Which Airlines Operate American Eagle Flights?

American Airlines has long been a household name across United States aviation. The legacy carrier has continued to be a force for nearly a century. Its ability to connect passengers both locally and internationally has seen it become the powerhouse it is today.

When it comes to its regional services, American collaborates with six operators under a codeshare and service deal. The American Eagle operation sees the network work on 3,400 flights a day to 240 airports across North America.

Several airlines have come and gone regarding regional partnerships with American. Today, three of the carriers are subsidiaries of AA – Envoy Air, Piedmont Airlines, and PSA Airlines.

Envoy Air

According to ch-aviation, Envoy Air holds a sizable fleet of 162 aircraft. These planes are split between 56 Embraer ERJ145s and 106 E170s. These planes are deployed on 900 daily services to over 150 locations. Over 15,000 employees offer regional flight and ground handling assistance.

As American Airlines puts it:

“Envoy is headquartered in Irving, Texas, with hubs and maintenance facilities in Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago, New York and Miami. Other facilities are in Abilene, Texas; Bentonville and Little Rock, Arkansas; Columbus, Ohio; Marquette, Michigan; and Springfield, Missouri.”

Piedmont Airlines

With its fleet of ERJ-145 aircraft, Piedmont flies across the East Coast from Charlotte and Philadelphia. Moreover, employees of the branch serve in 80 locations across the country. The operator is headquartered at Dayton International Airport and plays an integral role in maintaining aircraft. Notably, at the turn of 2022, American Eagle flight attendants reached an agreement with Piedmont following a vote to strike last year.

Photo: Getty Images

PSA Airlines

PSA flies nearly 150 planes across 700 daily services to 90 domestic airports. With 61 CRJ-700 and 73 CRJ-900 regional jets. And over 3,500 members of staff, the subsidiary is well-equipped to handle the high demand throughout the US.

American Airlines adds:

“PSA is headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, with flight crew bases in Dayton and Cincinnati, Ohio; Knoxville, Tennessee; Washington, D.C and Charlotte, North Carolina. Maintenance facilities are in Dayton, Canton and Cincinnati, Ohio; Charlotte, North Carolina; Greenville, South Carolina; Norfolk, Virginia and Savannah, Georgia.”

Along with the three subsidiaries, a trio of independent carriers is put to the task. These companies are Mesa Airlines, Republic Airways, and SkyWest Airlines.

Mesa Airlines

Phoenix, Arizona-based Mesa was formed 40 years ago and has gone on to be a trusted partner for both American and United Airlines. The airline puts its CRJ900s to action for American Eagle. It began flying for the brand in 2014 from Dallas/Fort Worth and Phoenix.

Republic Airways

Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, Republic’s E170 and E175s fly for American Eagle, Delta Connection, and United Express. They began serving American Eagle in the summer of 2013, with service starting between Chicago and New Orleans, Pittsburgh, and Albuquerque.

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

SkyWest Airlines

SkyWest deploys a mix of CRJ700 and E175 aircraft for American Eagle. The St. George, Utah-headquartered firm is also contracted by Alaska Airlines, Delta, and United. As the largest regional airline in the US, it performs around 370 flights a day for American.

We’ve seen the likes of Air Wisconsin, ExpressJet, Trans States Airlines, and Compass Airlines leave the American eagle fold in recent years. Still, the six airlines that remain part of the operation all have plenty of experience across the North American skies. After all, around half of American Eagle’s passengers connected with a mainline flight last year.

What are your thoughts about the services of American Eagle? Have you noticed any differences between the operators of the outfit? Let us know what you think of the overall operation in the comment section.