It didn’t take long for the Tri-Cities Airport to find not just one but two carriers to fill in for Avelo Airlines after it recently announced plans to halt flights to and from Pasco.

Alaska Airlines announced July 31 that it would begin offering daily flights to Burbank starting Oct. 26.

“We’re the only global airline based on the West Coast, and we’re proud to offer the most flights and seats between California, Washington and Oregon,” said Kirsten Armine, Alaska’s vice president of revenue management and network planning, in a statement.

Buck Taft, Tri-Cities Airport director, said he loves seeing Alaska Airlines add another nonstop route from Tri-Cities. “We look forward to the increased connectivity with Southern California and the entire Alaska network.”

Breeze Airways announced July 17 that it would offer flights two days a week between PSC and Hollywood Burbank Airport beginning March 18, 2026. Additionally, it will offer a through flight to Provo-Salt Lake City with one stop and no change of plane.  

Travelers can begin booking travel on its planes now.

“Pasco is exactly the kind of underserved market our airline set out to serve and we’re confident our new guests will enjoy their enhanced travel experience on board one of our brand-new Airbus A220 aircraft,” said David Neeleman, the airline’s founder and CEO, in a statement.

The new routes will mitigate the impact from Avelo’s departure, which would have eliminated any direct flights to Burbank from the Tri-Cities. Avelo was also a budget-friendly travel option to Southern California.

Airport officials celebrated Alaska Airlines deepening relationship with the Tri-Cities. Alaska will now be the second airline at the Tri-Cities Airport to offer routes to three destinations.

Taft told the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business he was disappointed Avelo was discontinuing its service to the Mid-Columbia, especially as the route performed well.  

However, he was thrilled to welcome Breeze to the region.

“Burbank has proved a popular destination in the past and we’re confident that Breeze’s premium, affordable service will deepen our community’s ties to the LA region and make the route an even greater success,” he said in a statement.

Breeze, like Avelo, is a relatively new airline. Neeleman founded the company in 2021 with the aim to serve secondary travel markets with premium, affordable and nonstop air service.   

Breeze currently offers flights from 72 cities across the country, most of them east of the Rocky Mountains. The Tri-Cities will be its first Pacific Northwest port of call.

Breeze uses Airbus A220-300 aircraft with features such as no change or cancel fees, free family seating, preferred seat options and fast onboard Wi-Fi.

Demand for flights from the Tri-Cities is growing. Pasco has continually seen more travelers each year since the Covid-19 pandemic and reported passenger growth of 9% in the first five months of 2025 compared to 2024.

Per data shared with Port of Pasco commissioners this spring, Avelo’s Burbank flights were reported as being at 82% capacity, which was among the lowest of all routes out of PSC but still considered to be sufficient demand. Last spring Avelo doubled the number of flights between the Tri-Cities and Burbank, from twice weekly to four days a week.  

Avelo did not cite a specific cause of why it was leaving the Tri-Cities, but its departure is part of an overall exit from the West Coast air travel market.

“This was not an easy decision. Our company’s deepest operational roots are in BUR, having launched our first flight there over four years ago during the Covid pandemic,” Avelo said in a release. “Despite the investment of significant time, resources and efforts, our West Coast operations have not produced the results necessary to continue our presence there.”

A recent Port of Pasco report on tenants who are delinquent on their rent indicated that Avelo owes the port $109,380, the equivalent of more than six months’ rent. Port officials say in the report they are working with the airline and that Avelo has sent approval messages but no payments have been received.