Crystal blue waters and sandy beach in Cancun, Mexico. Crystal blue waters and sandy beach in Cancun, Mexico.
Image: Andres Medina/Unsplash

Breeze Airways Certified as U.S. Flag Carrier, Unveils First International Flights to Mexico, the Caribbean

New winter service to Cancun, Punta Cana, and Montego Bay takes off from six U.S. cities; Breeze Airways opens new crew base in Raleigh-Durham.

Breeze Airways announced a major milestone: it has been certified by the FAA as a U.S. Flag Carrier. This rigorous certification is the first to be issued to a new U.S. airline in over a decade.

In conjunction with this achievement, Breeze is making its debut in international service (subject to government approval), launching seasonal flights to three sun-soaked destinations: Cancun, Mexico (CUN); Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (PUJ); and Montego Bay, Jamaica (MBJ).

To support this ambitious expansion, the airline is also establishing a new crew base in Raleigh-Durham, N.C. (RDU).

“Becoming a U.S. flag carrier is a monumental achievement for Breeze, and one our team has been working on tirelessly for the last three years,” said David Neeleman, Breeze Airways’ founder and CEO. “We’re thrilled to bring the same convenience and elevated experience our Guests love about our domestic flights to three exciting new international destinations.”


New International Routes Begin This Winter

Travelers can book nonstop international flights starting today. The new seasonal routes are as follows:

Departure CityDestinationFrequencyStart DateOne-Way Fare*
Charleston, S.C.Cancun, MexicoSaturdaysJan 17, 2026From $119
New Orleans, La.Cancun, MexicoSaturdaysFeb 7, 2026From $99
Norfolk, Va.Cancun, MexicoSaturdaysJan 10, 2026From $139
Providence, R.I.Cancun, MexicoSaturdaysFeb 14, 2026From $159
Raleigh, N.C.Montego Bay, JamaicaThursdays & SundaysMar 5, 2026From $139
Raleigh, N.C.Punta Cana, D.R.Wednesdays & SaturdaysMar 4, 2026From $159
Tampa, Fla.Montego Bay, JamaicaWednesdays & SaturdaysFeb 11, 2026From $99

* Introductory fares are one-way and subject to change.


Raleigh-Durham Becomes 12th Crew Base

The new crew base at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) is scheduled to open in the first quarter of next year. This will be the 12th base across Breeze’s growing network and is expected to create over 200 new pilot and flight attendant jobs in the community.

“Breeze is already the No. 1 carrier in RDU in terms of destinations served, thanks to the growing number of Guests who love our ‘Seriously Nice’ form of air travel,” Neeleman added. “When evaluating where to expand our base presence next, the Research Triangle was a natural fit and is a desirable location for recruiting new Team Members.”

To learn more or to book a flight, visit flybreeze.com or download the Breeze Airways app.

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