Breeze plots dramatic Providence growth — including future international routes

22.05.2024 - 17:53 / thepointsguy.com / David Neeleman

One of America's newest airlines is marking its third birthday with a big announcement.

Breeze Airways, founded in May 2021, unveiled plans Wednesday to dramatically increase its service over the next half-decade at T.F. Green International Airport (PVD) in Providence.

Already operating up to 132 weekly flights and 18 destinations out of the New England airport, Breeze is plotting as many as 35 destinations over the next five years — and 200 weekly nonstops.

As part of an agreement, Breeze is expected to expand its footprint to three international destinations or U.S. territories, explained the company's founder and CEO, David Neeleman.

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"We've been chomping at the bit to do international for a little bit here," Neeleman said in an interview this week with TPG.

By fall, Breeze will have nine operating bases. It'll have three bases in Florida — once its Fort Myers base opens in October — and two in New England, including Providence. The other is at Bradley International Airport (BDL) near Hartford.

But the additional service offerings the Provo, Utah-based carrier is planning out of T.F. Green will far surpass the presence it currently has in any one market. The move will see Breeze base as many as 12 jets in Providence and double its personnel headcount to around 400.

What's behind this interest in Providence?

"We always say, if we're going to add a city, we add four or five destinations — and if those fill up, we'll keep adding," Neeleman said. "We see there's a clear path to 35 different places we can fly to [from Providence]. The airport's been supportive, the governor, everyone."

Indeed, Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee joined Breeze executives in Providence to announce the growth plans, including an agreement with the government that will see the carrier operate routes to at least seven cities west of the Mississippi, Neeleman said.

Here's how Breeze's current Providence route map shakes out, as shown by aviation analytics firm Cirium.

"This expansion will bring in more economic activity, more good-paying jobs, more routes, more visitors, and help set Rhode Island up as a true destination state," McKee said in a statement announcing the news.

As part of the agreement, Breeze will also commit to pursuing interline agreements with international carriers over the next three years to help Providence become more of a connecting hub for international traffic, the Rhode Island Airport Corporation said in a statement Wednesday.

Once it clears regulatory requirements, where might Breeze fly internationally?

"Anywhere we can draw a seven-hour circle around Providence," Neeleman said, alluding to the range of the Airbus A220.