American Eagle is the brand name for the regional branch of American Airlines that focuses on short-haul and medium-haul 'feeder' operations. The airline was founded in 1978 in Forth Worth, Texas as Simmons Airlines
American Eagle is one of the 13 members of the Oneworld airline alliance and is actually a network of six regional carriers that operate flights under a codeshare and service agreement with American Airlines. The airline offers a frequent flyer program to reward its frequent passengers.
American Airlines has full ownership over American Eagle, but the actual flights are outsourced to these six operators. Each operator will fully comply with American Airlines’ standards to provide a consistent and reliable service.
Eagle Airline largest hub base is Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) which operates 340 daily flights to 242 destinations in the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico. Making American Eagle airlines the largest express flight operation in the world.
The total, American Eagle plane fleet size is 559 aircraft with another 76 on order all ranging from Embraer and Bombardiers.
These six operators are what’s known as ‘feeder airlines’, bringing-in (‘feeding’) travellers from destinations not served by American Airlines to its major airport hubs. Once at these airport hubs, travellers can board an onward national or international flight with American Airlines.
Of these six operators, Envoy Air, Piedmont Airlines, and PSA Airlines are wholly owned subsidiaries. Mesa Airlines, Republic Airlines, and SkyWest Airlines are contracted carriers.
Please note: when booking an American Eagle flight, the flight will run with an American Airlines branded plane and cabin crew. This is regardless of which carrier is operating on behalf of American Eagle.
As of March 2023, American Eagle operates flights between 242 destinations and mainly concentrates on domestic USA routes. It takes passengers to their final stop, the link between their international flight and their home city. Key areas of focus are:
American Eagle has airline flights to many destinations across North and Central America, but some of its most popular destinations include Phoenix, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, New York City, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Washington D.C.
Did you know that Alternative Airlines allows you to pay for your flights in over 160 different currencies and you can also do so with US Dollars?
Carry-on baggage and checked baggage allowances vary depending on the cabin class you're flying in with American Eagle. Keep reading to find out more:
Customers flying Basic Economy are now allowed 1 free carry-on (in addition to a personal item) to all destinations.
One free personal item: The one free personal item includes a purse or small handbag, which must fit under the seat in front. Dimensions of personal items must not exceed 18 x 14 x 8 inches (45 x 35 x 20 cm).
One free carry-on: The one piece of free carry-on shouldn’t exceed 22 x 14 x 9 inches / 56 x 36 x 23 centimetres (including handles and wheels), and must fit in the sizer at the airport.
Checked bag fees are based on regions. Passengers can pre-book their checked baggage allowance online during the flight-booking process for travel on domestic flights within and between the U.S., including Hawaii and Alaska.
Passengers can add as many as 10 bags to their booking for domestic flights.
Find out how to do so in our guide to adding baggage to your flight booking.
In all regions, checked bag allowance must not exceed 62in / 157cm in dimension, and not exceed 50 lbs / 23 kgs in weight. For First and Business passengers, the weight is 70 lbs / 32 kgs.
Online check-in and airport check-in availability may vary depending on the airline you're flying with in the American Eagle group.
Depending on the airline operating the flight, passengers might be able to check in for their American Eagle flight by visiting the American Eagle Airlines check-in page. If passengers are unable to check in for their American Eagle flight through the American Airlines online check-in page, this will need to be completed at the airport. American Eagle check-in online is available from 24 hours to 45 minutes prior to the scheduled flight (or 90 minutes for international flights).
Once passengers arrive at the airport, they'd need to find the American Eagle airlines check-in. Passengers will need to hand in their boarding pass for the airline to take care of their luggage. American Eagle flight check-in at the airport is available 45 minutes prior to departure for domestic flights and 60 minutes before departure for international flights.
There are two class options depending on the operator and aircraft: Economy (Main Cabin) and First Class. First Class is not available on all regional flights and depends on the aircraft. On some flights, there is also a 'Main Cabin Extra' upgrade option, which is in the Economy cabin but provides greater space.
Economy Class is the only cabin class on most American Eagle flights, with a small number of flights also offering First.
Passengers can check in for their flights online prior to travel.
Although the airline doesn't offer inflight entertainment, passengers can enjoy a variety of food and drinks from the airline's inflight menu.
Seats are always comfortable with a good amount of space., however, Economy Class does differ slightly depending on the airline operating the flight on behalf of American Eagle and the aircraft being used.
Seats are usually set out in a 2 x 2 formation, but this will depend on the aircraft of the operator.
American Eagle offers First Class on a select number of flights.
Passengers on First Class are given a welcome drink and a meal, as well as complimentary food and drink.
What are First Class Seats Like?
First-class seats are designed to give extra space and comfort. The seats are set out in a 2 x 1 formation.
The airline offers a wide range of food options on its flights, from snacks to three-course meals. Passengers in Basic Economy and Main cabin are given complimentary snacks. Passengers in first class and business class are given complimentary food on flights, from premium snacks on short flights, lighter meals on medium flights and full meal service on longer flights. Passengers can pre-order meals on American Eagle flights.
Although the American Eagle flight doesn't currently have an inflight entertainment system, passengers are each given a copy of the airlines' premium inflight magazine.
Whether Wi-Fi is available will depend on the aircraft being operated. The onboard amenities will be outlined when you make your booking.
Because American Eagle is part of American Airlines, you can collect AAdvantage frequent flyer points when you buy your flights. It's really easy to link your airline rewards program to your flight booking with us, if you want any further information on how to do so, check out our Airline Alliance page. AAdvantage is one of our top airline loyalty programs to join if you want to find out which other schemes made the top spot, have a look at our 'Best Frequent Flyer Programmes' blog.
The fact that you can collect AAdvantage points on American Eagle means that the airline is also part of the famous Oneworld Alliance. If you're an AAdvantage customer, you can collect miles on any Oneworld partner flights.
Please click on the logos below to find out more about airlines that fly similar routes to American Eagle:
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Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is an international airport in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is a secondary hub for American Airlines. It has four runways and receives over 50 million passengers each year.
Other airlines that use Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) as its hub include American Eagle, Contour Airlines, Delta, Delta Connections, Frontier, Spirit Airlines, Lufthansa, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, United Express, Air Canada Express, Ultimate Air Shuttle, and Volaris.
As of March 2023, the six carriers that operate regional flights under the American Eagle umbrella each operate regional jet aircraft, such as Embraer and Bombardier aircraft. The specific aircraft will depend on the carrier operating the flight: Please see below the list of American Eagles aircraft:
Envoy Air - Embraer ERJ140, Embraer ERJ145, Embraer E175
Mesa Airlines - Bombardier CRJ900
Piedmont Airlines - Embraer ERJ145
PSA Airlines - Bombardier CRJ700, Bombardier CRJ900
Republic Airways - Embraer E170, Embraer E175
SkyWest Airlines - Bombardier CRJ700, Embraer E175
Oneworld Alliance is a leading global airline network, with 13 member airlines. Oneworld alliance was founded and now consists of member airlines such as Iberia, British Airways, LAN, TAM, Malaysia, Qantas, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Qatar, SriLankan Airlines and many others. Oneworld Alliance covers more than a thousand destinations in 155 countries.
American Eagle flights can be paid with PayPal when booking with Alternative Airlines.
Are you an American citizen? Did you know that you can even spread the cost of your flight tickets with a finance plan from PayPal Credit? Simply search for flights between your chosen American destinations, then select PayPal Credit at checkout. Or, choose Affirm for a simple way to pay monthly with no hidden fees! You can find out more about all our finance options here.
The following carriers are fully-owned subsidiaries of American Eagle, and whose aircraft are in American Eagle livery:
Envoy Air:
Envoy is headquartered in Irving, Texas, with hubs and maintenance facilities in Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago, New York and Miami. Envoy Air Inc. operates 166 aircraft on 1,000 daily flights.
Piedmont Airlines:
Piedmont Airlines operates 400 daily regional flights operates using 60 aircraft to the eastern U.S. from its hubs in Charlotte and Philadelphia.
PSA Airlines:
PSA Airlines operates nearly 130 aircraft on 800 daily flights and is headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, with bases across the USA, including Ohio, Washington, D.C, and North Carolina.
Yes you can! Because when you book your flights through Alternative Airlines, you can split the cost of any flight booking into instalments. We offer a range of shorter-term and longer-term payment plan options, with providers including Afterpay, Klarna, Affirm and Zip, among others.
With Afterpay, you can buy what you want today, and spread the cost over 6 weeks. Payments are made in 4 equal interest-free payments. And here at Alternative Airlines, we offer Afterpay when you book flights. That's right! Book any flight (including with American Eagle) and use Afterpay to split the cost.
Yes you can! Search for flights through Alternative Airlines then select Zip at checkout. With Zip, you can split the cost of your ticket into more manageable instalments to be paid back over time. Find out more about booking flights with Zip.
Alternative Airlines offers Klarna, on any flight booking. So, you can book flights with American Airlines, American Eagle, and any other airline through Alternative Airlines and spread the cost with Klarna. Klarna offers flexible payment plans to meet everyones needs. Top Tip: Read our blog to discover the many reasons why our customers love paying for their flights using Klarna.
Did you know that, as well as PayPal, we also offer PayPal Credit? It’s a quick and easy way to book today without the pressure of paying the full amount upfront. Visit our PayPal Credit page to find out more.
You can use Affirm to pay for your flights ...when you book through Alternative Airlines! Affirm has flexible payment plan options to meet the needs of everyone. Pay for your flights in monthly instalments over a 3, 6 or 12-month period. Visit our Affirm page to find out more.
You absolutely can, when you book your American Airlines flights through Alternative Airlines. Many of American Airline's domestic and regional flights are operated by American Eagle. But whether you're flying with American Airlines, American Eagle, or any of the other 600 airlines that we ticket, you can spread the cost of your flights into instalments when you book through Alternative Airlines.
Yes, you can! And what's more, it's quick and easy too. Here at Alternative Airlines, you can book any ticket (including American Eagle!) and spread the cost into easier-to-manage instalments. We offer lots of payment plan options, with popular providers including Klarna, Affirm, Afterpay, Zip, and PayPal Credit.
The payment options available at checkout will depend on the country in which you reside, as well as the total cost of your basket. Follow the links above to find out more about each payment option, as well as to view full terms and conditions.