Our community's airport is getting a major boost as Breeze Airways announced Tuesday it's launching service on 11 new routes, including four that will directly serve Atlantic City International Airport.
The expansion comes at a critical time for Atlantic City travelers. Last year, Spirit Airlines operated 99% of all flights from the airport, but the budget carrier has since ceased operations entirely. Now, Breeze Airways is filling that void with nonstop service to four popular southeastern vacation destinations that Spirit previously served.
New Atlantic City Routes
Between July and December, the Utah-based carrier will launch the following nonstop service from Atlantic City International Airport:
Orlando International Airport: Daily service begins Thursday, July 3
Myrtle Beach International Airport: Twice-weekly service on Thursdays and Sundays launches Wednesday, October 22
Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers: Thrice-weekly service on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays launches Wednesday, October 22
Palm Beach International Airport: Thrice-weekly service on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays launches Wednesday, December 17
Breeze was already scheduled to begin Atlantic City service on Wednesday, joining budget competitor Allegiant Air, which arrived earlier this year as Spirit pulled back operations.
Regional Expansion Beyond Atlantic City
Tuesday's announcement included seven additional routes serving other East Coast cities with connections to Florida, Mexico, and the Caribbean. The expansion marks Breeze's first-ever service to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with three new routes to Cancun and two more to Punta Cana.
Pittsburgh International Airport emerged as a major winner with three new routes: service to Cancun International Airport and Punta Cana International Airport beginning Wednesday, January 7, and flights to Vero Beach Airport starting Wednesday, October 1. The Pittsburgh-Cancun and Pittsburgh-Punta Cana routes will operate three times weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, while the Vero Beach service follows the same schedule.
Richmond International Airport will gain its first nonstop service to Cancun with twice-weekly flights on Mondays and Fridays beginning Thursday, January 8. John Glenn Columbus International Airport will also receive twice-weekly seasonal service to Punta Cana on Mondays and Fridays starting Thursday, January 8, 2027.
Tampa International Airport rounds out the expansion with two new routes: twice-weekly service to Cancun beginning Friday, December 19, and flights to Cyril E. King International Airport in St. Thomas starting Tuesday, December 16. Both Tampa routes will operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
What This Means for Travelers
The arrival of Breeze Airways represents a significant development for our region's air travel options. While Spirit's departure left a substantial gap in service, Breeze is positioning itself as a viable alternative with a slightly different approach to budget travel.
Founded in 2021, Breeze operates as a low-cost carrier with bare-bones base tickets at the cheapest level. However, unlike some ultra-budget airlines, passengers can upgrade to the carrier's first-class recliners sold as part of its "Nicest" fares or as an add-on at checkout.
This expansion mirrors a broader industry trend of airlines moving quickly to capture routes abandoned by Spirit. Just hours after Spirit shut down over the weekend, JetBlue announced 11 new routes out of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Spirit's former home base.
For Atlantic City and the surrounding communities, the new service provides restored access to key vacation destinations and demonstrates that our local airport remains attractive to carriers looking to expand their networks. The return of Florida routes in particular will be welcome news for families planning summer getaways and snowbirds seeking winter escapes.
