Breeze Airways is adding direct service to Tampa from Erie International Airport starting next year, airport and airline officials announced Tuesday morning.

Jake Rouch, the Interim President and CEO of the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership said, "Tampa is a really important market, it gets you to the Gulf Coast, but it also gets you closer to two institutions that have campuses there, Gannon in Ruskin and LECOM's facility in Bradenton."

Derek Martin, the Executive Director of the Erie International Airport agrees, "Usually 30 percent of the traffic that we get from cities down line are coming up to Erie, so people that had relatives that moved down to Florida and haven't had a chance to come back to Erie more frequently because of the low cost service."

The non-stop flights will be Wednesdays and Saturdays starting Jan. 8. The service will be seasonal and limited to winter and spring.

This third flight out of the airport could open the doors for future destinations as well. According to  Martin, "This is a seasonal service, it should start in January and go to May and maybe another destination will take its place that is more seasonal in nature and continue year round with Orlando."

Fares start at $69 one way, according to the airline.

News of the new flights comes two months after the low-cost airline carrier announced twice-weekly service between Erie, Pa., and Orlando, Fla. Those Wednesday and Saturday flights start Nov. 6.


Airport and Erie Chamber officials agree, this new flight would be a big boost for our economy and tourism industry. Visit Erie has already begun to target people who live in the sunshine state to make a trip to Erie and this new flight would make it even easier. As Rouch explained, "I think that  Visit Erie is doing a very interesting thing, which is they are doing some marketing down there to get people to think about coming to Erie in certain months. They could want to come up here to experience the winter time over a weekend or they might want to escape the heavy heat and come up here."

Erie is one of four cities in Pennsylvania served by Breeze Airways. The airline already flies to Pittsburgh, Lancaster and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

The airline said it doesn’t charge change or cancellation fees up to 60 minutes prior to departure and offers other benefits such as free family seating and a la carte pricing. Travelers can purchase bundled options or go a la carte for add-ons such as bags, seats, and inflight WiFi.

More information about the airline is available here.

Until Breeze expanded its service to Erie, American had been the only airline flying in and out of Erie, providing service to Charlotte, N.C., after United and Delta discontinued service in recent years.