American low-cost carrier Breeze Airways is celebrating the 50th Airbus A220-300 aircraft joining its fleet, part of a broader order of 90 of the highly versatile single-aisle aircraft. This marks the latest chapter for the airline and celebrates the carrier’s rapid growth in US destinations. The airline proudly operates one of the youngest airline fleets in the country.

The 50th A220 arrived this week and is part of the airline’s transition to an all-A220 fleet, which is perfectly suited to the airline, allowing nonstop transcontinental flights and is favored for its fuel efficiency and spacious onboard cabin. For Breeze, the A220 is ideal given its ability to serve secondary airports with nonstop services.

Welcoming The 50th Airbus A220-300 To Breeze Airways

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Breeze was founded back in 2018 by David Neeleman. Initially, it was set to be called Moxy Airways, but the name change put it in the spotlight as it launched in May 2021. The airline today operates a network of around 76 destinations and is a popular choice for travel between smaller cities, given its focus on serving secondary airports with nonstop flights.

Initially, Breeze began its relationship with Bombardier with an order for 60 CS300s, which were later rebranded as the A220-300, after Airbus acquired a controlling stake in the CSeries program. Over the last five years, a steady flow of A220s has joined the Breeze fleet, enabling the airline’s continued expansion. Today, the carrier maintains operating bases at Akron/Canton, Charleston (SC), Fort Myers, Hartford, New Orleans, Norfolk, Orlando, Providence, Provo, Raleigh/Durham, Tampa, and Vero Beach.

The celebration for the 50th A220 delivery was hosted at the US Airbus assembly line in Mobile, Alabama.

Breeze’s Fleet Development

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In 2018, Breeze signed a memorandum of understanding for 60 A220S (then CS300), with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2021. Breeze eventually launched before the delivery of the first aircraft, instead opting to sublease 30 Embraer 195s from Azul. This enabled the airline to start serving short-haul routes. Additionally, Breeze eventually received another 15 E190s from Nordic Aviation Capital.

The airline received its first A220-300 in October 2021, and the aircraft entered regular service the following May, 2022. Since then, now 50 A220s have been delivered to Breeze, with the airline’s plan to transition the remaining E190 into charter operations. The E195s have already been retired.

For those who travel with Breeze, its service concept offers a range of ticket classes, from the most restrictive no-flex fare to Nice, Nicer, and Nicest, which progressively add more amenities. The airline has a buy-on-board service, with streamable inflight entertainment.

Another David Neeleman Legacy

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As already mentioned, Breeze is yet another successful airline developed by Brazilian American businessman David Neeleman. Neeleman founded a total of five airlines, including Morris Air, WestJet, JetBlue Airways, Azul Linhas Aereas, and Breeze. He also previously owned 45% of TAP Air Portugal.

Neeleman was born in Brazil but raised in Sandy, Utah. The first airline he co-founded was Morris Air, a charter airline that operated from 1984 to 1994 when it merged into Southwest Airlines. The airline was the first airline in the world to invest in ticketless travel. Azul has become the largest airline in Brazil by destinations served, while WestJet is Canada’s second-largest airline with a large presence in the country’s west, and JetBlue has an extensive presence across the United States’ eastern seaboard.

Breeze is the latest airline from Neeleman, which has a unique selling point: point-to-point flights on underserved routes. This allows secondary airports to have low fares and high-quality service. The bypassing of major hubs provides faster, more affordable travel options, while the airline enjoys around 90% of its routes being monopolized, meaning it faces no direct competition.