Last August, Breeze Airways launched flights out of San Bernardino International Airport– one to San Francisco and one to Provo. In February, a flight to Las Vegas with service to Hartford was added.
If you’re from San Bernardino, it might have come as a shock that passenger flights are now available at the former Norton Airbase.
Director of Aviation Mark Gibbs admits that San Bernardino International Airport is a very different place than it used to be.
“If you were to go back six years ago, it would be hard to find an airplane here, we had a couple, not very many,” said Gibbs.
Now, between cargo, Breeze and Amazon– who joined SBD in 2021, the airfield is bustling with planes.
And Breeze’s flights are giving Inland Empire residents more air travel options.
When Joseph Walker hopped off his flight from San Francisco, he was shocked to see the amount of people gathered in the terminal.
“I’m an I.E. native and this is crazy… Before [the Breeze flight] I would’ve had to go to LAX or Ontario, but now I’m right where I need to be,” said Walker.
Gibbs says the San Francisco flight has been a great success, seeing anywhere from 70 percent capacity to maximum capacity depending on the day of the week. A big plus, said Gibbs, is avoiding traffic driving to LAX from San Bernardino.
“You can drive, you know, 20 minutes or less from your local airport, connect in San Francisco and really get anywhere in the world,” said Gibbs.
Another bonus of flying out of SBD— $5 a day parking.