Move Over, Seagulls: There’s a New Bird Soaring in Pensacola – Breeze Airways Takes Flight to Tampa
Founded by aviation entrepreneur David Neeleman in 2018, Breeze Airways was created with a mission to make flying fun and affordable again. Known for his previous ventures, including JetBlue and Azul Brazilian Airlines, Neeleman aims to fill a gap in the U.S. market for underserved routes and smaller airports. Breeze Airways took to the skies in May 2021, quickly earning a reputation for offering low fares, excellent service, and a fresh approach to domestic travel.
The airline’s business model focuses on point-to-point flights between secondary markets, bypassing the congested hubs that often complicate travel plans. With a fleet of modern, fuel-efficient aircraft, Breeze is committed to providing a pleasant and cost-effective experience for travelers.
The Inaugural Flight: Pensacola to Tampa
On June 28, 2024, Breeze Airways marked another milestone with its inaugural flight from Pensacola International Airport (PNS) to Tampa International Airport (TPA). This new route is set to enhance connectivity between the Florida Panhandle and the Tampa Bay area, offering residents and visitors a convenient and affordable travel option.
My Experience on the Inaugural Flight
I had the privilege of being on this inaugural flight as part of my YouTube channel, http://www.youtube.com/@TheWayAwayTraveler where I review flights from various airlines around the world. This was an exciting opportunity to experience Breeze Airways firsthand and share it with my audience. Breeze Airways offered a one-way ticket from Pensacola, Florida to Tampa, Florida for $49.00 USD.
In my experience, Breeze Airways unfortunately complicates the booking process by offering four distinct “Breeze Bundles,” which can be a bit overwhelming for passengers trying to choose the best option. As with almost all other airlines, you are permitted to bring a personal item on board with you at no charge, although different airlines have different size requirements for the personal item. With Breeze Airways, the “Personal Item” allowance is for a bag that measures 17″ x 13″ x 8″ and yes, they will check the size of your bag to ensure compliance. If your bag is too large, Breeze could charge you up to $75.00 each way for your oversized bag. Here is a look at the different bundle options provided by Breeze:
- No Flex Fare: the most basic bundle, allowing one personal item with extra charges for seat assignments, carry-on bags, and checked bags. Additionally, the “No Flex Fare” offers no flexibility for changes or modifications of your ticket.
- The Nice Bundle steps it up by including a standard seat, a personal item, and a carry-on bag, with no change or cancellation fees, providing a bit more convenience.
- The Nicer Bundle enhances the travel experience further with an extra legroom seat, personal item, carry-on bag, and one checked bag for free. Additionally, Nicer Bundle passengers get complimentary Wi-Fi, and free changes or modifications to their ticket.
- The Nicest Bundle offers all the perks of the Nicer Bundle but adds the luxury of Breeze Ascent (First Class) seating with extra legroom, complimentary food and beverages, including alcohol, two free checked bags, and priority boarding.
While the range of options caters to different needs and budgets, the sheer number of bundles can make the booking process feel unnecessarily complex. After adding up all the additional costs of a particular bundle, it may be more efficient to compare the final Breeze ticket price with that of the larger airlines.
For example: As I was writing this article, I visited the Breeze Airways website for a test flight purchase to compare bundles. My search was a one-way ticket from Pensacola, Florida to Tampa, Florida on Friday, September 6, 2024. Breeze’s advertised price was $49.00 for the one-way, No Flex Fare ticket. For $40.00 more, you could select the Nice Bundle. For $64.00 more, you could select the Nicer Bundle, and for $97.00 more, you could select the Nicest Bundle. Accordingly, if I wanted to bring a personal item, a carry-on bag, and check one bag, the Breeze Airways price would be $113.00 for the Nicer Bundle or $146.00 for the Nicest Bundle.
To make sure I was getting the best airfare, I did a quick flight search for September 6, 2024, from Pensacola to Tampa that revealed the following options:
Spirit Airlines price is $57.00 (with a stop in Fort Lauderdale), but like Breeze, this price does not include a carry-on bag or checked bag. If I wanted to bring my personal item and one carry-on bag, plus shortcut boarding and ability to select my own seat (some fees may still apply depending on where I want to sit), Spirit would charge an additional $40.00, making the new ticket price $97.00. Lastly, if I wanted to check a bag, Spirit would charge an additional $50.00 for a total price of $146.58.
Silver Airways has an advertised price of $81.00. If you fly with Silver, you are permitted one personal item and one carry-on item at no additional charge. According to the Silver Airway website, they charge $35.00 for the first checked bag, making the total price $115.11.
And lastly for comparison purposes, Delta Airlines has an advertised price of $90.00 for the one-way, Pensacola to Tampa flight (with a stop in Atlanta). According to the Delta website, $90.00 is the basic economy fare, which includes a personal item and one carry-on bag. If we add the checked bag fee of $35.00, the total price on Delta would be $125.00.
Pre-Flight Experience with Breeze
The check-in process at Pensacola International Airport was seamless, with Breeze’s friendly staff providing excellent service right from the start. Prior to arriving at the airport, I verified that my iPhone Breeze Airways app was updated with the correct boarding pass. With the boarding pass on my phone, I was able to bypass the airport ticket counter and proceed directly through security. The terminal was buzzing with excitement, with a festive atmosphere that included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, cupcakes, and speeches from local officials and Breeze executives.
Interestingly (and in contrast to other inaugural flights I have taken), Breeze Airways did nothing special for the Pensacola passengers that supported their inaugural flight to Tampa. In my experience, inaugural flights are usually presented in a manner that includes a gesture of appreciation from the airline to passengers that booked the inaugural flight, i.e. commemorative boarding pass, airline baggage tags, etc. Unfortunately, Breeze did nothing for those of us on the Pensacola to Tampa inaugural flight which was certainly a missed opportunity on their part.
TheWayAwayTraveler Tip: Download the free Breeze Airways application on your smart device so you can check into the flight 24 hours before departure and this will also download your boarding pass directly to your device. If you do not have to check any bags prior to your flight, you can bypass the ticket counter and head straight for security.
Onboard Experience
Boarding the aircraft, I was greeted by the bright and welcoming cabin interior, designed with passenger comfort in mind. Breeze Airways operates a fleet of Embraer E195 and Airbus A220 aircraft, known for their spacious seating and advanced technology. The seating configuration offered ample legroom, and the leather seats were both comfortable and stylish.
During the flight, the Norfolk, Virginia-based crew demonstrated their commitment to making flying a breeze. Their professionalism and friendliness stood out, making the journey enjoyable from start to finish. Passengers were treated to complimentary water/tea while snacks/other beverages were available for purchase. There are in-flight entertainment options available on your personal device via Wi-Fi and included complimentary options such as movies and games that kept everyone entertained throughout the short flight. Although the complimentary Wi-Fi is an excellent perk, the absence of charging ports for your personal device is certainly inconvenient.
TheWayAwayTraveler Tip: Make sure to charge your personal device/smartphone prior to flying with Breeze Airways. For longer flights, you may want to consider purchasing a travel battery charger pack as a backup.
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