- Breeze Airways has scrapped its planned Burbank–Redmond and Burbank–Eugene routes months before their first flights. [1]
- Alaska Airlines is already flying daily nonstop between Hollywood Burbank Airport and both Redmond and Eugene, taking over the market left by Avelo and Breeze. [2]
- Breeze says the cuts are about “maximizing limited resources” amid intense competition and a broader reshuffle of its Burbank network. [3]
- Travelers who booked Breeze’s now‑canceled flights are being contacted and offered alternatives, while nonstop options on Alaska remain available. [4]
Breeze pulls two Oregon routes before they ever launch
Travelers in Central Oregon and the southern Willamette Valley woke up this week to confirmation that Breeze Airways’ much‑touted nonstops from Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) to Redmond (RDM) and Eugene (EUG) will not happen—at least not for now.
Local public radio and regional outlets reported that airport officials in both Eugene and Redmond have been told the Breeze flights to Burbank, originally due to start in March 2026, are canceled before launch. [5]
Breeze had announced the Burbank–Oregon routes in July as part of a broader West Coast expansion that would add service from Burbank to Redmond, Eugene, Arcata/Eureka and Pasco/Tri‑Cities. [6] The airline’s schedule filings later showed that three of the new Burbank routes—Eugene, Pasco and Redmond—were quietly removed from sale in early November, with no revised start dates. [7]
By November 20–21, airport managers in Eugene and Redmond had confirmed that the new Breeze connections to Burbank were off the table, even as other Breeze routes from Redmond are still expected to begin next spring. [8]
On November 24, The Register‑Guard and national aggregators such as Yahoo News highlighted that Breeze “no longer plans to begin service” between Eugene and Burbank, citing a Breeze spokesperson who framed the decision as part of a network‑wide adjustment. [9]
And today (November 25), trending outlets are amplifying the story further, summarizing that Breeze has confirmed the Redmond–Burbank cancellation and has begun notifying affected customers. [10]
Alaska Airlines is already flying the routes Breeze walked away from
Although Breeze is backing out of its Burbank–Oregon plans, travelers aren’t losing nonstop access to Southern California.
On July 31, Alaska Airlines announced three new routes from Hollywood Burbank Airport to Eugene, Redmond and Pasco, with year‑round daily Embraer 175 service starting October 26, 2025. [11]
Press releases from the cities and airports confirm:
- Eugene–Burbank: Alaska launched daily nonstop service on October 26, becoming the fifth nonstop destination from Eugene to California. [12]
- Redmond–Burbank: Alaska began daily nonstop flights the same day, adding Burbank as a sixth nonstop destination from Redmond and strengthening its status as the airport’s largest carrier. [13]
When Breeze’s Redmond–Burbank flights were formally dropped last week, Redmond airport officials stressed that Alaska’s daily nonstops mean Central Oregon still has direct access to the Burbank area despite Breeze’s retreat. [14]
Similar dynamics are playing out in Eugene: Alaska’s Burbank service is already operating, so Breeze’s decision not to enter the route removes a competitor but doesn’t cut off the link entirely. [15]
Skyscanner data now shows 16 weekly direct flights between Redmond and Burbank, all operated by Alaska or its regional partner SkyWest, underscoring how quickly the airline has stepped into the gap left first by Avelo and now by Breeze. [16]
Avelo’s West Coast exit set the stage
These moves are happening against a turbulent competitive backdrop at Hollywood Burbank Airport.
Low‑cost carrier Avelo Airlines, which launched its entire network from Burbank in 2021, announced in July that it would exit all West Coast operations and close its Burbank base by the end of 2025, citing weak profitability and a difficult competitive landscape. [17]
Follow‑up filings and local reports later showed Avelo accelerating that timeline, pulling its last Burbank flights—including Burbank–Redmond and Burbank–Eugene—forward to October 20 rather than early December. [18]
With Avelo exiting, both Alaska Airlines and Breeze Airways moved rapidly to claim the vacated West Coast markets:
- Alaska focused on daily year‑round service from Burbank to Redmond, Eugene and Pasco, leaning on its long‑standing strength in the Pacific Northwest. [19]
- Breeze unveiled plans in mid‑July to bring its Airbus A220s to Burbank, with new routes to Redmond, Eugene, Arcata/Eureka and Pasco/Tri‑Cities, plus links via Provo as part of a broader westward push. [20]
That set up a classic low‑fare showdown: Alaska’s legacy‑carrier network and loyalty base versus Breeze’s “seriously nice” low‑cost model built around secondary airports.
Why Breeze says it’s backing away from Burbank–Oregon—for now
Breeze’s pullback didn’t come all at once.
On November 5, schedule specialists at AeroRoutes noted that three of five planned new Burbank routes—Eugene, Pasco and Redmond—were no longer bookable, even though their original launch dates in March 2026 were still months away. [21]
The next day, aviation news site AirlineGeeks reported that Breeze had canceled three yet‑to‑start routes from Burbank (Eugene, Pasco and Spokane), with executives pointing directly to Alaska’s new Burbank services as a key factor. In a statement, Breeze said that while it dislikes cutting routes before they begin, it sometimes has to adjust schedules to “maximize [its] limited resources” and that it still hopes to serve those airports in the future. [22]
Local Oregon coverage and today’s national write‑ups largely echo that explanation: Breeze is juggling a fast‑growing network, a still‑maturing Airbus A220 fleet, and new international ambitions, and it appears to have decided that going head‑to‑head with Alaska from Burbank to Redmond and Eugene isn’t the best use of aircraft time right now. TS2 Tech+2The Sun+2
At the same time, Breeze is doubling down elsewhere. In early November, separate route announcements detailed new Las Vegas‑based flights and additional West Coast and Mountain West connections, while the airline prepares to launch its first Caribbean routes in early 2026 after being certified as a U.S. flag carrier. The Sun+3TS2 Tech+3The Sun+3
In short: the Oregon–Burbank cuts are part of a strategic reshuffle, not a retreat from growth.
What does this mean for Redmond, Eugene and Burbank travelers?
For people who just want to get between Southern California and Oregon without a connection, the practical picture on November 25, 2025 looks like this:
- Redmond ↔ Burbank
- Eugene ↔ Burbank
- Other Breeze routes from Redmond
- Breeze still intends to start flights from Redmond to Las Vegas and Provo in mid‑March 2026, offering Central Oregon travelers new one‑stop or nonstop options that don’t involve Burbank. [27]
For Hollywood Burbank Airport, the net effect is a handoff rather than a loss: passengers bound for Central Oregon and the southern Willamette Valley will mostly just find themselves flying Alaska instead of Breeze or Avelo.
If you had a Breeze ticket, what should you do?
Breeze’s Burbank–Redmond and Burbank–Eugene flights were still in the pre‑launch phase, but some early‑bird travelers snapped up tickets when the routes first went on sale this summer.
According to today’s coverage, Breeze has begun contacting those customers to explain that the flights will not operate and to outline alternative arrangements. [28]
If you’re unsure about your booking, here are practical steps to take:
- Check your email and Breeze account
Breeze typically communicates schedule changes via email and through its website or app. Look for messages about “schedule change” or “flight cancellation” and log into your account to see updated itineraries. - Look for rebooking or refund options
When an airline cancels a route altogether, U.S. regulations generally entitle passengers to a refund if the carrier cannot provide a comparable alternative. Many airlines also offer free rebooking on other dates or routes as a customer‑service gesture. (Breeze’s specific policies will be spelled out in their communication.) - Consider switching to Alaska from Burbank
If your priority was a nonstop between Burbank and Oregon, Alaska’s existing daily flights may be a straightforward replacement. [29] - Watch connections and positioning flights
If your Breeze trip was part of a larger itinerary—say, connecting from Burbank to another Breeze route—double‑check that any separate tickets or hotel bookings still make sense with your revised plans.
As always, it’s safest to deal directly with the airline that sold you the ticket, especially if you booked through a third‑party site.
Breeze’s growing pains — and what comes next
Breeze Airways remains one of the fastest‑growing carriers in the United States. Launched in 2021 by JetBlue founder David Neeleman, the airline now serves around 80+ U.S. cities with nearly 300 nonstop routes, targeting secondary airports and point‑to‑point markets that bigger airlines often overlook. [30]
That kind of growth inevitably comes with experimentation—and sometimes retrenchment. The Burbank–Redmond and Burbank–Eugene cancellations are the latest example of a pattern aviation analysts have seen before:
- Breeze or another low‑cost carrier announces an attention‑grabbing new route.
- A larger or more established competitor responds with its own service, leveraging loyalty programs and existing networks.
- The newer entrant decides the route isn’t worth the fight, redeploying aircraft to less contested markets.
In this case, Alaska’s rapid rollout of daily Burbank flights to both Oregon cities, plus Pasco, appears to have shifted the calculus for Breeze. [31]
For now, travelers still get what matters most: nonstop flights between Southern California and two key Oregon markets. The logo on the tail is changing—from Avelo to Breeze (briefly) to Alaska—but the connection itself looks likely to stick.
What remains to be seen is whether Breeze returns to the Pacific Northwest from Burbank in a few years, once its international expansion and A220 fleet growth give it more flexibility—or whether Alaska’s early move has locked in a long‑term advantage on these routes.
References
1. www.klcc.org, 2. ktvz.com, 3. airlinegeeks.com, 4. news.ssbcrack.com, 5. www.klcc.org, 6. www.flybreeze.com, 7. www.aeroroutes.com, 8. www.klcc.org, 9. www.registerguard.com, 10. news.ssbcrack.com, 11. news.alaskaair.com, 12. www.eugene-or.gov, 13. ktvz.com, 14. bendbulletin.com, 15. www.klcc.org, 16. www.skyscanner.net, 17. upgradedpoints.com, 18. www.aeroroutes.com, 19. news.alaskaair.com, 20. www.flybreeze.com, 21. www.aeroroutes.com, 22. airlinegeeks.com, 23. ktvz.com, 24. bendbulletin.com, 25. www.eugene-or.gov, 26. www.klcc.org, 27. bendbulletin.com, 28. news.ssbcrack.com, 29. ktvz.com, 30. awardwallet.com, 31. airlinegeeks.com
