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United Express is a Brand Name under which nine Regional Airline s operate feeder flights for United Airlines from small markets to United's domestic Hub airports. As of April 2006, these carriers are the following:


HISTORY

Major airlines in the United States had long maintained relationships with regional carriers which fed passengers from small markets to larger towns. The Airline Deregulation Act spurred industry consolidation both vertically and horizontally, and as the hub system became more pronounced, airlines formalized these relationships through Code Sharing , shared Branding , and listing regional partners in Computer Reservations System s. By the mid- 1980s , United was partners with Air Wisconsin , Aspen Airways , and WestAir , feeding its hubs at Chicago O'Hare , Denver Stapleton , and San Francisco International Airport s. Air Wisconsin and Aspen would merge in 1991 .

In 1988 , Presidential Airways became a United Express carrier for United's new hub at Washington Dulles International Airport , but soon foundered. In response, WestAir formed an eastern division to serve Dulles. WestAir itself experienced turmoil; in 1991 it spun off the new division into an independent company, Atlantic Coast Airlines (ACA), and the following year was acquired by Mesa Airlines . In 1992 Great Lakes Airlines became a United Express partner, followed by Trans States Airlines the following year. In 1997, as United officially designated Los Angeles International Airport one of its hubs, SkyWest Airlines left Continental Airlines to become a United Express partner as well.

When United declared Bankruptcy in 2002 , it pressured its regional partners for reduced fees. In 2004 , ACA canceled its contract and reinvented itself as Low-cost Carrier Independence Air . The next year, Air Wisconsin canceled its contract as well. To compensate, United has initiated new service agreements with Colgan Air , Trans States subsidiary GoJet Airlines , and Republic Airways Holdings subsidiaries Chautauqua Airlines and Shuttle America .

In 2005 , United announced that service levels on major United Express routes would be upgraded to a new product called explus. Routes with explus service offer first class seats and meal service on larger, 70-seat Embraer 170 and 66-seat Bombardier CRJ-700 aircraft.


DESTINATIONS



Operated by Chautauqua Airlines


Service to/from Chicago, Illinois – Chicago O'Hare International Airport :

Service to/from Washington, DC – Washington Dulles International Airport :


Operated by Colgan Air




Operated by GoJet Airlines




Operated by Mesa Airlines




Operated by Shuttle America




Operated by SkyWest Airlines




Operated by Trans States Airlines




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