What Is It Like To Fly Breeze Airways?

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We were headed to Charleston International Airport (CHS), and Breeze Airways was the only carrier with nonstop flights from our home airport in Westchester (HPN).  We had never flown Breeze, a “low-cost” carrier launched in May 2021, and I am always a bit skittish about new-to-me airlines. 

Adding to my hesitancy to book with the airline, our flight (MX 851) was scheduled to depart HPN at 8 AM, and there were no other Breeze flights to Charleston, South Carolina later that day. Similarly, our return flight one week later (MX 850) was also the only flight to Westchester returning that day.

We were concerned about the risk of one or both flights being canceled due to anticipated storms and having no alternatives.

The bottom line was that both flights arrived and departed on time, and we were quite pleased with our experience.

What To Know About Breeze Airways?

Breeze Airways is a low-cost carrier founded by David Neeleman, who co-founded Jet Blue, Morris Air (a charter service that became part of Southwestern), WestJet (the second largest carrier in Canada) and Azul Linhas Aereas (in Brazil).

Neeleman intended to create a new airline that would provide point-to-point flights from smaller secondary airports (like White Plains in Westchester) and save time by bypassing larger airline hubs.

Charleston was Breeze Airways’ first destination. Since its launch, Breeze has expanded its U.S. routes and operates in over 50 cities. The airline has applied for operations in Mexico and announced that it will be operating flights in Europe.

In February 2025, Breeze added Memphis, Rochester and Albany to its destinations.

The Breeze Airways fleet includes ten Embraer 190 and three Embraer 195 aircraft for short-haul routes, both of which transitioned from passenger services to charter operations by the end of 2024. The airline has 35 Airbus A220-300s. Both our flights were on the larger Airbus planes.  

Check-in went smoothly at both airports.

All The Ways To Fly Breeze Airways

Breeze Airways has four types of fares with different bundled inclusions. These are:

1) No Flex Fare (the airline’s most inexpensive, basic, no-frills fare)

• This fare includes a personal item that can be stowed under the seat in front of the passenger.
• Seat assignments and additional bags can be purchased. If a seat isn’t bought, one is assigned at check-in.
• Changes are not permitted on reservations. If a reservation has to be canceled, the passenger receives a partial flight credit in Breeze points.

2) Nice

• The fare includes one personal item and one carry-on; additional bags, seats, and add-ons can be purchased online.
• General boarding zone
• 2X BreezePoints per dollar spent earned after travel
• Reusable Flight Credit for cancellation

3) Nicer 

• This fare includes seating in the Extra Legroom section 
• One carry-on bag and one checked bag
• 5X BreezePoints earned after travel
• Complimentary high-speed WiFi, when available
• Priority boarding
• Reusable Flight Credit for cancellation

4) Nicest 

The Nicest seats are akin to First Class or Business seats. These bundles include:

• Reserved seating in the Breeze Ascent section
• One personal Item, a carry-on bag, and two checked bags
• Complimentary food and drinks, including alcohol
• Complimentary high-speed WiFi, when available
• Priority boarding
• 5X BreezePoints earned after travel
• Reusable Flight Credit for cancellation

A comparison chart on the Breeze website outlines the details of each fare class.

Pricing

Breeze Airways’ “low-cost” fares are advertised as beginning at $39 one-way. Of course, fares vary by date and destination.

Although the base fares started low, we wanted to reserve seats, check bags, have extra legroom, and have the ability to change the reservations in the event of bad weather. All these extras added up and the flight didn’t seem low-cost in the end.

Our two roundtrip tickets cost $496 total. Water is complimentary, but drinks and snacks are charged extra. But on a 1.5-hour flight, we were able to go without snacking.

Lounge Access

Breeze Airways did not provide any lounge access.

Westchester Airport has no lounge, per se, except for a public lounge in the upstairs bar/restaurant. To wait there, guests must make a purchase. This can be a drawback at many secondary airports.

At Charleston Airport, we could use the Priority Lounge, an American Express Platinum Card membership perk.

“Living Room” (as it’s called in the trade)

Both flights were on an Airbus 220-300 aircraft, which generally carry up to 137 passengers. 

There were three rows of Nicest seats in a configuration with two on each side of the aisle. We booked Nicer seats (right behind them), with two seats on one side of the aisle and three on the other. We sat in Seats 10A and C on the outbound flight and Seats 5A and C on the return flight. 

Flying the A220 was great compared to most regional planes from other carriers. The aircraft was clean and offered ample leg room and comfortable seating for the 1-hour, 29-minute flight. (Compared to other airlines, Breeze Airways has the lowest average plane age, 2.1 years, across its fleet).

Our seats were 18 inches wide with a 30-inch pitch. We appreciated the USB and C ports on the back of the seat in front of us rather than having to reach under our seats in the dark, as is the case with many older planes.

Although there was no seatback entertainment, there was a handy shelf on the seatback that could be used to stream entertainment through your personal electronic device. 

iMessage and What’s App are free in all classes. We could have purchased internet service for $8 for the flight (the price includes service for the passenger and their companions).

Storage Space

The overhead compartments were quite sizeable and deep. No one seemed to have a problem storing their belongings, even though passengers often avoid checked baggage on short flights like these. There was also good storage space under the seats in front of us.

Service With A Smile 

The Breeze Airways crew excelled at being NICE. The cabin crew was friendly, courteous and very helpful. One of the crew members went out of their way to help people stow their overhead baggage.

So, is it worthwhile to fly Breeze Airways roundtrip between New York and Charleston?

New planes, on-time arrivals, and departures. What more could we ask for?

Another plus: The airline website and app were easy to navigate.  We were also impressed that Breeze Airways notified us of an impending storm before our return and offered us the opportunity to cancel and rebook at no additional charge.

Flying Breeze Airways was really a breeze! We would do it again.

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