Breeze Airways, the newest US domestic low-fare airline, is raising pay rates for its captains flying the airline’s fleet of Airbus and Embraer aircraft, and adding awards of restricted stock for the first time.

Breeze is hiring direct entry captains and experienced first officers to fly the airline’s fleet of Airbus A220-300 and Embraer 190/195 aircraft.  First year A220 captain rates now will start at $215 an hour, while first year E190/195 captain rates will start at $205.  Pay rates for first officers on both A220 and E190/195 aircraft start at $105.  Pay rates for captains and first officers increase annually once employed.

For the first time, Breeze is now adding restricted stock awards for captains.  The 200 stock awards are applicable for captains with a class date of July 31, 2023 or earlier. First officers with a class date of July 31, 2023 or earlier will also be eligible for the restricted stock units after completing operations experience to become captain. The stock would have an effective date of the first day of the month following their first flight as captain.

“Since Breeze started flying almost two years ago, we’ve grown significantly, doubling in size this year over last,” said Tom Doxey, Breeze Airways’ President. “With that growth, we’re looking for additional experienced pilots to join our 1,400 Team Members in building a ‘Seriously Nice’ airline. With this pay rate increase and addition of stock, we expect to attract more amazing pilots and first officers to come in on the ground floor as we continue to grow the airline and enjoy the great benefits that come with working at Breeze.”

Breeze Airways began service in May 2021 and now offers a mix of 145 year-round and seasonal nonstop routes between 36 cities in 22 states. Founded by aviation entrepreneur David Neeleman, Breeze operates a fleet of Embraer 190/195 and Airbus A220-300 aircraft, with a focus on providing efficient and affordable flights between secondary airports, bypassing hubs for shorter travel times.