CHARLESTON, S.C., January 6, 2026, 09:01 EST
- Breeze will start its first international service on Jan. 17 with nonstop Saturday flights from Charleston to Cancun.
- One-way fares are being marketed from $119, based on published pricing on the airline’s site.
- Breeze has postponed a planned Raleigh-Durham–Montego Bay route to late 2026 after hurricane damage in western Jamaica, local outlets reported.
Breeze Airways will start its first international service on Jan. 17 with nonstop Saturday flights from Charleston, South Carolina, to Cancun, Mexico, the carrier said. The route will operate seasonally.
The launch is a milestone for the low-cost airline as it moves beyond domestic flying and tests demand for winter leisure trips to Mexico’s Caribbean coast. In the United States, “flag carrier” status is Federal Aviation Administration approval to operate international flights, and Breeze received that certification in 2025, according to Business Insider. Business Insider
The expansion is already running into disruption in the Caribbean. Triangle Business Journal reported that Breeze has pushed back the start of its planned Raleigh-Durham-to-Montego Bay, Jamaica, service to late 2026 after Hurricane Melissa damaged airport facilities and resorts around the destination.
For Charleston, Breeze is advertising one-way fares from $119 for the Jan. 17 departure, based on flight-deal listings on its website, with the carrier noting fares can change quickly.
When the Cancun route was announced in September, Charleston International Airport chief executive Elliott Summey called it “an incredible milestone” and said it would support tourism, hospitality and business travel. Breeze founder and CEO David Neeleman said Charleston was one of the airline’s original launch cities and that Breeze wanted to bring “convenient and nonstop” service to Cancun. Charleston International Airport (CHS)
Breeze had planned to begin twice-weekly flights from Raleigh-Durham International Airport to Montego Bay on March 5, but said it would wait until late 2026. In a written statement, the airline cited “extensive damage to both airport facilities and resorts” in western Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa, the News & Observer reported. The News Observer
The mix of a new Mexico route and a postponed Jamaica launch underscores the upside and the fragility of leisure-heavy networks. A once-weekly schedule can limit exposure if bookings soften, but it also leaves fewer options to rebook passengers when disruptions hit.
But international flying adds layers of uncertainty, from destination recovery after storms to the knock-on effects of airport constraints, and thin schedules can magnify disruptions. Delta Air Lines has warned that infrastructure impacts in Montego Bay could affect travel to and from the city through Jan. 31, 2026.
