Breeze Airways takes off to Norfolk and Charleston

Breeze Airways flew its first flights from MacArthur Airport to Norfolk, Va. and Charleston, S.C. last week.

Breeze is offering four weekly round-trip flights from Islip to Norfolk on Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays and Mondays. The airline will also fly three weekly round-trips to Charleston on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Beginning May 5, Breeze will add a Thursday flight to Charleston. Fares will start at $39 one-way.

On May 19, Breeze will offer one-stop flights to New Orleans with a brief stop in Charleston.

Breeze Airways was founded by David Neeleman, an entrepreneur and founder of five commercial air carriers. It began commercial operations in May 2021.

“The nearly 3 million people living in Nassau and Suffolk counties consider MacArthur Airport their hometown airport,” Islip Supervisor Angie Carpenter said in a town statement. “They live here, they work here, their families are here and they love to travel. They don’t like the hassle of crowds or traffic at larger airports, and this is why Breeze Airways is such a good fit for Long Island.” 

Senator Chuck Schumer helped secure $21.5 million for improvements to MacArthur Airport as part of the infrastructure bill passed by Congress last year.

“Long Island MacArthur Airport is helping lead this region into a time of greater economic prosperity,” Schumer said in the statement. “Breeze Airways will increase convenient travel options for Long Islanders, and I congratulate Supervisor Angie Carpenter, Airport Commissioner Shelley LaRose-Arken and her team, County Executive Steve Bellone, Breeze Airways, and my friend David Neeleman, for bringing new service to and from MacArthur. This is an important development for Islip, Suffolk County, and all of Long Island.”