After a tricky launch period around the Covid-19 pandemic, David Neeleman’s latest airline venture, Breeze Airways, has hit its stride.

Set up with the goal of serving underserved routes across North America, revenues in 2025 were up 78% on the previous year’s, while the carrier has also been named one of Time Magazine’s Most Influential Companies of 2026.

Neeleman says the airline’s rapid expansion has been borne out of ‘gut feeling’:

Our people are awesome at picking routes and picking cities. Our hit rate is better than almost any airline in the country.

Out of 92 cities, Breeze has pulled out of only four. Flying under the tagline ‘Seriously Nice’, its fuss-free offering spans premium front-of-plane products alongside economy bundles. In the future, Neeleman is targeting a digital, seamless experience where passengers book online and easily pass through the airport with their app.

Everything should be easy and frictionless, so you don’t have to deal with frustration.

The North American air travel market faces significant pressures: earlier this year saw the collapse of Spirit, precipitated by high fuel costs due to conflict in the Middle East. Breeze’s strategy to manage this turbulent period is to stay focused on its strengths and keep building good relationships with customers.

There’s so many things outside of our control. If we are just flawless at what we can control, then we can get through difficult times, because we have a more loyal customer and give them something that nobody else can offer.

🎥 Watch the video to get the full interview with David Neeleman.

Questions asked include:

  • Breeze was established 5 years ago to connect underserved destinations across the US. How do you identify routes with potential in a very competitive domestic environment? 
  • It’s been a challenging few years for American aviation, culminating in Spirit’s collapse just a few months ago. How are you looking to evolve Breeze’s proposition to stay relevant in a turbulent market? 
  • ‘Seriously Nice’ is the Breeze tagline. How are you deploying technology to make sure you’re delivering that simple, seamless experience to your passengers?
  • Amid rising costs, what kind of strategies are you looking to enact to maximise revenue while keeping customers engaged?

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