New airlines are preparing for take-off and expansion in the United States.

Powered by ExpressJet Airlines, aha! inaugurated non-stop service to Pasco/Tri-Cities (PSC), Washington, from its home base at Reno-Tahoe International Airport on Oct. 24. This was the first of eight non-stop flights the airline plans to launch to smaller western U.S. cities. On Oct. 25, service to Bakersfield (BFL), California, launched. Medford (MFR), Oregon, takes off Oct. 31, followed by Eugene (EUG), Oregon (Nov. 1); Ontario (ONT), California (Nov. 4); Redmond/Bend (RDM), Oregon (Nov. 5); Eureka (ACV), California (Nov. 9); and Fresno (FAT) on Nov. 10.

“For Pasco, and the seven other communities, the new nonstop aha! flights to Reno-Tahoe eliminate the hassle of a long drive or multiple airport connections and layovers. Residents can now take a one-to-two-hour nonstop flight and partake of Reno and Tahoe’s bounty, or conduct business, without wasting a whole travel day. Perfect for short spontaneous trips,” said Subodh Karnik, CEO of aha! parent ExpressJet.

Aha! plans to serve each community three times a week on 50-seat Embraer ERJ145 regional jets, and will reach 20 western cities in the future.

Breeze Airways, the best-financed airline start-up in history, unveiled its first Airbus A220-300 on Oct. 26 at a ceremony at the Airbus facility in Mobile, Alabama. The nation’s newest low-cost carrier began service in May 2021, and has agreed to purchase 80 A220-300s with one aircraft slated for delivery every month starting this month for the next 6.5 years.

The A220-300 aircraft feature 36 premium seats in a 2-2 configuration; 10 extra legroom seats; and 80 standard legroom seats in a 2-3 configuration. More information on the airline’s high-speed connectivity and in-flight entertainment partner will be announced in the coming weeks.

Breeze will enter its first six A220-300s into service in the second quarter of 2022, expanding Breeze’s current 16-city route network and introducing longer-haul flights with the aim to serve transcontinental markets lacking non-stop flights.

Northern Pacific Airways, founded in 2021, plans to offer innovative flights over the northern route, connecting U.S. points with select cities in East Asia on a fleet of Boeing 757-200 narrow-body aircraft. The new carrier’s website launched this month, with more information to come.

Are you excited to see new airlines launching in the United States? What underserved or smaller markets would you like to see receive new airline services? Tell us your thoughts. Email us at letters@globaltravelerusa.com. Please include your full name and location.