Breeze Airways Snags Atlantic City Airport Slots Following Spirit Grounding

Posted on: May 4, 2026, 02:24h. 

Last updated on: May 4, 2026, 02:24h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.
  • Breeze Airways is adding routes to Atlantic City
  • The announcement comes after Spirit closed its operations
  • Spirit was Atlantic City’s largest airline

Breeze Airways is expanding its operations in Atlantic City. The news came on Saturday, May 2, the same day that Spirit Airlines announced it was folding.

Breeze Airways Atlantic City Airport
A Breeze Airways Airbus takes off at Harry Reid International Airport, with the New York-New York casino resort in the background, in Las Vegas. Breeze is expanding its service in Atlantic City, a decision that follows Spirit Airlines’ winding down its enterprise. (Image: Shutterstock)

Before Spirit said it was winding down its operations, the airline was the largest at Atlantic City International Airport. Breeze, another low-cost carrier that connects underserved markets, revealed on Saturday that it’s soon adding four more nonstop destinations with Atlantic City.

On July 3, Breeze will begin offering daily nonstop flights from Atlantic City to Orlando. Fares start at $89 one-way.

On Oct. 22, Breeze will connect AC with Myrtle Beach and Fort Myers. Routes to Myrtle Beach will run on Thursdays and Sundays, with fares starting at $49. Flights to Fort Myers will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, with fares starting at $89 each leg.

Breeze will take off to West Palm Beach on Dec. 17, with flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Flights start at $89.

Breeze is the brainchild of David Neeleman, a serial airline entrepreneur who founded/cofounded JetBlue, WestJet, Morris Air, and Azul Brazilian. 

Casino Cities Impacted

Atlantic City is primarily a drive-in gaming destination, with the nine casinos relying most heavily on the New York, North Jersey, and Philadelphia metros for their leisure and business events traffic.

When Breeze added Atlantic City as a destination in January, Neeleman said the decision was because Atlantic City “is not only a great destination … but also a gateway to many other metro areas.” With Spirit’s exit, only Las Vegas-based Allegiant and Breeze land planes in Atlantic City. American Airlines runs a shuttle bus from Atlantic City to Philadelphia International Airport.

Spirit’s winding down also greatly impacts Las Vegas, the country’s largest gaming market.

According to Harry Reid International Airport, Spirit was its second-largest airline in 2024, serving almost eight million arriving and departing passengers at LAS. Spirit’s business at Harry Reid International plummeted to about 4.6 million passengers last year, dropping the airline to eighth in passenger traffic.

Why Did Spirit Close? 

The demise of Spirit Airlines was caused by numerous factors.

Many analysts point to the US government’s decision to block a merger with JetBlue in 2024. The verdict prevented Spirit’s ability to further scale its business and compete with larger carriers that had begun offering lower-cost economy fares.

Surging fuel costs, exacerbated by the US war in Iran, paired with failed negotiations for a $500 million bailout from the Trump administration, have also been cited for Spirit’s closing.

Critics of a bailout said Spirit had many years of financial struggles, with the company filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection twice. The public’s opinion of Spirit was also largely negative, with scrutiny of how the airline did business, specifically in charging for many amenities that are complimentary on other airlines. Examples included charging for a carry-on, personal item, a printed boarding pass, and onboard non-alcoholic drinks.