Breeze Airways is set to expand its international footprint significantly starting in October. The carrier will launch seven new nonstop routes to destinations outside the United States. This addition brings the total number of international links to 13, marking a substantial proportional increase for the airline’s current overseas operations.
Tampa International Airport (TPA) will serve as a primary hub for this expansion. Five of the new routes will originate from TPA, making it the only Florida airport from which Breeze currently operates international flights. The expansion includes service to San Jose, Costa Rica, which represents a brand-new destination for the airline.
Tampa International Airport Expansion
The new routes from Tampa include service to San Jose via Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO). This route is notable for being Breeze’s longest international flight from Florida. The airline will be the sole operator on this specific airport pair. Industry data indicates that virtually all routes see increased traffic when nonstop flights are introduced, driven by lower fares and direct convenience.
Booking data from last year shows that 24,000 passengers traveled indirectly between Tampa and San Jose. Breeze aims to capture a portion of this demand with its new direct service. The airline also plans to serve Raleigh/Durham International Airport (RDU) to San Jose, a market that saw 26,000 passengers traveling indirectly last year.
While Breeze will also fly from Tampa to St. Thomas, this route is classified as domestic because the US Virgin Islands are a US territory. Therefore, it is not counted among the new international links. The expansion focuses on markets in the Caribbean and Central America.
Network Growth and Performance Data
Breeze Airways began its scheduled international service in January 2026. Initial routes included flights from Charleston and Norfolk to Cancun International Airport (CUN). Service from Providence to Cancun followed in February, along with New Orleans to Cancun. Service from Raleigh to Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) started in March, followed by Tampa to Nassau in June.
Recent performance data highlights the varying success of these early routes. The most trafficked market was Raleigh to Punta Cana, which carried 6,677 round-trip passengers. This route accounted for about a third of the airline’s total international traffic. The load factor for this route was 73.8 percent, significantly higher than the Norfolk to Cancun route, which had a load factor of 51.8 percent.
Overall, Breeze transported 20,624 round-trip passengers on international routes through June. The overall load factor for these flights was 59.5 percent. In contrast, the airline’s domestic market carried nearly four million passengers with an 80.9 percent load factor. Only one international link has ceased operations, specifically the Providence to Cancun route, which had a poor load factor of 49.8 percent.
Competitive Landscape
Seven of the 13 international routes will operate without head-to-head competition from other carriers. Some of these markets were previously served by other airlines, such as the now-defunct Silver Airways on the Tampa to Nassau route. Other markets, including Charleston and Norfolk to Cancun, are new to the competitive landscape.
The expansion positions Breeze to capture demand in markets where direct flights are currently unavailable. The airline’s strategy relies on offering relatively low fares and a product that is generally regarded positively by passengers. As rumors spread about potential widebody operations, this international expansion serves as a foundational step for future growth.
The new routes will begin operations in October. This expansion solidifies Breeze’s presence in key Caribbean and Central American markets while leveraging its strong domestic network to feed international traffic.
Source: Simple Flying
