This is a list of airlines that have an air operator's certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States.
Note: Destinations in bold indicate primary hubs, those in italic indicate secondary hubs, and those with regular font indicate focus cities. For legacy carriers American, Delta, and United, the most strategic/well connected hubs are shown as primary hubs.
Passenger airlines Mainline
Airline Image IATA ICAO Callsign Primary hubs, secondary hubs Founded NotesAlaska Airlines ASASAALASKA1932Founded as McGee Airways and commenced operations in 1944 as Alaska Airlines. Hawaiian Airlines merged into Alaska Air Group in 2024, though the two airlines remain as separately branded. Allegiant AirG4AAYALLEGIANT1997Founded as WestJet Express and began operations in 1998 as Allegiant Air.American AirlinesAAAALAMERICAN1926Founded as American Airways and commenced operations in 1936 as American Air LinesLargest airline in the world based on airline company revenue, and scheduled passenger miles flown (per year) in 2025. Avelo AirlinesXPVXPAVELO1987Founded as Casino Express Airlines and commenced operations in 1989. Started scheduled service in Burbank, CA, April 28, 2021.Breeze AirwaysMXMXYMOXY2018Founded as Moxy Airways, but was renamed due to trademark issues. Delta Air LinesDLDALDELTA1924Founded as Huff Daland Dusters and commenced operations in 1929 as Delta Air Service.Frontier AirlinesF9FFT1994Hawaiian AirlinesASASAALASKAHonolulu1929Hawaiian Airlines merged into Alaska Air Group in 2024, though the two airlines remain separately branded.JetBlueB6JBUJETBLUE1998Founded as New Air and commenced operations in 2000 as JetBlue Airways.Southwest AirlinesWNSWASOUTHWEST1967Founded as Air Southwest and commenced operations in 1971 as Southwest Airlines; largest airline in the world based on number of passengers served per year.SYSCXSUN COUNTRY1982Commenced operations in 1983.Operates some Amazon Air cargo flights.United AirlinesUAUALUNITED1926Founded as Varney Air Lines and commenced operations in 1931 as United Air Lines.
Regional Airline Image IATA ICAO Callsign Primary hubs, secondary hubs Founded NotesAir WisconsinZWAWIWISCONSIN1965Cape Air9KKAPCAIR1988CommuteAirC5UCACOMMUTAIR1989Operates as United Express.Contour AirlinesLFVTEVOLUNTEERSmyrna (TN)1982Endeavor Air9EEDVENDEAVOR1985Founded as Express Airlines I.Operates as Delta Connection.Envoy AirMQENYENVOY1984Founded as American Eagle Airlines.Operates as American Eagle.GoJet AirlinesG7GJSLINDBERGH2004Commenced operations in 2005.Operates as United Express.Horizon AirQXQXEHORIZON1981Operates as Alaska Airlines.Mesa AirlinesYVASHAIR SHUTTLE1980Founded as Mesa Air Shuttle.All but one aircraft operate as United Express.PTPDTPIEDMONT1961Founded as Henson Aviation and commenced operations in 1962.Operates as American Eagle.PrinairPQPRUCOLORBIRD2017PSA AirlinesOHJIABLUE STREAK1979Founded as Vee Neal Airlines.Operates as American Eagle.Republic AirwaysYXRPABRICKYARD1998Commenced operations in 2005.Operates as American Eagle, United Express and Delta Connection.SkyWest AirlinesOOSKWSKYWEST1972Operates as Delta Connection, United Express, American Eagle and Alaska Airlines.
Commuter Airline Image IATA ICAO Callsign Primary hubs, secondary hubs Founded NotesAdvanced AirANWSNWINGSPANHawthorne2005Has EAS contract to serve Silver City.Aztec AirwaysFort Lauderdale1998Bering Air8EBRGBERING AIR1979Boutique Air4BBTQBOUTIQUE2007Everts Air5VVTSEVERTS1978Founded as Tatonduk Flying Service.Gem AirS6MBISalmon2014Grand Canyon AirlinesYRCVUCANYON VIEW1927Founded as Scenic Airways.Grand Canyon Scenic AirlinesYRSCESCENICGrand Canyon1967Founded as Scenic Airlines.Grant AviationGVGUNHOOT1971Founded as Delta Air Services.Griffing Flying ServicePort Clinton1937Island AirwaysCharlevoix1945Founded as McPhillips Flying Service.JSXXEJSXBIGSTRIPE2016Operator of Taos Air flights from 2022.Kenmore AirM5KENKENMORE1946Founded as Mines Collins Munro.Key Lime AirKGLYMKEY LIME1997Operates as Denver Air Connection.Mokulele AirlinesMWMHOMAHALO1994Founded as Mokulele Flight Service.New England AirlinesEJNEANEW ENGLANDWesterly1970Penobscot Island AirRockland2004Reliant AirRLIRELIANTDanbury1988San Juan AirlinesSJNSKYFERRYBellingham2002Servant Air8DSERVANTKodiak2003Southern Airways Express9XFDYFRIENDLY2013Star Marianas AirS2Tinian (CNMI)2008Surf AirUFURFSURFAIR2012Taquan AirK3TQNTAQUANKetchikan Harbor1977Tradewind AviationTJGPDGOODSPEED2001Utah AirwaysOgden2015Warbelow's Air Ventures4WWAVWARBELOWFairbanks1958Wright Air Service8VWRFWRIGHT FLYERFairbanks1966
Charter Airline Image IATA ICAO Callsign Primary hubs, secondary hubs Founded NotesAir Charter BahamasAir Charter ExpressFRGFREIGHT RUNNERSMilwaukee1985Air Flight ChartersFLLFort Lauderdale1987AirshareXSRAIRSHARE2000Founded as Executive Flight Services.Berry AviationBYABERRYSan Marcos1983Bighorn AirwaysBHRBIGHORN AIRSheridan1947Choice AirwaysCSXCHOICE AIRFort Lauderdale–Executive2009Eastern Air ExpressBBQEASTERN EXPRESS2013Founded as ATX Air Services.Eastern Airlines2DEALEASTERNKansas City2010Founded as Dynamic Airways.ExcelAireXLSEXCELAIRELong Island/Islip1993Fly The Whale2NQFWHNew Haven (CT)2006Global Crossing AirlinesG6GXAGEMINI2018Gryphon AirlinesY3VOSKuwait CityHavana AirMiami2007Virtual airline.IBC AirwaysIICSQCHASQUIFort Lauderdale1991L-3 Flight International AviationRTDRIPTIDENewport News1972Liberty Jet ManagementLRTLIBERTY JETLong Island/Islip2006NetJets1IEJA EXECJETColumbus1964Founded as Executive Jets Aviation.Omni Air InternationalX9OAEOMNI-EXPRESSTulsa1993Omni Air TransportDRLDRILLERTulsaPacific Coast JetPXTPACK COAST2006Pentastar AviationDCXTANGOWaterford1964Founded as Chrysler Air Transportation.Phoenix AirPHPHAGRAY BIRDCartersville1978PlaneSenseCNSCHRONOSPortsmouth (NH)1992Presidential AirwaysPRDPRESIDENTIALMelbourne/OrlandoSierra Pacific AirlinesSISPASIERRA PACIFICTucson1970Commenced operations in 1971.Skymax SMXSKYMAXFt. Lauderdale–Executive1997Commenced operations in 2013.Stampede AviationHealy/Denali NP2011Superior Air CharterRSPREDSTRIPE2006Superior AviationSOHKASPEND AIRLansing1979Talkeetna Air TaxiTalkeetna1947Founded as Talkeetna Flying Service.Tropic Ocean AirwaysTIFTOWAGNERFort Lauderdale2009World Atlantic AirlinesWLWALWORLD ATLANTICMiami2002Founded as Caribbean Sun Airlines.XOJET Aviation LLCXOJXOJETSacramento–McClellan2006
Cargo airlines Airline Image IATA ICAO Callsign Primary hubs, secondary hubs Founded Notes7Air CargoR7TXGCARGO BOXMiami202021 Air2ICSBCARGO SOUTHGreensboro2014ABX AirGBABXABEX1980Founded as Midwest Air Charter. Operates some Amazon Air flights.Air Cargo Carriers2QSNCNIGHT CARGO1986Commenced operations in 1980.AirNet ExpressUSCSTAR CHECKColumbus–Rickenbacker1974Founded as Financial Air Express.Air Transport International8CATNAIR TRANSPORT1978Founded as US Airways and commenced operations in 1980. Operates some Amazon Air flights.Alaska Central ExpressKOAERACE AIRAnchorage1996Aloha Air CargoKHAAHALOHAHonolulu1946Founded as Trans-Pacific Airlines. Separated from now-defunct Aloha Airlines in 2008.Alpine Air Express5AAIPALPINE AIR1971Amazon AirAFWKAFWAMAZON AIR2015Formerly Amazon Prime Air.AmeriflightA8AMFAMFLIGHT1968Founded as California Air Charter.Amerijet InternationalM6AJTAMERIJET1974Ameristar Jet Charter7ZAJIAMERISTAR2000Asia Pacific AirlinesP9MGEMAGELLAN1998Atlas Air5YGTIGIANT1992Commenced operations in 1993.Operates some Amazon Air flights.Bemidji AirlinesCHBMJBEMIDJI1946Commenced operations in 1947.Castle AviationCSJCASTLEAkron/Canton1986Corporate AirCPTAIRSPURBillings1981CSA AirIROIRON AIRIron Mountain1998DesertAir AlaskaEmpire AirlinesEMCFSEMPIRE1977Everts Air Cargo5VVTSEVERTS1995FedEx ExpressFXFDXFEDEX1971Founded as Federal Express and commenced operations in 1973.Florida Air CargoFreight Runners ExpressFRGFREIGHT RUNNERSMilwaukee1985IFL GroupIFIFLEIFFEL1983Founded as Air Contract Cargo.Kalitta AirK4CKSCONNIE1967Founded as American International Airways.Kalitta ChartersCBKFSKALITTAYpsilantiKamaka AirHonolulu1993Lynden Air CargoL2LYCLYNDENAnchorage1995MartinaireMRAMARTEXAddison1978Merlin AirwaysMEIAVALON1983Mountain Air CargoC2MTNMOUNTAINKinston1974National AirlinesN8NCRNATIONAL CARGOOrlando/Sanford1985Commenced operations in 1986.Northern Air CargoNCNACYUKON1956Polar Air CargoPOPACPOLAR1993Royal Air FreightRAXAIR ROYALWaterford1961Ryan Air Services7SRYARYAN AIR1953Founded as Unalakleet Air Taxi. Sky Lease CargoGGKYESKY CUBEMiami1969Founded as Wrangler Aviation and commenced operations in 1973.Skyway EnterprisesKISKZSKYWAY-INC1981Commenced operations in 1983.StratAirMiami2018Virtual airline on behalf of Northern Air Cargo.Trans Executive AirlinesKHMUIRHOADES EXPRESSHonolulu1982UPS Airlines5XUPSUPS1988USA Jet AirlinesUJJUSJET USA1994West AirPCMPAC VALLEY1988Western Global AirlinesKDWGNWESTERN GLOBAL2013Wiggins AirwaysWGWIGWIGGINS AIRWAYSManchester1929
Air ambulances Airline Image IATA ICAO Callsign Primary hubs, secondary hubs Founded NotesAirMed International Birmingham1987Founded as MEDjet International.HatzalairBethel (NY)Air MethodsDenver–Centennial1980Critical Air Medicine1984LifestarLife Lion
State-run airlines
Airline Image IATA ICAO Callsign Primary hubs, secondary hubs Founded NotesComco2002Janet WWWJANETLas Vegas1972Justice Prisoner Air Transportation SystemJUDJUSTICEOklahoma City1980Commenced operations in 1995.
References
Further reading Whitehouse A., The sky's the limit-A history of the U.S. airlines, The Macmillan Co., New York, N.Y., 1971 Davies R.E.G., Airlines of the United States since 1914, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington (D.C.), 1982 Shives B.-Thompson B., Airlines of North America, Crestline Publishing Co. Inc., Sarasota (FL.), 1984 Davies R.E.G.-Quastler I.E., Commuter airlines of the United States, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington (D.C.), 1995
See also Lists of airlines List of airlines of Puerto Rico List of airports in the United States List of largest airlines in North America List of defunct airlines of the United States Major airlines of the United States Proposed airlines of the United States