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Daniel has loved aviation and travel his entire life. He earned a Master of Science in Air Transport Management and has written about travel and aviation in publications like Simple Flying, The Points...
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Breeze Airways’ highly-anticipated A220-300s will be taking to the skies from May 4, 2022.
The airline has announced the 17 routes that the aircraft, which will be based in Charleston (CHS), Norfolk (ORF), and Tampa (TPA), will serve starting this spring.
Not only that, but with the aircraft’s launch comes a whole new “first class” equivalent.
Let’s review what we know about where the aircraft will fly, as well as Breeze’s exciting new premium product.
Breeze Unveils New A220-300 Routes
The launch date for the swish new aircraft is May 4, 2022.
The rollout will start in Tampa (TPA), followed the next day by Charleston (CHS), and then the final 2 routes from Norfolk (ORF) in June.
From Tampa (TPA), the jet will fly to Akron/Canton (CAK), Charleston (CHS), Louisville (SDF), Norfolk (ORF), Oklahoma City (OKC), and Richmond (RIC) as of May 4, 2022, followed by Tulsa (TUL) starting May 5, 2022, and then Bentonville (XNA) and Huntsville (HSV) from May 6, 2022.
Destinations served from Charleston (CHS) will be Tampa (TPA) from May 4, 2022, Providence (PVD) from May 5, 2022, Richmond (RIC) from May 26, 2022, Hartford (BDL) from June 2, 2022, and finally Huntsville (HSV) from June 30, 2022.
And from June 2, 2022, the final 2 routes will inaugurate from Norfolk (ORF) to Columbus (CMH) and Hartford (BDL).
While these routes are certainly new for the A220-300, they aren’t new routes for the airline. Once served by smaller Embraer jets, passengers on these routes will now benefit from these state-of-the-art aircraft.
Why Are Breeze’s A220-300s So Special?
When flying on an A220-300, you should notice 2 major differences to flying, compared to most of its short-haul counterparts: the jet is quieter when in flight and it feels more spacious thanks to the 2-3 configured economy cabin.
It’s true that the same can be said for all A220-300s, but Breeze’s version of the jet will have more first class seats than even full-service carriers like Air Canada and Delta feature on their jets.
In total, there’ll be 36 first class seats and just 90 in economy — that’s 40% of the total number of seats. In spatial terms, the first cabin takes up almost half of the space inside the aircraft — not to forget that Breeze is ultimately a low-cost carrier, which makes this rather large first class cabin even more special.
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Breeze’s First Class
Historically, low-cost carriers don’t offer a premium cabin class. At most, passengers can typically choose an “up front” or “more legroom” seat, which sometimes comes with a hefty premium.
Breeze, on the other hand, is breaking the mold and introducing what appears to be its very own version of first class.
What’s more, it’s currently only $20 (!) more to upgrade yourself to a Nicest (first class) seat rather than a regular Nice (economy) seat.
The extra $20 will get you an additional 4% on the BreezePoints earned, a first class seat, a carry-on bag (in addition to a personal item), 2 checked bags, a drink and a snack, and priority boarding. Wow.
When you consider that checking just 1 bag can cost you upwards of $30 with other airlines, paying $20 for 2 with Breeze is really incredible value — that’s not to mention the additional perks listed above.
There are 2 main differences between Breeze’s first class and that of a mainline carrier such as American: passengers will still only get a drink and snack rather than a full meal, and there is no lounge access included with the ticket.
Hot Tip: Lounge access isn’t just for those flying in business or first class. Our guide to the best credit cards for lounge access shows how you can fly Breeze and still relax ahead of your flight in a lounge.
Final Thoughts
Breeze’s introduction of its new A220-300s, complete with first class seats, is definitely something to be excited about.
The super-modern jets coupled with the excellent value from Breeze’s budget premium offering are a stellar combination that should result in a refreshing and unique low-cost experience for all.