CommuteAir is a regional airline of the United States founded in 1989. Today, CommuteAir operates more than 1,600 weekly flights, exclusively on behalf of United Express, serving over 75 U.S. destinations and 3 in Mexico. CommuteAir's fleet of Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft fly from its bases at Washington–Dulles and Houston–Intercontinental. The company was previously called CommutAir until July 26, 2022, when it legally changed its name to the present-day CommuteAir.
History
The airline was established in 1989, with headquarters at Clinton County Airport in Plattsburgh, New York. Operations began on August 1, 1989, as a marketing affiliate of USAir.
The airline changed affiliations to Continental Airlines in late 2000, when US Airways and CommuteAir failed to reach a mutually acceptable extension agreement, and CommuteAir decided not to renew the codeshare agreement. In July 2001, the company announced plans to downsize its fleet and workforce by approximately half and change the route structure of the airline. In early 2002, the company began a "micro-hub" operation based in Albany, New York. At its high point in 2003 and 2004, the hub served 21 cities within the Northeast and Canada with a fleet of Beechcraft 1900s. Service was also provided out of Boston's Logan International Airport to several Northeast cities.
In January 2003, CommuteAir announced an agreement with Continental to feed the latter's Cleveland, Ohio hub. Service commenced on March 16, 2003, serving Kalamazoo, Michigan and Elmira, New York. Two cities were added the following month and by August 2003, CommuteAir served 12 cities from the Cleveland hub.
CommuteAir leased sixteen Bombardier Q200 aircraft from Horizon Air in 2006. The following year, the Beech 1900s were phased out.
On October 30, 2007, the company moved all remaining operations from Clinton County Airport, due to the closure of the airport. All operations were then conducted out of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
On October 2, 2008, the company began operations out of Newark Liberty International Airport, following Continental Airlines plan to adjust to the softening industry.
CommuteAir's pilot group voted for union representation by the Air Line Pilots Association in 2008. That same year, Continental Airlines announced that it would cut flights and more than 3,000 jobs. Subsequently, it was announced that some of CommuteAir's Cleveland flights would be eliminated as part of Continental's cutbacks.
In 2010, following the merger of United and Continental, CommuteAir became a United Express carrier and United Airlines asked CommuteAir to obtain five Bombardier Q300s. Two of the aircraft were allocated to Cleveland services and three aircraft were allocated to Newark services.
In 2012, CommuteAir opened a hub at Washington-Dulles International Airport.
In July 2014, CommuteAir closed its pilot base at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, after United Airlines withdrew its Cleveland hub. CommuteAir also closed its Cleveland maintenance base, and replaced it with a new maintenance base in Albany, New York.
On November 9, 2015, CommuteAir announced that it has reached an agreement with United Airlines to significantly increase the number of airplanes flown under the United Express brand by adding Embraer ERJ 145 jet operations to the company's existing fleet of Bombardier turbo-prop aircraft.
In July 2016, CommuteAir began commercial service with its inaugural flight on the ERJ 145 jet from Washington, D.C. to Columbia, SC.
In September 2017, the Q300 was phased out and in January 2018, the Q200 was phased out, marking the end of turbo-prop operations.
On July 30, 2020, it was announced that United Airlines had decided to end its contract with fellow United Express affiliate ExpressJet and transferred these operations to CommuteAir. CommuteAir became the sole operator of the United Express ERJ 145 fleet.
On September 30, 2020, CommuteAir started servicing United's Houston hub and on March 28, 2021, it began service out of Denver International Airport. The latter marks the return of the ERJ 145 to the Denver United Express fleet since COVID and the cessation of operations by Trans States Airlines. CommuteAir operated its final flights from Denver in May 2024 before closing its pilot and flight attendant bases and consolidating its operations in Houston and Washington-Dulles.
On January 19, 2023, hacker maia arson crimew announced she had compromised web servers belonging to CommuteAir and obtained access to flight and personnel scheduling systems, the personal data of airline staff, and a 2019 copy of the US Government No Fly List.
On May 19, 2025, CommuteAir announced closure of its Lincoln Airport (LNK) base. All operations at LNK ceased on July 18, 2025.
Destinations
+ List of destinations () City Country (Subdivision) IATA Airport Notes Birmingham United States (Alabama) BHM Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport Huntsville United States (Alabama) HSV Huntsville International Airport Mobile United States (Alabama) MOB Mobile Regional Airport Bentonville United States (Arkansas) XNA Northwest Arkansas National Airport Little Rock United States (Arkansas) LIT Clinton National Airport Hartford United States (Connecticut) BDL Bradley International Airport Panama City United States (Florida) ECP Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport Pensacola United States (Florida) PNS Pensacola International Airport Wichita United States (Kansas) ICT Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky United States (Kentucky) CVG Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport Baton Rouge United States (Louisiana) BTR Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport Lake Charles United States (Louisiana) LCH Lake Charles Regional Airport Lafayette United States (Louisiana) LFT Lafayette Regional Airport Portland United States (Maine) PWM Portland International Jetport Gulfport / Biloxi United States (Mississippi) GPT Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport Jackson United States (Mississippi) JAN Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport Springfield United States (Missouri) SGF Springfield–Branson National Airport Hobbs United States (New Mexico) HOB Lea County Regional Airport Albany United States (New York) ALB Albany International Airport Maintenance base Buffalo United States (New York) BUF Buffalo Niagara International Airport IthacaUnited States (New York)ITHIthaca Tompkins International Airport Rochester United States (New York) ROC Greater Rochester International Airport Syracuse United States (New York) SYR Syracuse Hancock International Airport Cleveland United States (Ohio) CLE Cleveland Hopkins International Airport Headquarters Columbus United States (Ohio) CMH John Glenn Columbus International Airport Dayton United States (Ohio) DAY Dayton International Airport Oklahoma CityUnited States (Oklahoma)OKCOKC Will Rogers International Airport Tulsa United States (Oklahoma) TUL Tulsa International Airport Harrisburg United States (Pennsylvania) MDT Harrisburg International Airport Philadelphia United States (Pennsylvania) PHL Philadelphia International Airport PittsburghUnited States (Pennsylvania)PITPittsburgh International Airport Wilkes-Barre / Scranton United States (Pennsylvania) AVP Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport State College United States (Pennsylvania) SCE State College Regional Airport Providence United States (Rhode Island) PVD T.F. Green International Airport Charleston United States (South Carolina) CHS Charleston International Airport Columbia United States (South Carolina) CAE Columbia Metropolitan Airport Greenville / SpartanburgUnited States (South Carolina)GSPGreenville-Spartanburg International AirportMyrtle BeachUnited States (South Carolina)MYRMyrtle Beach International Airport Knoxville United States (Tennessee) TYS McGhee Tyson Airport Nashville United States (Tennessee) BNA Nashville International Airport Amarillo United States (Texas) AMA Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport Brownsville United States (Texas) BRO Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport Corpus Christi United States (Texas) CRP Corpus Christi International Airport El PasoUnited States (Texas)ELPEl Paso International Airport Harlingen United States (Texas) HRL Valley International Airport Houston United States (Texas) IAH George Bush Intercontinental Airport Laredo United States (Texas) LRD Laredo International Airport Lubbock United States (Texas) LBB Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport McAllen United States (Texas) MFE McAllen Miller International Airport Midland United States (Texas) MAF Midland International Air and Space Port Burlington United States (Vermont) BTV Burlington International Airport Charlottesville United States (Virginia) CHO Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport Norfolk United States (Virginia) ORF Norfolk International Airport Richmond United States (Virginia) RIC Richmond International Airport Roanoke United States (Virginia) ROA Roanoke Regional Airport Washington, D.C./ Northern Virginia United States (Virginia) IAD Washington Dulles International Airport Puebla City Mexico (Puebla) PBC Hermanos Serdán International Airport
Crew bases Washington, D.C. / Northern Virginia - Washington Dulles International Airport Houston, Texas - George Bush Intercontinental Airport
Maintenance bases Albany, New York - Albany International Airport Houston, Texas - George Bush Intercontinental Airport Knoxville, Tennessee - McGhee Tyson Airport Washington, D.C. / Northern Virginia - Washington Dulles International Airport
Fleet , CommuteAir operates the following aircraft: AircraftIn serviceOrdersPassengersOperated forNotesF Y+ YTotalEmbraer ERJ 145XR59———5050United ExpressEmbraer 1701———7676CommuteAirOperated as required for charter operations.Total60
As of January 2020, CommuteAir's average fleet age was 15.2 years old.
Historical fleet The CommuteAir fleet was once composed entirely of Beechcraft 1900 aircraft, operated for US Airways Express and later for Continental Connection.
CommuteAir operated the final turboprop flight for United Express on Sunday, January 7, 2018. This flight, UCA4909/C54909 between Syracuse and Washington–Dulles was operated by tail number N363PH. It marked the end of an era for both CommuteAir and United Express. The Bombardier Q200 was subsequently ferried to Roswell International Air Center for retirement.
Beechcraft 1900C Beechcraft 1900D Bombardier Q200 Bombardier Q300
Incidents and accidents CommutAir Flight 4821
On January 3, 1992, CommutAir Flight 4821, a Beechcraft 1900C operating for USAir Express was flying from Plattsburgh, New York to Newark, New Jersey, with stops in Saranac Lake and Albany in New York, crashed into a wooded mountaintop as it was landing at Adirondack Regional Airport. Of the four people on board (two passengers and two crew), two were killed while the other two sustained serious injuries.
The cause of the crash was determined to be pilot error in establishing a stabilized approach and cross-checking instruments. Factors related to the accident were: weather conditions and possible precipitation static interference, caused by inadequate grounding between the radome and fuselage that could have resulted in unreliable glide slope indications."
CommutAir Flight 4933
On March 4, 2019, CommutAir Flight 4933, operating for United Express, landed off the runway during its second attempt at landing in Presque Isle International Airport. The left main landing gear was torn from the aircraft and embedded in one of the two rear engines. The accident resulted in a loss of the airframe. Passengers and crew were evacuated, with three passengers and one crew member requiring treatment for minor injuries.