Envoy Air
A wholly owned American Airlines Group regional airline that operates American Eagle flights.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Envoy Air Inc. is a United States regional airline headquartered in Irving, Texas, in the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. It is wholly owned by American Airlines Group and functions primarily as an operating carrier for American Airlines. Rather than selling most flights under an independent consumer brand, Envoy supplies the aircraft, pilots, flight attendants, maintenance personnel, and operational infrastructure for services marketed by American Airlines under the American Eagle name. The company developed from the network of regional airlines assembled by AMR Corporation, the former parent of American Airlines. The American Eagle system began in 1984, when Metroflight Airlines operated the first American Eagle-branded service between Arkansas and Dallas/Fort Worth. Over the following years, a number of independent or affiliated regional carriers, including Simmons Airlines, Wings West, Flagship Airlines, Executive Airlines, Command Airways, Air Virginia, and Chaparral Airlines, operated flights under the American Eagle identity. AMR progressively acquired or consolidated many of these operators. The surviving carrier formed through those combinations became known as American Eagle Airlines. American Eagle Airlines expanded from turboprop operations into regional jets in 1998, beginning with the Embraer ERJ-145. Regional jets allowed the carrier to connect smaller communities with American Airlines hubs while offering faster and more flexible service than many of the turboprops that had previously served the network. The company also operated services associated with American Airlines partnerships, including flights sold by Trans World Airlines as Trans World Connection before American acquired TWA in 2001. The carrier considered various forms of separation from AMR during the late 2000s and early 2010s, including a possible spin-off or sale. These plans were delayed during the financial crisis and were ultimately overtaken by AMR's bankruptcy proceedings. After American Airlines Group was created through the merger of American Airlines and US Airways, the regional subsidiary was renamed Envoy Air in January 2014. The change was intended to distinguish the operating company from the broader American Eagle brand, which could also be used by other regional airlines flying for American Airlines. Aircraft operated by Envoy continued to carry American Eagle branding, generally with an indication that they were operated by Envoy Air. Envoy's business is concentrated in regional passenger transportation under contract with American Airlines. Its network has included major American hubs such as Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago, Miami, and Phoenix, as well as former bases in locations including Boston, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York, Raleigh/Durham, and San Juan. The carrier has operated throughout the United States and to selected destinations in Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and South America. The modern fleet is centered on Embraer regional jets, particularly the Embraer E175, with earlier operations involving the ERJ-140, ERJ-145, ERJ-170, and Bombardier CRJ700. Envoy also inherited or historically operated a wide variety of turboprops through the American Eagle system, including ATR, Convair, Saab, Fairchild Swearingen, Jetstream, Short, CASA, Beechcraft, NAMC, and Grumman aircraft. In the 2020s, the company became increasingly focused on the E175 as American Airlines renewed and expanded its regional fleet. Envoy is therefore best understood as an airline operating platform within the American Airlines network rather than as a standalone consumer-facing network brand. Its strategic role is to provide scheduled regional capacity, feed passengers into American Airlines hubs, serve smaller markets, and operate aircraft under American Eagle marketing and distribution. The company has reported a workforce of more than 18,000 employees and operations exceeding 1,000 daily flights to more than 150 destinations, although oper…
History
Envoy Air's history is rooted in the creation and consolidation of the American Eagle regional airline system. American Airlines initially relied on several independent regional operators to provide connecting service from its major hubs. The first American Eagle flight was operated by Metroflight Airlines on November 1, 1984, linking Fayetteville and Fort Smith, Arkansas, with Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The service used Convair 580 turboprops and established the American Eagle name as a regional feeder brand for American Airlines. During the 1980s, other operators joined the system. The American Eagle identity was used by airlines including Executive Airlines, Command Airways, Air Virginia, Simmons Airlines, Chaparral Airlines, and Wings West Airlines. These companies operated under commercial agreements with American Airlines and provided traffic feed into the parent carrier's hubs. AMR Corporation, American Airlines' parent, began acquiring regional operators during 1987 and 1988. Simmons Airlines was among the earliest major acquisitions, while Executive Airlines was the final American Eagle-branded carrier acquired by AMR in 1989. AMR gradually reduced the number of separate operating companies and certificates within the system. By the middle of 1991, four main carriers remained. A 1998 merger of Wings West and Flagship into Simmons, followed by the renaming of Simmons Airlines as American Eagle Airlines, reduced the number of principal airlines flying under the American Eagle identity to two: American Eagle Airlines and Executive Airlines. This consolidation created the corporate foundation for the carrier that would later become Envoy Air. American Eagle Airlines entered the regional-jet era in May 1998 with Embraer ERJ-145 operations. The aircraft enabled the airline to serve smaller markets with jet speed and a more standardized passenger experience. In addition to American Airlines services, the carrier participated in arrangements with Trans World Airlines. Under those agreements, TWA sold selected American Eagle Airlines flights feeding Los Angeles and later New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport as Trans World Connection services. The arrangements predated AMR's acquisition of TWA in 2001. The ownership structure was questioned during the financial pressures affecting the airline sector. In 2007, AMR began examining whether American Eagle Airlines could be separated from the parent group through a spin-off, sale, or another transaction. The proposals were placed on hold in 2008 as the industry dealt with the global financial crisis. AMR revived a spin-off plan in July 2011, but the proposal was shelved after AMR filed for bankruptcy protection in November 2011. Following the creation of American Airlines Group through the American Airlines and US Airways combination, the group announced in January 2014 that American Eagle Airlines would be renamed Envoy Air. The change addressed possible confusion between the legal operating company and the American Eagle marketing brand. Other regional airlines could also operate flights for American Airlines under the American Eagle identity, so the new name made the operating-company relationship clearer. Envoy aircraft continued to fly in American Eagle colors and carried operating-company identification. The corporate headquarters moved from American Airlines' Fort Worth headquarters complex to offices in Irving, north of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The consolidation involved headquarters, the systems operations center, training functions, and related employees. Envoy's operating footprint has included crew bases at Chicago O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, and Phoenix, with earlier bases in Boston, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York, Raleigh/Durham, and San Juan. Fleet strategy has been a central part of the company's later history. The American Eagle system historically used a broad collection of turboprops, including ATR 42 and ATR 72 aircraft, Convair 580s, Saab 340s, Fairchild Swearingen Metroliners, British Aerospace Jetstreams, Short 330 and 360 aircraft, CASA C-212s, Beechcraft 99s, NAMC YS-11s, and Grumman Gulfstream I derivatives. American Eagle Airlines and later Envoy also operated regional jets such as the ERJ-140, ERJ-145, ERJ-170, and Bombardier CRJ700. In the 2010s and 2020s, Envoy increasingly concentrated on Embraer E175 aircraft. American Airlines' regional fleet plans led to orders and deliveries beginning in 2015. Additional E175s arrived through the late 2010s, and aircraft from Compass Airlines were transferred to Envoy after Compass closed in 2020. The remaining ERJ-140 aircraft were retired in 2021, while further E170 and E175 orders supported fleet renewal. In 2019, the remaining CRJ700 aircraft were transferred to PSA Airlines. The resulting fleet strategy emphasized larger regional jets with improved passenger capacity and commonality. Envoy's current role is to provide regional lift within American Airlines' network. It operates scheduled flights marketed by American Airlines, connects smaller cities with major hubs, and supplies the people and equipment required to run those flights. Its history reflects the broader evolution of United States regional aviation: independent commuter carriers initially operating under contract, followed by consolidation into airline-owned subsidiaries and increasingly standardized regional-jet fleets.
- 2025
Further E175 fleet expansion announced
[1]Envoy announced the award of 33 additional E175 aircraft for delivery in 2026 and 2027.
- 2023
Seven additional E175s ordered
[1]American Airlines Group ordered seven Embraer E175 aircraft for Envoy at the Paris Air Show.
- 2021
ERJ-140 retirement
[1]Envoy ended service with its remaining ERJ-140 aircraft.
- 2020
Compass E175 aircraft transferred to Envoy
[1]Twenty E175 aircraft associated with Compass Airlines were transferred to Envoy after Compass ceased operations.
- 2019
CRJ700 fleet transferred to PSA Airlines
[1]Envoy transferred its remaining Bombardier CRJ700 aircraft to PSA Airlines.
- 2015
E175 deliveries begin
[1]Envoy began receiving Embraer E175 aircraft under American Airlines' regional fleet expansion plans.
- 2014
Rebranding as Envoy Air
[1]American Airlines Group renamed American Eagle Airlines as Envoy Air while retaining American Eagle as the customer-facing brand.
- 1998
Simmons becomes American Eagle Airlines
[1]Wings West and Flagship were merged into Simmons, which adopted the American Eagle Airlines name.
- 1998
Regional jet service begins
[1]American Eagle Airlines launched Embraer ERJ-145 service, beginning its transition from turboprops to regional jets.
- 1989
Executive Airlines joins the AMR regional group
[1]AMR completed its acquisition of Executive Airlines, the last major American Eagle-branded regional operator acquired during that phase of consolidation.
Products and positioning
A wholly owned regional operating carrier providing feeder capacity and operational services for American Airlines. Envoy is positioned around network connectivity, regional-market coverage, and integration with the American Eagle system rather than independent brand recognition.
Regional airline operations · 1984
American Eagle regional passenger services
Envoy operates scheduled flights marketed and sold by American Airlines under the American Eagle brand. These services connect smaller and mid-sized cities with American Airlines hubs, where passengers can transfer to the group's domestic and international network. Envoy provides the aircraft and operating crews, while American Airlines controls the customer-facing schedule, distribution, and principal brand presentation.
Regional jet · 2015
Embraer E175
The Embraer E175 is Envoy's principal modern aircraft type. It is a twin-engine regional jet designed for short- and medium-distance routes and offers substantially more capacity than the smaller ERJ-140 and ERJ-145 aircraft that preceded it. The type supports hub-feeding operations while giving American Airlines a larger regional aircraft suitable for markets that do not require mainline jet capacity.
Regional jet · 1998
Embraer ERJ-145
The ERJ-145 was Envoy's early regional-jet workhorse and entered American Eagle Airlines service in 1998. Its introduction helped replace or supplement turboprops on routes feeding American Airlines hubs. The type remained associated with Envoy operations into the 2020s, although the fleet was progressively reduced as the company shifted toward larger Embraer regional jets.
Regional jet
Embraer ERJ-140
The ERJ-140 was a smaller derivative of the ERJ-145 used for lower-demand regional routes. Envoy operated the type as part of its historical American Eagle regional fleet, but American Airlines announced that the remaining Envoy ERJ-140 aircraft would leave service in May 2021.
Turboprop regional services · 1984
Historical American Eagle turboprop services
The broader American Eagle system historically operated many turboprop types through affiliated and contract carriers. Aircraft included ATR 42 and ATR 72, Convair 580, Saab 340, Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner, British Aerospace Jetstream 31 and 32, Short 330 and 360, CASA C-212, Beechcraft 99, NAMC YS-11, and Grumman Gulfstream I derivatives. These aircraft served short regional routes before the system's increasing transition to regional jets.
Brand decisions
2025
Award of 33 additional E175 aircraftProduct launchBackground
Envoy planned further fleet growth to support American Airlines regional operations.
Action taken
Envoy announced that 33 additional E175 aircraft had been awarded for delivery in 2026 and 2027.
Aftermath
The planned deliveries would further increase the carrier's dependence on the E175 and expand its regional operating capacity.
2023
Additional E175 orderProduct launchBackground
American Airlines Group continued to renew and expand regional aircraft capacity for its network.
Action taken
The group ordered seven Embraer E175 aircraft on behalf of Envoy.
Aftermath
The order reinforced the E175 as Envoy's principal growth platform.
2021
Retirement of remaining ERJ-140 aircraftGeneration changeBackground
The smallest aircraft in Envoy's remaining regional-jet fleet were increasingly less suited to the group's fleet-renewal strategy.
Action taken
American Airlines announced that Envoy's ERJ-140 fleet would end service on May 5, 2021.
Aftermath
Envoy continued its shift toward larger Embraer regional jets.
2019
Concentration on Embraer regional jetsGeneration changeBackground
American Airlines' regional network was moving toward newer and larger regional jets, while Envoy's CRJ700 fleet was no longer central to its assigned operating model.
Action taken
Envoy transferred all remaining CRJ700 aircraft to PSA Airlines.
Aftermath
Envoy's fleet became more strongly centered on Embraer aircraft, particularly the E175.
2015
Introduction of the Embraer E175Product launchBackground
American Airlines required additional modern regional-jet capacity, and Envoy's pilot agreement and fleet plans supported assignment of E175 aircraft to the carrier.
Action taken
Envoy began taking delivery of E175 aircraft and integrated the type into American Eagle operations.
Aftermath
The E175 became the central aircraft type in Envoy's fleet renewal and regional network strategy.
2014
Corporate rebranding from American Eagle Airlines to Envoy AirStrategyBackground
American Airlines Group wanted to distinguish the legal operating company from the American Eagle brand, which could be used by multiple regional operators flying for American Airlines.
Action taken
The subsidiary was renamed Envoy Air, while its aircraft continued to operate under American Eagle branding with operating-company identification.
Aftermath
Envoy became the principal corporate identity for the regional airline while American Eagle remained the customer-facing marketing brand.
2007
Study of a possible American Eagle separationStrategyBackground
AMR examined whether American Eagle Airlines should be spun off, sold to shareholders, or sold to an outside buyer as a separate company.
Action taken
The parent company studied several separation structures.
Aftermath
The plans were put on hold during the 2008 financial crisis and later shelved after AMR entered bankruptcy proceedings.
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