Breeze Airways Flights Spark Economic Growth in Tri-Cities

New Flights Bring Opportunities to Tri-Cities Airport

Local leaders and airport officials have made a significant announcement regarding the Tri-Cities Airport. Starting in December, the airport will see new flights operated by Breeze Airways to two major destinations: Washington, D.C., and Orlando. The service to Orlando International Airport will begin on December 12, while the route to Washington Dulles International Airport is set to launch on December 15.

This development marks a long-awaited addition to the airport’s offerings. For years, airport officials have explored ways to expand services and attract more airlines to the area. However, they faced a challenge due to regulations from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which prohibits airports from offering incentives to individual airlines like Breeze Airways. This regulatory hurdle required a different approach to bring the airline to the region.

Enter BRIDGE, a privately funded regional economic group that stands for Building Regional Investment, Development, Growth, and Engagement. BRIDGE stepped in to provide the necessary funding—$2 million—to make the Breeze Airways service possible at the Tri-Cities Airport. John Rose, the executive director of BRIDGE, emphasized the significance of this project. He stated that it is a true regional initiative aimed at supporting economic growth in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. “We're just excited to be a part of it,” he said.

Community leaders, including Kingsport Mayor Paul Montgomery, have embraced this opportunity as a way to boost tourism and economic activity in the area. Montgomery highlighted the importance of tourism in the region's growth. “Tourism is a vital part of our growth in our area,” he said. “We look forward to those folks coming from the northeast and also from the southeast coming here for vacations and for a tri-city experience.”

Breeze Airways has positioned itself as an airline that focuses on serving underserved communities. According to a spokesperson, the company prides itself on reducing travel time and making air travel more accessible. Gene Cossey, president and CEO of the Tri-Cities Airport Authority, sees this as an opportunity to showcase the potential of the Tri-Cities market. “There's a snowball effect with this,” he said. “We can see it when we look at new service in other airports all across the country. It tends to show that you can prove a market and show to other airlines that we are a strong, viable market.”

Ryne Williams, communications specialist for Breeze Airways, explained that the airline is one of the fastest-growing in the U.S. with flights out of 78 cities in 35 states. He noted that the Tri-Cities fits their business model perfectly. “TRI fits our business model to a ‘T’,” Williams said. He added that Breeze targets smaller communities with little competition, as 86% of their routes have no nonstop competition.

The cost of travel is another key factor for Breeze Airways. One-way flights to Orlando start at $49, while one-way flights to Washington, D.C., begin at $39. Williams attributed these low prices to several factors, including the use of fuel-efficient Airbus A220 aircraft and a la carte pricing. “I think it really is one-size-fits-none,” he said. “Everyone is able to get what they want out of it, and I think that's what draws people to our product—knowing exactly what you’re getting and paying for what you want.”

Looking ahead, Williams mentioned that Breeze Airways is open to expanding further if there is sufficient demand from the community. “If we see that demand building, then that's when we're going to start looking for more opportunities,” he said. “We always say, get out there and fly these new routes, and if we see that there's interest from the community, that’s when we’ll start to work with our airport partners and community partners to look into some other opportunities.”