DAYTONA BEACH — A Utah-based low-cost airline will soon offer year-round twice-a-week nonstop flights at Daytona Beach International Airport to four new destinations.
Breeze Airways announced its plans at a press conference Wednesday morning at the Volusia County-run airport.
It will launch its service to Westchester County (White Plains), New York, on Thursdays and Sundays, beginning Nov. 14.
It will add flights on Thursdays and Sundays beginning Feb. 13, 2025, to and from Hartford, Connecticut, and to and from Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina.
Then it will add flights on Mondays and Fridays beginning Feb. 14, 2025 to and from Providence, Rhode Island.
Cyrus Callum, Volusia County's director of aviation and economic resources, described Breeze's decision to add flights here as "the biggest air service announcement" in the airport's history. "We haven't had one carrier announce four new destinations all at once before," he said in a phone interview.
What is Breeze Airways?
The budget airline was founded in 2018 and began service on its first route (Tampa to Charleston, South Carolina) in 2021. It is based in Cottonwood Heights, Utah (just outside Salt Lake City).
Its founder, CEO David Neeleman, previously was involved in founding four other airlines: JetBlue, WestJet, Morris Air, and Azul Linhas Aereas.
According to its website, Breeze focuses on providing "efficient and affordable flights between secondary airports, bypassing hubs for shorter travel times. Our flights include seamless booking, no change or cancellation fees, up to 24 months of reusable flight credit, and customized flight features, including complimentary family seating, delivered via a sleek and simple app. We make it easy to buy and easy to fly."
Cities that Breeze currently flies out of in Florida include Tampa, Jacksonville, Orlando, Fort Myers, Sarasota-Bradenton, Pensacola, and Vero Beach.
What are its fare options?
Breeze offers four different types of air fares: "No Flex Fare" (no-frills basic fare whose purchasers are the last to be seated); "Nice" (includes a free carry-on item, standard seat, and general boarding); "Nicer" (free carry-on item, one free checked bag, extra leg room, free inflight WiFi, priority boarding); and "Nicest" (one carry-on item, two checked bags, free inflight WiFi, recliner seat, two free checked bags, priority boarding, free inflight snacks and drinks). All options allow one free personal item.
Prices on Breeze flights from Daytona Beach were not available on the airline's website on Tuesday.
Introductory discount available this week
Breeze is offering a 35% discount on all roundtrip base fares if purchasedbefore midnight Friday for travel from Aug. 28 through Feb. 4 of next year,and from April 28 through May 13, 2025. To access the introductory discount, use the promotional code "TAKEOFF" at checkout on flybreeze.com or on the Breeze app.
What kind of planes will Breeze use here?
Callum said Breeze will use Airbus A220-300s on its flights to and from Daytona Beach. They will be able to seat up to 137 passengers.
Breeze flights will boost travel options at Daytona airport
The addition of the new routes by Breeze will increase the number of destinations airline travelers can fly to from Daytona Beach International Airport to nine, not counting seasonal offerings.
The airport currently offers four flights a day, seven days a week, by both Delta Air Lines (to Atlanta, Georgia), and by American Airlines (to Charlotte, North Carolina).
Low-cost carrier Avelo Airlines currently offers twice-a-week nonstop flights to New Haven, Connecticut.
Avelo recently announced plans to add twice weekly nonstop service to Wilmington, Delaware (a 30-minute drive to Philadelphia), beginning Nov. 7, and to Hartford, Connecticut, starting Nov. 8.
The addition of Breeze could increase Daytona Beach's chances of attracting service to new destinations from other airlines as well, said Joanne Magley, the airport's director of air service, marketing and customer service.
"The more we add airlines, the more other airlines take notice," she said.
Decision hastened by competitor's recent announcement
Callum said Avelo's announcement in July of its plans to add nonstop Daytona Beach-Hartford service took Breeze officials by surprise as they were already in talks about possibly introducing flights to that city from here.
"It created a sense of urgency," he said of Breeze's decision last week to finally agree to add service at Daytona Beach.
Incentives were involved
Daytona Beach International Airport agreed to provide Breeze with "general airport incentives" that include a two-year waiver on the fees the airport typically charges airlines such as landing fees and rent, said Callum.
The airport also pledged to provide marketing assistance to promote the airline's new routes, as well as the possibility of marketing assistance from the Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.
The amount the CVB would spend on promoting Breeze's new routes has yet to be determined and is subject to approval both from its board as well as from the Volusia County Council.
Were local tax dollars involved?
No, at least not those collected by the county.
Daytona Beach International Airport operates as an "enterprise fund" meaning that its funding comes from revenues it generates on its own from tenants, which include the airlines, car rental companies, and the restaurants and hotels on its property, as well as from state and federal grants (usually for construction projects).
The airport does not use money from ad valorem taxes paid by Volusia County residents.
What they're saying
“Breeze starting service at Daytona Beach International Airport is beyond ‘NICE’,” said Airport Director Karen Feaster, in a news release. “Our air service development team has been talking with the route planners at Breeze for more than two years, continually building relationships and now we can celebrate a huge air service win for our community and welcome even more visitors to our beautiful destination.”
“We have continued to see opportunities for growth on Florida’s eastern coast, and that’s evident by this announcement of four nonstop routes from Daytona Beach,” said David Neeleman, Breeze Airways’ founder and CEO, in the news release. “These great destinations will give the community more affordable, yet elevated travel options.”
