WILMINGTON — Another low-cost airliner will service passengers at Wilmington International Airport.
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Breeze Airways will begin to operate nonstop service to four destinations, including one in Connecticut, two in Florida, and one in Rhode Island, starting next winter. Flights begin just ahead of Valentine’s Day:
- Hartford, CT: Thursdays and Sundays, starting Feb. 13, 2025;
- Orlando, FL: Thursdays and Sundays, starting Feb. 13, 2025
- Fort Myers, FL: Mondays and Fridays, starting Feb. 14, 2025
- Providence, RI: Mondays and Fridays, starting Feb. 14, 2025
This is the third city that Breeze operates out of in North Carolina; it currently also has flights out of Raleigh-Durham and New Bern/Coastal Cities airports.
“We’re glad travelers have more options, and that ILM is more affordable than ever before, Jeff Bourk, airport director for the Wilmington International Airport, said in a statement.
This is the third airline carrier announced for ILM in the last three years. Avelo officially began operations in 2022 and offers eight stops, also including Orlando and Fort Myers, as well as Hartford, CT — the latter two destinations announced last month.
Last year, Sun Country began operations out of ILM as well, with flights to Minneapolis-St. Paul.
The announcement of Breeze brings the total carriers to six, also including American Airlines, Delta, and United. It also comes as ILM was announced as the fastest-growing airline in the state earlier this year.
ILM experienced a 21% increase in passengers in 2023, with just more than 1.3 million travelers funneling through the airport. This culminated in 23% seat capacity growth, ahead of the statewide average of 14% and national average of 10%.
“The addition of Breeze Airways gives residents and visitors another affordable airline to utilize in getting to and from our community,” LeAnn Pierce, Vice-Chair for the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners and ILM Airport Authority member, said in a statement.
Breeze started in 16 cities nationwide three years ago, founded by aviation entrepreneur David Neeleman who began the operation with a fleet of Embraer 190/195 and Airbus A220-300 aircraft. Today, it’s grown to offering 200 year-round and seasonal nonstop routes between 64 cities in 30 states.
In its infancy has been ranked in the top five of Travel + Leisure’s “Best Domestic Airlines” for three years now. It boasts premium seating options and high-speed WiFi, both of which can be bundled or purchased a la carte to accommodate travelers’ needs and budgets.
As well, the airline doesn’t charge fees for changes or cancellations as long as they’re made 60 minutes prior to departure. Its offerings can be found here and Breeze is offering a discount on new round-trip reservations when using TAKEOFF promo code (black-out dates apply).
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