Breeze Airways plans to double its presence by the end of the decade.
On April 3, 2025, at the CAPA (Center for Aviation) Airline Leaders Summit in Dublin, Ireland, Breeze Airways CEO David Neeleman took the stage as a keynote speaker for a candid conversation with APEX (Airline Passenger Experience Association) Dr. Joe Leader, Global CEO. Their conversation explored innovation, strategic changes and the reorientation of the airline industry towards travelers’ priorities. Neeleman’s insights offered an in-depth look at Breeze’s founding philosophy and its path forward as a five-year-old airline based in Utah. Here’s how Neeleman is leading Breeze to connect underserved communities with a modern, rider-centric approach.
A mission to serve the underserved
Neeleman, the founder of the serial airline behind JetBlue, Azul, WestJet and Morris Air, has built Breeze based on lessons learned from his past ventures. He has shaped Breeze Airways to serve travelers in markets overlooked by others.
“I’ve spent my entire career trying to improve flying for people who don’t live in the biggest cities,” Neeleman said. “Breeze finally allows us to connect those dots with nonstop service, great aircraft and a simple, affordable experience.”
Breeze distinguishes itself from traditional airlines and most low-cost airlines (Avelo Airlines’ model is very similar) by focusing on unserved or underserved routes.
“From day one, we knew we didn’t want to be just another airline trying to enter the same crowded markets,” Neeleman emphasized. “We wanted to go where the need existed, where people had been ignored: cities where the only options involved long trips to larger airports or hours of connecting flights through hubs.”
Routes such as Erie, PA (ERI) to Tampa (TPA), Ogdensburg, NY (OGS) to Washington Dulles (IAD), or Charleston, SC (CHS) to Los Angeles (LAX) exemplify this approach. By focusing on point-to-point flights, Breeze saves passengers the hassle of stopovers and crowded terminals, bringing convenience to communities that have long been underserved.
The Airbus A220: the heart of the Breeze Airways fleet
Central to Breeze’s strategy is its fleet, dominated by the Airbus A220-300. As of May 2026, Breeze operates 66 aircraft, primarily A220-300s, with Embraer 190s largely exiting scheduled service (mainly retained for charter or backup flights).
Breeze’s A220-300 fleet features two different designs. The standard carries 137 passengers in a 2-3 configuration, with 12 premium “Ascent” seats in a 2-2 arrangement in the front. The heaviest premium version has 36 Ascent seats and a total capacity of 126 passengers.
Neeleman remains unequivocal about the role of the A220. “The A220 allows us to fly coast-to-coast efficiently with a better onboard experience than any other aircraft in its class,” he said. “It’s quiet, it saves fuel and passengers love the design of the cabin.”
Ascent seats reduce capacity by just one seat per row, allowing Breeze to offer a first-class-like product on an ultra-low-cost airline (ULCC) budget. With dozens more A220s on order and deliveries continuing, Neeleman sees endless possibilities.
“Every time we put one into service we expand the map of where we can fly non-stop,” he noted.
The move to an all-A220 scheduled fleet has simplified operations on long-haul routes such as transcontinental flights, keeping costs low and comfort high.
Digital innovation: a mobile-first airline
Breeze strikes a balance between low rates and a superior experience through its ground-up design and “mobile-first infrastructure.” As Neeleman said: “We built the airline around the idea that your phone is your boarding pass, your check-in agent and your helpdesk. We didn’t want long lines, paper itineraries or wait times in call centers.” The Breeze app is the hub for booking, checking in, managing flights and accessing support, streamlining every step for passengers. By eliminating call centers and paper processes, Breeze allows your team to prioritize meaningful interactions with travelers.
Intelligent automation further improves efficiency. “We use automation to solve what machines can handle, so our people can focus on what matters,” Neeleman explained.
Breeze systems proactively detect and resolve problems before they bother passengers. Paired with Viasat’s door-to-door Wi-Fi on its A220s, this digital hub keeps travelers connected and comfortable. This is how Breeze offers a high-end feel at ULCC prices, a defining characteristic of its approach.
Thoughtful growth and employee ownership
Neeleman emphasized that Breeze has deliberately escalated to “protect employee reliability and morale.” He described the airline’s growth as “thoughtful,” fostering a culture in which employees feel ownership. “That sense of ownership makes a big difference,” he said. By keeping operations agile and proactive, Breeze aims to resolve issues before they escalate, maintaining both passenger satisfaction and staff morale.
Looking ahead, Neeleman anticipates Breeze will serve 150 cities by 2030, maintaining its consistent and measured approach. “There are still many places in the US that don’t have direct service, and that’s just the beginning,” he said.
Breeze has since expanded internationally, launching services to destinations in Mexico (e.g. Cancun), the Caribbean (including Punta Cana and Montego Bay), the Bahamas (Nassau), and Costa Rica (San Jose), among others. The interline partnership with Azul Brazilian Airlines continues to connect Breeze’s domestic routes with Azul’s Brazilian network, facilitating travel to secondary cities in both countries. “It’s a natural thing,” Neeleman said. “We’re connecting the dots between two airlines that share the same DNA: great service, great people and non-stop routes where others don’t fly.”
More of the same, done better
When Leader asked what Breeze would look like by 2030, Neeleman’s answer was simple: more of the same, done better. Breeze will expand its US network using the Airbus A220 to serve more underserved markets with unmet demand. International growth is already underway and accelerating, but the primary focus remains on eliminating travel hassles for passengers.
“We created Breeze to eliminate hassles, reduce connections and allow people to fly the way they always wanted,” concluded Neeleman. “That mission will not change, it will only grow.”
In an era where the phrase “budget airline” can seem a little…questionable…Breeze’s journey showcases strategic innovation at its finest.
Innovation doesn’t always mean flashy new technology or crowded centers. In Breeze’s case, it’s simply about connecting the dots where others haven’t looked and treating guests like human beings, not numbers.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was originally published on April 14, 2025 and updated in May 2026 with the latest fleet, route and network information.
