The biggest aviation market in the world—the United States—has a thriving airline industry. While popular transatlantic and transcontinental flights by big mainstream jets definitely form an integral part of the sector, a significant portion of US flights are carried out by regional airlines connecting several smaller airports and communities. 63% of airports served only by regional services The Regional Airline Association (RAA), which advocates for North American regional airlines and promotes a safe, reliable, and strong regional airline industry, has released a report detailing interesting figures about regional air travel in the United States.
While there are many airports that rely heavily on regional carriers and some that have a more balanced mix of regional and national-level flights, around 63% of US airports are served only by regional services. Chip Childs, RAA Chairman and SkyWest, Inc. President and CEO, commented on the published report, “The data between these pages reinforces our values.
Air service is a strong thread that ties our nation together as a whole, and its importance to economic vitality and social well-being is especially pronounced at the 426 airports in our country that rely on regional airlines exclusively for air service. Without regional airlines, 63% of our country’s airports would not have commercial air service.” Heavy reliance on regional carriers The influence and importance of regional services do not end with these 63% airpor.