SANTA ANA, Calif. — What better way to introduce yourself than a fare sale?
As Breeze Airways begins service at John Wayne Airport this month, the domestic low-fare airline looks to lure familiar and new local customers with discounted rates from its new destination in Santa Ana to its hubs in Orlando or Provo, Utah.
The so-called “Get Off The Couch” sale offers fares in Orange County, starting at $39 to or from Provo or $79 to or from Orlando, Florida.
"Here's a chance to go Disney[land] to Disney [World] or Orange County, Calif. to Orange County, Fl.," said Gareth Edmondson-Jones, director of corporate communications at Breeze, to Spectrum News.
The low-fare carrier also offers discounted fares from its Los Angeles International Airport and San Bernardino destinations.
The fares from Los Angeles to or from/Westchester County, New York, start at $99, and to and from Provo begin at $39. Meanwhile, Breeze's San Bernardino route has fares to and from Las Vegas starting at $29 and San Francisco at $39.
Customers must purchase the deal before Feb. 6. The fares are suitable for travel through Feb. 28, 2023.
The discounted fare offer comes as Breeze makes its debut at John Wayne Airport. The Salt Lake City-based budget carrier founded by David Neeleman, who also founded JetBlue Airways and WestJet, began service in 2021, mainly in the east and southeast of the U.S.
But in the past year and a half, the low-fare airline has aggressively expanded to other hubs and secondary airports along the West Coast.
The airline's mission is to provide new, nice, nonstop, and affordable flights in underserved markets said Edmondson-Jones.
"We want to connect cities that aren't connected currently," said Edmondson-Jones. "We look at the biggest routes that aren't served and build that market. That's the way to grow new markets."
Edmondson-Jones said the timing for Breeze Airways to make a significant impact in the market has been perfect.
As the coronavirus pandemic wanes, pent-up demand has fueled travel in the past couple of years. And as that dies down, the pandemic has created a new normal way of living.
"Travel demand has been huge coming out of COVID. It was due to pent-up demand," he said. "But now a new normal has emerged. We saw a lot of people move out of big cities to smaller cities such as Norfolk, Charleston and Louisville. That, along with more people working remotely, has changed the dynamic of flying. People are no longer flying during the weekends. They are flying throughout the week."
It's no coincidence that Breeze Airway's seven bases include smaller markets such as Charleston, Tampa, Norfolk, Providence, Rhode Island, Provo, New Orleans, and Orlando.
Edmondson-Jones said the company is fortunate to have a route in Orange County, Calif., and they see a lot of potential in the market.
Breeze Airways will debut in Orange County on Feb. 16.
Aside from Orlando and Provo, the company plans to launch five other routes flying in and out of John Wayne Airport in March, including Columbus, OH, Cincinnati, OH and Pittsburgh, PA.
"We're just getting started," Edmondson-Jones said.