Republic Airways


Republic Airways is a regional airline in the United States and a subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings that operates service for American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines using a fleet of Embraer 170 and 175 regional jets. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.

History

In 1999, Republic Airways Holdings incorporated a new subsidiary, "Republic Airline, Inc." but the subsidiary had no activity prior to 2004 and no ability to operate aircraft prior to 2005. In 2004 the holding company activated Republic Airways in reaction to a pilots' suit against American Airlines.
American had awarded the flying of 44-seat regional jets to Chautauqua Airlines, then the main operating subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings. However, Chautauqua later started to operate 70-seat regional jets on behalf of United Airlines, and this caused American to be in violation of its pilot union scope clause, which prevented an airline from operating on behalf of American if that airline was operating jet aircraft of more than 50 seats, even if such aircraft were operating on behalf of a carrier other than American. To repair the situation, Republic Airways Holdings activated Republic Airline, and upon Part 121 certification in 2005 allowing Republic Airline to operate commercial service. Republic Airways Holdings then transferred the offending 70-seat regional jets from Chautauqua to Republic Airline. American was then no longer in violation of its pilot union scope clause. Republic Airways Holdings paid $6.6 million to the pilot union of American Airlines to settle the issue.
US Airways' pilots had a scope clause prohibiting the airline from operating large regional jets such as the Embraer E170. The airline negotiated around this clause by offering flight deck jobs to laid-off US Airways pilots, in a program known as "Jets for Jobs". This agreement created a subsidiary, MidAtlantic Airways. As part of US Airways' bankruptcy restructuring, the 25 Embraer E170s delivered to MidAtlantic were bought by Republic to help US Airways come out of bankruptcy; Republic operates them along with additional newly delivered aircraft.
In 2007, Frontier Airlines signed an 11-year service agreement with Republic Airways. Under the agreement, Republic would operate 17 Embraer E170 aircraft for Frontier. The first aircraft was placed into service in March 2007, and the last aircraft was expected to be placed into service by December 2008. On April 23, 2008, Republic Airways Holdings terminated its service agreement with Frontier Airlines, which entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in early April 2008. Subsequently, Republic Air Holdings purchased Frontier Airlines in bankruptcy. Frontier-branded Republic Airways E190 aircraft provided regional capacity support. In September 2013, Republic Airways Holdings sold Frontier Airlines. As part of the sale, Republic Airways negotiated a provision that prevented the Frontier-branded E190s from being flown.
On February 1, 2008, Republic Airways opened a base at John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Columbus, Ohio.
On September 3, 2008, Republic signed a new 10-year codeshare agreement with Midwest Airlines. The aircraft would be based at Kansas City International Airport beginning October 1, 2008. Twelve aircraft would be placed in service with Midwest. On June 23, 2009, Republic announced it would acquire Midwest Airlines for $31 million.
In January 2013, Republic Airways Holdings reached a capacity purchase agreement with American Airlines to operate Embraer E175 airplanes under the American Eagle brand beginning in mid-2013. Republic began service as an American Eagle affiliate on August 1, 2013, from Chicago to New Orleans, Pittsburgh, and Albuquerque.
On February 25, 2016, the airline filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The airline was hit hard because of pilot shortages, but a new contract ratified in October 2015 helped restructure the airline. At the time of filing, Republic Holdings claimed $2.97 billion in liabilities and $3.56 billion in assets. On November 16, 2016, Republic Airways Holdings filed their reorganization plan, with the intention to emerge from Chapter 11 during the first quarter of 2017.
It was announced that parent company Republic Airways Holdings would merge subsidiaries Shuttle America and Republic Airways into one company, with Republic Airways being chosen as the surviving company. On January 31, 2017, Shuttle America merged with Republic Airways. In December 2018, the operating division was renamed Republic Airways to match its parent company.
On September 21, 2021, Republic Airways announced it will move its corporate headquarters to Carmel, Indiana. The future headquarters and training facility will be a $200 million project and is set to open in January 2026.
As of November 25, 2025, Republic Airways has the largest fleet of Embraer E170 and Embraer E175 aircraft in the world.

Merger with Mesa Airlines

On April 7, 2025, Republic Airways Holdings announced that it would acquire Mesa Airlines in an all-stock merger. Under the terms of the agreement, Republic shareholders will own approximately 88% of the merged company, while Mesa shareholders will retain between 6% and 12%. The merger closed on November 25, 2025.
Following the merger, the combined company becomes the second largest regional airline in the US and operates about 310 Embraer 170/175 aircraft, the world's largest fleet of Embraer regional jets, and more than 1,250 daily departures. Republic will continue operating under agreements with American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines, while Mesa will fly under a 10-year agreement with United.
Prior to the merger, Mesa had scaled back its operations to about 60 Embraer 175 aircraft, all of which were leased from United. The merger would leave Republic and SkyWest Airlines as the two largest remaining independent regional airlines in the United States.

Crew bases

, Republic operates the following routes for American Eagle, Delta Connection, and United Express.
CityCountry IATAAirportNotes
HalifaxCanada YHZHalifax Stanfield International Airport
OttawaCanada YOWOttawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport
TorontoCanada YYZToronto Pearson International Airport
MontrealCanada YULMontréal–Trudeau International Airport
Quebec CityCanada YQBQuébec City Jean Lesage International Airport
Fayetteville/SpringdaleUnited States XNANorthwest Arkansas Regional Airport
Little RockUnited States LITClinton National Airport
JacksonvilleUnited States JAXJacksonville International Airport
Key WestUnited States EYWKey West International Airport
SarasotaUnited States SRQSarasota–Bradenton International Airport
TallahasseeUnited States TLHTallahassee International Airport
AtlantaUnited States ATLHartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport
SavannahUnited States SAVSavannah/Hilton Head International Airport
ChicagoUnited States ORDO'Hare International AirportBase
IndianapolisUnited States INDIndianapolis International AirportBase
Cedar RapidsUnited States CIDEastern Iowa Airport
Des MoinesUnited States DSMDes Moines International Airport
LexingtonUnited States LEXBlue Grass Airport
LouisvilleUnited States SDFLouisville Muhammad Ali International AirportBase
New OrleansUnited States MSYLouis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
BangorUnited States BGRBangor International Airport
PortlandUnited States PWMPortland International Jetport
BaltimoreUnited States BWIBaltimore/Washington International Airport
BostonUnited States BOSLogan International AirportBase
WorcesterUnited States ORHWorcester Regional Airport
DetroitUnited States DTWDetroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
Grand RapidsUnited States GRRGerald R. Ford International Airport
Traverse CityUnited States TVCCherry Capital Airport
DuluthUnited States DLHDuluth International Airport
Minneapolis/St. PaulUnited States MSPMinneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport
Kansas CityUnited States MCIKansas City International Airport
St. LouisUnited States STLSt. Louis Lambert International Airport
LincolnUnited States LNKLincoln Airport
OmahaUnited States OMAEppley Airfield
NewarkUnited States EWRNewark Liberty International AirportBase
BuffaloUnited States BUFBuffalo Niagara International Airport
IthacaUnited States ITHIthaca Tompkins International Airport
New York CityUnited States JFKJohn F. Kennedy International Airport
New York CityUnited States LGALaGuardia AirportBase
RochesterUnited States ROCGreater Rochester International Airport
SyracuseUnited States SYRSyracuse Hancock International Airport
AshevilleUnited States AVLAsheville Regional Airport
CharlotteUnited States CLTCharlotte Douglas International Airport
GreensboroUnited States GSOPiedmont Triad International Airport
Raleigh/DurhamUnited States RDURaleigh–Durham International Airport
WilmingtonUnited States ILMWilmington International Airport
Cincinnati, Ohio areaUnited States CVGCincinnati/Northern Kentucky International AirportAirport is in Kentucky
ClevelandUnited States CLECleveland Hopkins International Airport
ColumbusUnited States CMHJohn Glenn Columbus International AirportBase
Oklahoma CityUnited States OKCOKC Will Rogers International Airport
TulsaUnited States TULTulsa International Airport
HarrisburgUnited States MDTHarrisburg International Airport
PhiladelphiaUnited States PHLPhiladelphia International AirportBase
PittsburghUnited States PITPittsburgh International AirportBase
ProvidenceUnited States PVDRhode Island T. F. Green International Airport
CharlestonUnited States CHSCharleston International Airport
ColumbiaUnited States CAEColumbia Metropolitan Airport
Greenville–SpartanburgUnited States GSPGreenville–Spartanburg International Airport
Hilton Head IslandUnited States HHHHilton Head Airport
Myrtle BeachUnited States MYRMyrtle Beach International Airport
KnoxvilleUnited States TYSMcGhee Tyson Airport
MemphisUnited States MEMMemphis International Airport
NashvilleUnited States BNANashville International Airport
DallasUnited States DFWDallas Fort Worth International Airport
BurlingtonUnited States BTVBurlington International Airport
CharlottesvilleUnited States CHOCharlottesville–Albemarle Airport
NorfolkUnited States ORFNorfolk International Airport
RichmondUnited States RICRichmond International Airport
RoanokeUnited States ROARoanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport
Washington, D.C. areaUnited States IADWashington Dulles International Airport
Washington, D.C. areaUnited States DCARonald Reagan Washington National AirportBase
HobartUnited States GRBGreen Bay–Austin Straubel International Airport
MadisonUnited States MSNDane County Regional Airport
MilwaukeeUnited States MKEMilwaukee Mitchell International Airport