Need a new way to get into Maine for the summer? Lobster rolls and lighthouses await! Luckily, Breeze Airways just announced it’s adding 22 new flight routes across the country, as reported by USA Today—and one of them lands in Portland, Maine, starting on May 17. If Pittsburgh’s your point of departure, you can get to Portland for an unbelievable $39. Grab this deal with your lobster crackers!
This marks the farthest northeast the new airline has penetrated; previously, according to its online destination map, Providence, RI was the most easterly New England point.
Other routes offered by the low-cost carrier include cities all along the southern coast and into the south, plus the west coast and inland a bit.
So what’s the story with Breeze and how is it different from major carriers? Well, they categorize their fare rates as “nice, nicer and nicest,” which makes you feel a little lighthearted. At their best price point, you can’t check a bag or carry personal baggage; the next fare category gives you both plus an economy seat with more legroom; while the top fare lands you in first class (if that flight offers it) with better baggage options and drinks and snacks to while away the time, according to USA Today.
One of the best features of this airline? You can rebook or even cancel your flight up to 15 minutes before the scheduled departure without any penalty.
If the name Breeze sounds unfamiliar to you, it’s because this airline was just launched in 2021 by David Neeleman, the founder of JetBlue. Pretty smart to start an airline just as revenge travel was sharpening its (TSA-checked) knives.
This airline uses smaller planes to hit traditionally neglected airports, picking up the slack from larger airlines that have abandoned smaller sites for larger hubs. The airline is headquartered in Utah. According to its motto of “nice, new and nonstop,” there’s an expectation of short jumps without layovers. That means you can hit the ground running and start that vacation faster!