Low-cost airline Breeze Airways will begin twice-weekly nonstop flights between Tampa and St. Thomas starting Dec. 16.
Tampa International Airport announced the new routes in a press release Tuesday and said the flights will operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The airline is also launching nonstop flights between Tampa and Cancun, Mexico, on Dec. 19. Tampa airport chief executive Michael Stephens called the new routes “milestones” for the airport.
“Both destinations are in high demand among Tampa Bay travelers, and the timing couldn’t be better as we look ahead to this year’s busy holiday travel season,” he stated. “We can’t wait to celebrate the launch of these routes in December.”
The new routes were announced just days after Spirit Airlines shuttered all operations, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and reducing overall airlift for Virgin Islanders. Prior to shutting down, Spirit operated routes connecting St. Thomas to Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, the latter of which also connected to St. Croix.
With its new routes to St. Thomas and Cancun, Breeze will offer service to 37 destinations from Tampa. Flights will depart Tampa at 2:39 p.m. and arrive in St. Thomas at 5:39 p.m., then depart the territory at 6:39 p.m. and arrive back in Tampa at 10:09 p.m. The airline was cofounded in 2017 by Brazilian-American businessman David Gary Neeleman, who expressed confidence that Tampa travelers “will love these destinations.”
A V.I. Port Authority spokesperson could not be reached for additional comment on Tuesday evening.
