New Hampshire is gearing up for a transformative year in 2026, as a wave of new and expanded air routes promises to bring more visitors, better connectivity, and fresh tourism opportunities to the Granite State. With Breeze Airways, American Airlines, Avelo Airlines, JetBlue and others sharpening their focus on the region’s airports in Manchester and Portsmouth, state tourism officials and local businesses are preparing for what many are calling a pivotal travel boom. From new links to beach and sun destinations to improved access for business travelers and visiting friends and relatives, 2026 is shaping up to be one of New Hampshire’s most connected years in the skies.
Breeze Airways Extends Its Footprint Across New Hampshire
Breeze Airways, the fast-growing premium leisure carrier, has quickly become a key player in New Hampshire’s air service landscape. After entering the Portsmouth International Airport at Pease in 2024 with nonstop links to Florida, the airline moved to deepen its presence with new service to Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. That route, launching in December 2025, will carry strong momentum into 2026, effectively giving New Hampshire a modern bridge to North Carolina’s Research Triangle and its powerful ecosystem of universities, technology companies, and start-ups.
The Portsmouth to Raleigh-Durham service is designed with both leisure and business travelers in mind, with twice-weekly operations and introductory fares positioned to stimulate demand during the winter and spring travel season. Local officials have emphasized the appeal for young professionals, students, and remote workers who split their time between the New Hampshire Seacoast and the booming Raleigh-Durham corridor. For New Hampshire, it adds a new dimension to an air network that has historically focused more on Florida and mid-Atlantic leisure traffic.
At Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, Breeze is also adding to a growing menu of sun-bound options for 2026. Building on its reputation for serving underserved markets, the airline plans new nonstop service from Manchester to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This move complements the airport’s emerging role as a launchpad for coastal getaways, a trend reinforced by other carriers as well. For families and golfers eyeing the Grand Strand, and for New Englanders looking to escape long winters, Myrtle Beach service positions Manchester as a convenient and crowd-free alternative to larger hubs.
Breeze’s rapid expansion in and around New Hampshire aligns with the airline’s national strategy of using a flexible Airbus A220 fleet to connect secondary markets directly. For the state’s tourism sector, the benefits are twofold: the airline brings in new visitors who might not otherwise consider New Hampshire, and it gives residents more nonstop options without the need to drive to Boston. As 2026 approaches, Breeze’s activity is a central pillar of the state’s anticipated travel upswing.
American Airlines Strengthens Manchester’s Role in Its Network
American Airlines, already a familiar presence at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, is quietly setting the stage for a more robust role for southern New Hampshire in its national network. In recent seasons, the carrier has invested in a mix of seasonal and year-round flights from Manchester to key connecting hubs such as Charlotte, Philadelphia, Washington National and Chicago O’Hare. Chicago, in particular, is evolving into an important western gateway for New Hampshire travelers, with seasonal service slated to return in late spring 2026 after a successful 2025 run.
These hub connections matter greatly in the context of the 2026 travel boom because they link New Hampshire not only to individual destinations, but to effectively hundreds of one-stop options across the United States and abroad. As American grows its fleet and deploys more efficient aircraft, it has been able to add peak-season flights at regional airports like Manchester without eroding its year-round core schedule. That means New Hampshire can expect a more stable backbone of connectivity, even as surge capacity is added during busy summer and holiday windows.
The airline’s wider 2026 expansion, which includes new domestic routes and increased use of next-generation long-range aircraft, underscores how regional airports benefit from national strategic shifts. While Manchester is not directly receiving American’s flagship long-range narrowbody jets yet, the added capacity at major hubs makes it easier to sustain and potentially grow regional spokes. For the Granite State’s tourism economy, this translates into more reliable access for visitors attending events, exploring fall foliage, or returning year after year to lakes and ski resorts.
For outbound travelers, particularly business passengers and those visiting family across the country, American’s strengthened schedule means less dependence on crowded interstate highways en route to Boston Logan. Instead, 2026 is poised to be a year in which more New Hampshire residents can start long journeys at their local airport, connect through a major hub, and still arrive on time for morning meetings in the Midwest or evening conferences on the West Coast.
Avelo Airlines and the Rise of Sun-Seeker Routes from Manchester
Avelo Airlines has emerged as another catalyst in New Hampshire’s air service revival, positioning Manchester as a low-fare gateway to the beaches of the Carolinas. In 2025, the airline launched exclusive nonstop routes from Manchester to Wilmington, North Carolina, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with twice-weekly schedules and introductory fares aimed squarely at vacationers. Those services will mature and build brand recognition as they roll into 2026, turning what were once lengthy road trips or multi-connection itineraries into simple, direct flights.
The Myrtle Beach route, especially when considered alongside Breeze Airways’ planned service to the same destination, underscores the competitive appeal of coastal leisure markets for New Hampshire travelers. Myrtle Beach has long been a favorite for golfers, families, and snowbirds seeking a relatively affordable stretch of shoreline, and airlines see clear potential in linking it to a large, affluent New England catchment area. For Manchester, every additional beach route strengthens the airport’s case as a convenient, user-friendly alternative to larger airports further south.
Wilmington, on the other hand, gives New Hampshire residents a more boutique coastal option. The city and surrounding Cape Fear region appeal to travelers looking for historic charm, quieter shorelines, and access to North Carolina’s growing film and creative industries. Twice-weekly service at budget-friendly fares creates new opportunities for long weekend escapes and second-home ownership, while also opening the reverse flow of visitors who can now fly directly into New Hampshire for summer hiking, leaf-peeping, and winter sports.
Avelo’s strategy of operating Boeing 737 aircraft on underserved point-to-point routes dovetails neatly with New Hampshire’s tourism ambitions. Rather than forcing travelers to backtrack through congested hubs, these flights cut hours off door-to-door travel times. For local hotels, restaurants, and outdoor outfitters, the result is a broader audience, more repeat visitors, and a sharper seasonal spike in 2026 as air connectivity becomes both easier and cheaper.
JetBlue, Legacy Carriers and the Regional Context
While Breeze, American, and Avelo are drawing much of the recent attention, the broader regional context also matters for New Hampshire’s 2026 travel outlook. In nearby Boston, JetBlue and other carriers are in the midst of significant expansions that, while centered at Logan International Airport, have knock-on effects for the wider New England market. New routes to Florida beach towns and other leisure destinations underscore persistent demand from Northeastern travelers for sun-focused escapes, a trend that New Hampshire’s airports are now increasingly poised to capture as well.
At Manchester, multiple carriers have already widened the range of nonstop options over the past two years, adding service to Florida, the Carolinas, and key Midwestern cities. By 2025, the airport had secured a roster of more than ten nonstop and direct destinations, including Greenville and Charleston in South Carolina, Orlando and Fort Myers in Florida, Minneapolis, Lakeland in central Florida, Concord and Charlotte in North Carolina, and Washington, D.C. As these routes take root and mature, they contribute to a perception shift: Manchester is no longer just a small regional facility, but a versatile starting point for a broad mix of domestic journeys.
The combination of growth in Boston and expansions at Manchester creates a layered travel ecosystem for New Hampshire residents. Travelers who value the density and frequency of a major hub will continue to gravitate toward Boston Logan, especially for international journeys. However, those looking to avoid traffic, parking headaches, and increasingly complex security lines now have more reasons to choose Manchester or Portsmouth when heading to popular domestic destinations. That shift, even if partial, supports New Hampshire’s vision of keeping more travel spending local while reducing the environmental and infrastructure strain of long airport commutes.
Legacy carriers, meanwhile, are closely watching demand patterns in northern New England. As they introduce new aircraft types and adjust route maps for 2026, the improved efficiency and range of their fleets could open the door to additional nonstop opportunities into and out of New Hampshire. While no specific long-haul or transcontinental announcements have been made for the state yet, the overall industry trajectory suggests that well-performing regional airports with strong tourism stories, such as Manchester and Portsmouth, will remain in focus.
Portsmouth International at Pease: From Niche Gateway to Growth Engine
Portsmouth International Airport at Pease has long been a strategic asset hiding in plain sight along New Hampshire’s Seacoast. Originally better known for cargo, charter, and military operations, the airport has steadily carved out a niche in commercial air service over the past decade. The arrival of Breeze Airways in 2024, with nonstop connections to Fort Myers and Orlando, marked a turning point. Suddenly, the Seacoast had dedicated links to Florida’s sunshine without the need to trek to Boston or Manchester.
Breeze’s decision to add Raleigh-Durham in December 2025 builds on that success and signals growing confidence in Portsmouth as a commercial gateway. As 2026 unfolds, that route is expected to play a central role in shaping business, education, and technology ties between New Hampshire and North Carolina. University partnerships, start-up exchanges, and corporate relocations all become easier when nonstop seats are available at predictable frequencies. The route also supports a rising cohort of remote workers and hybrid professionals who value the flexibility of living in one state and maintaining tight professional connections in another.
For the Seacoast tourism economy, the benefits of a busier Portsmouth airport are profound. Additional flights mean more potential visitors for the region’s beaches, historic downtowns, craft breweries, and coastal trails. Hotels in Portsmouth, Dover, and neighboring communities can market easier access to guests flying in from the South, while New Hampshire’s oceanfront and nearby outlets become more visible weekend getaways for travelers in the Carolinas. That visibility, magnified by social media and travel media coverage, helps embed New Hampshire’s Seacoast more firmly on the national tourism map in 2026.
Crucially, the growth at Portsmouth also fits the broader national narrative of secondary airports stepping into larger roles. With major hubs facing congestion and limited runway capacity, airlines are looking for efficient, traveler-friendly alternatives that can handle modern jets and provide quick turnarounds. Pease offers that combination, along with convenient highway access and room for controlled growth. If 2024 and 2025 were the years the airport reintroduced itself to leisure travelers, 2026 could be the year it fully emerges as a growth engine for the region.
Tourism Impact: New Visitors, Longer Seasons, Stronger Local Economies
The cumulative effect of new and expanded air routes in 2026 is likely to reshape New Hampshire’s tourism economy in several important ways. The most obvious impact is the sheer increase in visitor numbers, as more nonstop options lower the cost and complexity of reaching the state. Whether arriving via Manchester or Portsmouth, travelers from the Carolinas, Florida, the Midwest, and other parts of the East Coast will find it easier to schedule spontaneous trips, long weekends, and extended vacations in New Hampshire’s mountains, lakes, and coastal communities.
Equally significant is the potential for season extension. Routes timed around spring and fall demand, particularly the services to North Carolina and Myrtle Beach, will likely draw visitors outside traditional peak periods. Golfers, shoulder-season hikers, and remote workers able to travel midweek could help fill hotel rooms and vacation rentals in months that historically saw slower bookings. For businesses in hospitality and outdoor recreation, this smoothing of the tourism curve can be just as valuable as peak-season crowds, offering more predictable revenue and year-round employment opportunities.
Air service improvements also tend to have multiplier effects beyond tourism. As connectivity strengthens, companies are more inclined to consider New Hampshire for regional offices, remote staff hubs, and conference venues. Universities can recruit more widely, tapping into student markets in the Carolinas and the Southeast. Retirees evaluating relocation options will weigh easy flights to visit children and grandchildren in other parts of the country, making New Hampshire’s mountains or lakes more attractive for long-term moves. Each of these decisions reinforces the case for airlines to maintain and expand service, creating a virtuous cycle.
Local communities, meanwhile, are preparing for the opportunities and challenges that come with a travel boom. Infrastructure investments, from airport terminal upgrades to road and transit improvements, are likely to be a recurring theme in 2026. State tourism officials are emphasizing the importance of promoting lesser-known destinations, from quiet lakeside towns to backroad farm experiences, to distribute visitor traffic more evenly. The goal is to ensure that the benefits of expanded air service reach beyond a handful of marquee attractions and are felt in Main Street shops, independent inns, and family-owned restaurants across the state.
Planning a New Hampshire Trip in the 2026 Air Travel Era
For travelers considering a New Hampshire trip in 2026, the evolving air network changes how itineraries can be built. Instead of automatically defaulting to Boston Logan, visitors will want to evaluate whether Manchester or Portsmouth offers a more direct route. Those coming from the Carolinas, for example, might choose a flight into Manchester or Portsmouth and then rent a car for easy access to the Lakes Region, White Mountains, or Seacoast. Sun-seekers from New Hampshire planning winter or spring escapes can weigh the convenience of nonstop flights to Myrtle Beach, Wilmington, Orlando, Fort Myers, or other Florida destinations now within easy reach.
Travelers should also factor in the seasonal nature of many of these routes. Some flights operate only on certain days of the week or for part of the year, particularly those targeting summer leisure or shoulder-season demand. Booking early will be especially important for peak travel windows such as school vacations, foliage season, and major holiday weekends. At the same time, flexible travelers can often unlock lower fares by flying on less popular days or considering shoulder-season dates when capacity is available and the crowds are thinner.
On the ground, the broader choice of entry points allows for more creative itineraries. Visitors might arrive through Portsmouth, spend a few days touring the Seacoast, then drive inland to the White Mountains before departing from Manchester. Others may pair a New Hampshire road trip with a quick side visit to coastal Maine or Vermont’s Green Mountains, using New Hampshire’s airports as bookends. In each case, the expanded route map underpins new forms of exploration that would have been logistically cumbersome just a few years ago.
For New Hampshire residents, 2026 will feel like a watershed year in which the state’s airports increasingly match the ambitions of its travelers. Whether chasing powder in the Rockies, reconnecting with relatives in the Midwest, or discovering a new favorite beach town in the Carolinas, they will have more chances than ever to start their journeys close to home. Combined with the state’s enduring appeal as a destination in its own right, the surge in air connectivity positions New Hampshire for a standout year in American travel.