David Neeleman
Founder & CEO | Breeze Airways
David Neeleman has transformed aviation as founder and CEO of Breeze Airways, his fifth successful airline following Morris Air, WestJet, JetBlue and Azul. Known as the “Steve Jobs of airlines,” he pioneered industry innovations including the first e-ticketing system and in-flight satellite TV.
Launched in 2018 and headquartered in Cottonwood Heights, Utah, Breeze strategically serves underserved mid-size markets with no competition on 85 percent of its routes. Under David’s leadership, Breeze has expanded to over 225 routes across 60 cities in 30 states, grown employment to over 2,000 team members and now flys 5 million passengers. These accomplishments earned Breeze recognition among Travel + Leisure’s top five U.S. airlines.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in 2025?
We just celebrated our first full quarter of operating profit in the fourth quarter of 2024, which is a major accomplishment for a startup in our industry. I’m incredibly proud of how far we’ve come in four years. This year, we look forward to continuing that momentum by driving toward our first full year of operating profit as we continue to grow and deliver on our promise of providing extraordinary experiences for our guests.
How do you define success for yourself and your company?
Over the last 40 years, as I’ve had the opportunity to help nearly half a dozen airlines around the globe build and scale sustainably, I’ve learned that success isn’t a box we check once we meet a certain milestone. For me, success comes every day in our efforts to build and maintain a company and culture that our team members love to be a part of. When they do, we take better care of our guests by consistently delivering exceptional experiences at every touchpoint. That, in turn, supports our bottom line.
