This summer, it’s about to get a whole lot easier to visit some of the most popular islands in the US, thanks to Breeze Airways—a budget airline many American travelers may still not be familiar with.

Launched in 2021, Breeze Airways is based in Salt Lake City, and it bills itself as a “low-cost premier leisure” carrier. It offers affordable base fares with lots of optional add-ons organized as a tiered system of bundled perks that range from rock-bottom, basic-economy style fares to first-class tickets with a lot of included benefits. Across its route map, Breeze focuses on connecting smaller destinations within the US, like Hartford, Connecticut; Providence, Rhode Island; Akron, Ohio; and Montrose, Colorado. Because it is an all-domestic carrier, Breeze’s fleet consists of 48 planes across three different short-haul aircraft styles: the Airbus A330-200, the Embraer E-190, and the Embraer E-195.

As the new US airline continues to grow, its route map has expanded to 70 total destinations across the US. On March 11, the airline announced it’s launching to new flights to the Florida Keys from both Orlando International airport and Tampa International airport, which will add a ton of convenience for travelers looking to visit the southernmost point of the continental US.

Breeze’s newest routes, launching on June 12, will offer an affordable and streamlined way to tack on a visit from Central Florida to the azure waters, powder-soft beaches, and historic downtowns that make up Key West. Fares for the new flights—which clock in at a little more than an hour—into Key West International start at just $39 one-way, and tickets are now open for booking.

“We’re excited to extend our service within the Sunshine State with the addition of
new service to Key West,” Breeze Airways CEO and Founder David Neeleman, who also founded JetBlue, said in a statement. “We’re confident this will be a very popular addition to Breeze’s national network.”

Where else does Breeze Airways fly?

The airline operates a network of more than 200 routes all within the US. Many of its destinations are so-called “secondary” cities with smaller airports that major airlines typically overlook, but it also connects to larger metropolitan areas like Los Angeles and Washington DC. According to industry publication Simply Flying, which analyzed route data from aviation analytics firm Cirium, some of Breeze’s most frequently operated routes are flights between Utah’s Provo Municipal Airport and John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California; flights between Westchester County Airport in the suburbs of New York City and Florida’s Vero Beach Airport; and flights from Providence’s TF Green Airport and Fort Myers’ Southwest Florida International Airport.

Breeze is rapidly expanding—so far in 2025, it’s already announced 15 new nonstop routes. The carrier experienced “incredible growth,” in 2024, according to Neeleman, and that trend doesn’t appear to be stopping this year. “We see great demand and opportunity for our premium product offering in secondary markets across the country,” Neeleman said in a release from early February.

What to expect from each fare class

If you’ve never flown Breeze before, there’s a lot to know about how their tiered fares work. Each one comes with a different set of perks, from a larger, comfier seat and checked bags to earlier boarding and free in-flight Wi-Fi. Here’s a look at how the fares break down on the new Key West routes.

‘No Flex’ fare class

This is essentially Breeze’s version of basic economy, and it offers the most affordable base fare advertised by Breeze: $39 one-way to Key West. But be aware there are extra fees for almost any other service with these rock-bottom tickets. Fliers in this class are only allowed a personal item to put under the seat in front of them—a carry-on in the overhead bin or a checked bag will cost extra (and those costs vary). They will also need to pay an extra fee to select their seat, get in-flight Wi-Fi, as well as for any in-flight snacks or drinks. You also won’t be able to make any changes to your flight itinerary and will be the last to board the plane. However, unlike some basic economy tickets at larger airlines, Breeze does allow No Flex fliers to earn points, to the tune of 1x points on the cost of the airfare.

‘Nice’ fare class

Nice is similar to a regular economy class. Passengers with Nice fares are allowed a personal item and a carry-on bag but will need to pay extra for checked bags. There are also extra fees for seat selection, snacks and drinks, and Wi-Fi. On the Airbus A220–300 plane, there are 80 seats in a 2-3 configuration at the back that make up the Nice cabin, and on the E-190, there are 60 seats laid out 2-by-2. (No Flex passengers also sit in this area.) The seats on the A220-300 are 18 inches wide with 30 inches of pitch, but on the E-190, they’re slightly more snug, with 29 inches of pitch and 17.6 inches of width. All seats have USB power ports, including USB-C, and 60W laptop charging. Travelers in Nice also earn 2x points on their fares. Like all airfare prices, the cost to upgrade to Nice will fluctuate based on when you’re booking and other factors, but when we checked it cost $35 to upgrade from No Flex on the Orlando-to-Key West route.

‘Nicer’ fare class

Travelers can think of Nicer fares as an extra legroom seat. On Breeze’s A220-300 plane, the area offers 45 seats that sport 33 inches of pitch, which is three inches more than the Nice cabin. Otherwise, the seat specs are the same as Nice: 18 inches wide arranged in a 2-by-3 layout. On the E-190, Nicer seats can be a bit roomier. The pitch ranges from 33 to 39 inches. The 48 seats on the E-190 also sit at the very front of the plane in a 2-by-2 layout. Overall, these fares do offer travelers more value than just additional pitch. They also include an advance seat assignment, one carry-on bag and one checked bag, priority boarding, and free in-flight Wi-Fi. Additionally, fliers will earn 5x points on Nicer fares. When we looked, it cost $60 extra to upgrade from No Flex to Nicer on the Orlando-to-Key West route.

‘Nicest’ fare class

Onboard Breeze flights, Nicest fares are considered a first-class ticket. The cabin sits at the front of the A220-300 plane—it’s not offered on the E-190 jet—and is outfitted with 12 of Breeze’s first-class-style Ascent seats. Those seats are arranged in a 2-2 layout and are 20.5 inches wide with 39 inches of pitch, a “generous” recline, a foot rest, and a 120V AC power outlet (in addition to the USB power ports the other seats have). Nicest fares offer travelers a host of perks, including an advanced seat assignment, a carry-on bag, two checked bags, priority boarding, complimentary snacks and drinks (including alcohol), and free Wi-Fi. These fares also earn travelers 5x points. When we looked up the Orlando-to-Key West flights, it cost an extra $90 to upgrade from No Flex to the Nicest fare.