LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A new, low-cost airline service will take flight from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) next week, airport officials announced Friday. Flights will start at $39.
Breeze Airways, a new carrier from JetBlue founder David Neeleman, unveiled its debut network, comprising 39 nonstop routes between 16 cities. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Breeze will focus most flights from four main airports: Tampa, Charleston, S.C., New Orleans and Norfolk, Va. Louisville is one of the company’s first launch cities.
The airline will offer nonstop flights from Louisville to Charleston, S.C., and Tampa starting next week. Beginning July 15, nonstop flights to New Orleans will be available. Breeze will be the Louisville airport’s eighth airline.
“We welcome Breeze to the SDF family,” said Dan Mann, executive director of the Louisville Regional Airport Authority. “David Neeleman’s success at starting new airlines is unparalleled. To be a launch city for this new airline with multiple routes is a testament not only to the strength of our market, but to the long-term opportunities they see in Louisville for business and leisure travelers. We look forward to a successful partnership with Breeze in the years ahead.”
Breeze will operate 13 single-class Embraer aircraft this summer, flying routes with an average flight length under two hours. The 10 E-190 jets will be configured to seat 108 Guests while the three E195 aircraft will have 118 seats. Breeze will start taking delivery of 60 brand new Airbus A220 aircraft beginning in October of this year and delivering at about one per month for five years.
Louisville airport officials said travel is picking up and they fully expect to surpass 2019’s records. With the addition of Breeze Airways, SDF offers 35 nonstop destinations on eight airlines for area travelers. SDF continues to outpace the national average for returning capacity, airport officials said. Beginning in June, Louisville will be at nearly 100% of pre-pandemic travel levels, while national capacity is still down 20%.
“This is another great day for the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport,” said Dale Boden, chairman of the Airport Authority Board. “The momentum just continues to build at SDF with another new airline and a record-high number of destinations.”
