New and returning routes are particularly exciting. In the first week of February, four US airlines—Allegiant, American, Breeze, and Southwest—will commence 11 routes. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Frontier and Spirit do not feature, while superbowl-driven services are excluded.

With six additions, Breeze, the nation’s fastest-growing airline, will add the most links. They include a new international service. This is particularly notable as the carrier only commenced its first non-US flights last month.

These 11 Routes Take Off In The First Week Of February

Credit: GCMap

They are shown above and summarized in date order below. No services began on February 1 or 2. Notice American Eagle’s debut flight from Charlotte to Shenandoah Valley. It entered this market two days after Contour ceased the route, having served it since 2022.

This is an example of launching so-called ready-made markets. It is a common way of growing. Airlines should always see how markets are changing and what opportunities exist. Other examples from the table exist. For example, Breeze replaces Avelo between Manchester and Myrtle Beach, which had replaced Spirit. Will it be the third time lucky for this market over the last few years?

The two routes to Shenandoah Valley are funded by the Essential Air Service. The link from Chicago O’Hare, which covers 470 nautical miles (870 km) each way, was previously flown by United Express between 2018 and 2022. Given the carriers’ increasing rivalry at O’Hare, from which United has added 20,000+ extra flights in 2026, this is somewhat amusing.

Breezing From New Orleans To Mexico

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Breeze has flown to the ever-popular Mexican gateway of Cancun since January 10. Its first route was from Norfolk, while flights from Charleston commenced shortly thereafter.

While those markets had not previously had flights to Cancun, its third route, New Orleans to Cancun, is very different. Breeze joins Southwest and Spirit, becoming the first time a trio of carriers has operated for several years. Flights from Providence begin on February 14.

At just 567 nautical miles (1,050 km) each way, New Orleans to Cancun is Breeze’s second-shortest international link, after Tampa to Nassau. The capital of the Bahamas has not previously been part of the carrier’s network. Its debut flight will lift off on June 11.

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Allegiant’s Next La Crosse Route

Credit: Vincenzo Pace

Unusually, Simple Flying has mentioned the small Wisconsin city of La Crosse at least twice in the past week or so. The first occasion concerned United Express announcing it’d fly there from its resurgent O’Hare hub. Now it’s Allegiant’s turn, with the start of its brand-new snowbird-orientated service to/from Phoenix Mesa.

Passenger traffic between Phoenix and La Crosse is nearly nonexistent. The US DOT shows that just 2,600 round-trip passengers traveled in the 12 months to October 2025. That was equivalent to a minuscule 3.6 passengers daily each way.

Traffic must, of course, increase substantially, helped by nonstop flights and relatively low fares. Allegiant stimulates demand on all its new routes, without which few of them would be viable. And its new La Crosse service will also appeal somewhat to people who might otherwise fly indirectly from other airports, such as Rochester (MN), which is about a one-hour drive.