He said he expects "basically all of the routes below will be back by/for summer 2024." Breeze is a leisure-focused carrier, so the airline adjusts its schedules as needed to meet demand trends, he added.
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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
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- 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.
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- $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.