American Airlines - VoyageForum

Major Airlines

In recent years, the number of major airlines in the United States has declined. Bankruptcies, takeovers, and mergers have led to the disappearance of once well-known names among travelers, particularly on transatlantic routes, such as TWA (which ended in 2001), America West Airlines (2005), Northwest (2010), Continental Airlines (2012), and US Airways (2015). Today, only three globally renowned brands and about half a dozen widely present on the North American network remain.

As for low-cost carriers, the country officially lists five: Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, and Spirit Airlines.

The "International" Airlines

American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines are now the last major U.S. airlines with an international reach—so much so that they are also the three largest in the world. All have networks spanning the globe and are featured by nearly all travel agencies. They are also well represented on the U.S. domestic network, particularly through groupings of secondary airlines operating on their behalf.

American Airlines: The largest, founded in 1934, with around 1,000 aircraft and over 300 destinations, both international and domestic. It is a member of the Oneworld alliance (British Airways and others). Its hubs: Dallas, Charlotte, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York JFK and LaGuardia, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Washington.

Delta Air Lines: One of the oldest, founded in 1924. It operates over 700 aircraft and serves more than 300 cities, including in the U.S. It is a member of the SkyTeam alliance (Air France & co). Its hubs: Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Cincinnati, New York JFK and LaGuardia, Salt Lake City, Seattle, plus internationally Amsterdam, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, and Tokyo-Narita.

United Airlines: Founded in 1926, it now has a fleet of over 770 aircraft serving more than 350 domestic and international destinations. It is a member of the Star Alliance (Lufthansa and others). Its hubs: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco, Washington, plus Guam and Tokyo.

The "National" Airlines

While these airlines offer international flights, primarily to the Caribbean and Mexico, they are primarily (or also) well established on the U.S. domestic network.

Alaska Airlines: This Seattle-based airline is in the U.S. Top 10, with a dense network on the Pacific side, stretching from Alaska to Mexico, plus various cross-country routes. Its hubs: Seattle, plus Anchorage, Los Angeles, and Portland (OR).

Allegiant Air: A Nevada-based low-cost carrier specializing in serving secondary U.S. cities with around a hundred destinations. It also operates charter flights. Its hubs: Las Vegas, plus about ten other cities, notably in California, Florida, Phoenix, and Cincinnati.

Frontier Airlines: This Colorado-based carrier serves around fifty U.S. destinations in 30 states and five in Mexico/the Caribbean. Its hubs: Denver, plus Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Miami, Orlando, Trenton (NJ), and Washington.

JetBlue Airways: Based in New York, this low-cost airline is also the fifth-largest in the U.S., with flights to about half the Caribbean and Latin America and the rest within the U.S., particularly to/from California, Florida, and the New York/New England area. Its hubs: New York-JFK, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Long Beach (CA).

Southwest Airlines: Often called the pioneer of low-cost airlines, it is one of the largest U.S. carriers. Unlike others, it has mostly focused on the domestic U.S. network, where it is indispensable with its 3,800 daily flights, adding only a few Caribbean and Central American destinations. Its hubs: Dallas and fifteen other U.S. cities (Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, California, etc.), ensuring excellent national coverage.

Spirit Airlines: Another "low-cost" airline. Based in Florida, its routes cover both the domestic network and the Caribbean/Central America. Its hubs: Fort Lauderdale, Chicago, and Detroit.

Secondary Airlines

Only those operating scheduled flights (no charter specialists) and based in the continental U.S. Several of these carriers no longer have their own operations and work exclusively for major airlines like American Airlines, Delta, or United, primarily ferrying passengers from secondary U.S. airports (sometimes Canadian) to the hubs of the "majors."

Air Choice One: Based in St. Louis and Chicago. Around ten destinations in the Midwest.

Air Sunshine: Based in Fort Lauderdale (and Puerto Rico). Serves around a dozen Caribbean islands.

Air Wisconsin: Based in Philadelphia and Washington. A network of about sixty U.S. cities on behalf of American Airlines.

Alaska Seaplane Service: Based in Juneau. Around a dozen small towns in southern Alaska.

American Eagle: The "trade name" for around ten U.S. airlines (Compass, Envoy Air, SkyWest, etc.) that operate part of American Airlines' domestic network.

Atlantic Airlines: Based in Florida (Lakeland, Orlando, Tampa). Over 80 Florida cities from its hubs, with a fleet of small aircraft.

Bering Air: Based in Nome, Alaska. Around thirty destinations in western Alaska.

Boutique Air: Based in Dallas. Around twenty cities in the southern U.S., roughly between California and the Mississippi.

Branson Air Express: Based in Branson, Missouri. Nearly ten cities for routes to/from Branson.

Buzz Airways: Based in Branson. Serves Austin and Chicago on behalf of Branson Air Express.

Cape Air: Around forty cities across various networks: East Coast/New England (hub: Boston), Midwest (hub: St. Louis), Montana (hub: Billings), plus the Caribbean and Micronesia.

CommutAir: Based in New York-Newark and Washington. Around thirty airports in the Midwest, East Coast (and Canada) for flights operated under the United Express label.

Compass Airlines: Operates for two major airlines, American Airlines and Delta, under the American Eagle (hub: Los Angeles) and Delta Connection (hubs: Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Seattle) labels.

Delta Connection: The "trade name" for six U.S. airlines (Compass, GoJet, Shuttle America, etc.) that operate part of Delta Air Lines' domestic network.

Elite Airways:

Endeavor Air: Based in Detroit, Minneapolis, and New York. One of the airlines operating domestically under the "Delta Connection" label.

Envoy Air: Based in Dallas and Chicago. Several dozen U.S. cities (plus some in Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean) on behalf of American Airlines.

Everts Air: Based in Fairbanks. Around half a dozen small Alaskan airports.

ExpressJet:

Flight Alaska:

Frontier Flying Service:

GoJet Airlines:

Grand Canyon Airlines:

Grant Aviation:

Great Lakes Airlines:

Horizon Air:

Island Airlines:

Island Airways:

Kenmore Air:

Mesa Airlines:

Nantucket Airlines:

New England Airlines:

OneJet:

PenAir: Officially Peninsula Airways. Based in Anchorage, it provides regular service to nearly a hundred scattered communities across Alaska.

Piedmont Airlines:

PSA Airlines:

Ravn Alaska: Based in Anchorage. Serves around sixty small Alaskan airports, notably for Alaska Airlines.

Republic Airlines:

Salmon Air:

Scenic Airlines:

SeaPort Airlines:

Shuttle America:

Silver Airways:

SkyWest Airlines:

Sun Country Airlines: Based in Minneapolis-St. Paul and Dallas. Thirty-five destinations, a third in Mexico/the Caribbean and two-thirds in the U.S.

Trans States Airlines:

Ultimate Air Shuttle:

United Express: The "trade name" for nine U.S. airlines (Mesa Airlines, Trans States, etc.) that operate part of United Airlines' domestic network.

Warbelow's Air Ventures: Scheduled, charter, and on-demand flights for this carrier operating in Alaska, with Fairbanks as its hub.

Wings of Alaska: Based in Juneau, Alaska, for charter and scheduled flights within the state.

Wright Air Service: Serves communities in northern Alaska from Fairbanks.