If you’re looking for a job that allows you to travel, meet new people and gain unique experiences, then working for an airline may be a good option for you. There are many airlines to consider, each having its own company culture and offering different job opportunities. Learning about the available airlines in the country can help you choose an employer that fits your career goals and objectives.
In this article, we explore 13 airline companies in the USA that you may consider for potential job opportunities.
13 airline companies in the USA
Here’s a list of 13 global airline companies with operations in the United States you can pursue for employment:
1. Delta
Headquarters location: Atlanta
Size: More than 10,000 employees
Description: Founded in 1928, Delta is one of the most prominent airlines in the industry, offering travel to all major U.S. airports and a diverse range of international locations. Delta offers luxury and economy transportation options that offer reliable service, updated cabin features and quality airport lounge access for their Delta One and SkyClub customers. Delta is a member of SkyTeam, which includes many other partner airlines, like Air France, Virgin Atlantic and Air Europa. It’s also one of the most popular carriers in the U.S. that often flies to Bangkok, Dakar, Reykjavik, Accra, Copenhagen, Johannesburg, Prague and Stuttgart.
2. American Airlines
Headquarters location: Denver
Size: More than 10,000 employees
Description: Founded in 1926, American Airlines is a top-earning airline and the largest employer among all airlines, offering an extensive network of domestic and international flights across over 350 destinations and 60 countries. This airline company is also one of the founding members of the Oneworld Alliance, which is a global airline alliance, and the third-largest globally. American Airlines is a midrange choice for consumers, providing both affordable and luxury travel options.
3. United Airlines
Headquarters location: Chicago
Size: More than 10,000 employees
Description: Founded in 1926, United Airlines is another leading airline throughout the world. They provide customers with both domestic and international networks that span 210 national mainland destinations and 120 international stations. United Airlines is one of the founding members of the Star Alliance, which is the largest airline alliance on the globe and has more than 25 airline members. The company operates its regional units as independent carriers, using United Express as the brand name.
4. JetBlue
Headquarters location: New York City
Size: More than 10,000 employees
Description: Founded in 2000, JetBlue is a low-cost, affordable airline. It’s another large U.S.-based airline, providing travel accommodations to over 90 locations in the U.S., South America, Central America and the Caribbean. It has an alliance with American Airlines and has a code-share agreement with many other airlines. JetBlue airplanes provide customer-focused cabin features, and consumers can also sign up for award programs with this airline. As a Fortune 500 company, JetBlue runs more than 1,000 daily flights.
5. Southwest Airlines
Headquarters location: Dallas
Size: More than 10,000 employees
Description: Founded in 1967, Southwest is a large low-cost airline, providing service to 121 U.S. locations and 10 other countries. Southwest has the most domestic passenger flights than any other U.S.-based airline company, and it’s also the only legacy carrier that’s also low cost. This airline is unique because it uses a point-to-point network and a rolling hub system to determine the routes of planes, improving the efficiency and flexibility of the airline. This allows it to provide its customers with free baggage checks and no change fees. It also employs Boeing 737 jets exclusively.
6. Alaska Airlines
Headquarters location: SeaTac, Washington
Size: More than 10,000 employees
Description: Founded in 1932, Alaska Airlines provides flights out of Anchorage, Alaska, and has over 110 travel destinations between destinations like the U.S., Costa Rica, Belize, Canada and Mexico. It’s in a partnership with SkyWest Airlines and Horizon Air. It operates an expansive regional and domestic network. Alaska Airlines has the designation of being a Oneworld Alliance member and has ranked highest for customer satisfaction 12 years in a row. It also offers both premium and economy class options, making it a midrange-cost travel solution.
7. Allegiant Travel Company
Headquarters location: Las Vegas
Size: 1,001–5,000 employees
Description: Founded in 1997, Allegiant Travel Company is a low-cost option that offers flights to over 120 destinations in the U.S. to large and small airports. While it generally runs only a few times a week, the company offers other travel-focused products, like rental cars and hotel room bookings. Base airfare prices for this airline’s flights are often less than what you might pay with other domestic carriers. The company’s airline service also goes by Allegiant Air.
8. Spirit Airlines
Headquarters location: Miramar, Florida
Size: More than 10,000 employees
Description: Founded in 1980, Spirit Airlines is one of the most affordable low-cost carriers in the U.S., offering flights to the Caribbean, Mexico and South America. Spirit Airlines has the designation of being a fast-growing North American passenger carrier and a leading ultra-low-cost carrier. This company can offer its cheap flight options through a unique unbundled system that allows customers to only pay for the services and travel features they want.
9. Sun Country Airlines
Headquarters location: Minneapolis
Size: 501–1,000 employees
Description: Founded in 1982, Sun Country Airlines is an ultra-low-cost cargo and passenger carrier. This airline provides services to many regional locations, including Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. Within its fleet that operates over 90 different routes, the airline employs Boeing 737 Next Generation airplanes for both its passenger and cargo-based services.
10. Frontier Airlines
Headquarters location: Denver
Size: 1,001–5,000 employees
Description: Founded in 1994, Frontier Airlines is another ultra-low-cost carrier servicing more than 100 U.S. destinations and 31 international locations, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Guatemala and Mexico. For its flight operations, the airline employs an exclusive fleet of Airbus planes. While it’s an affordable option for many customers, the seats don’t have television mounts, an intentional design choice to reduce the amount of weight on the plane. Passengers can also pay an additional cost to enjoy stretch rows, seating areas that provide full reclining seats, diamond stitching and lumbar support.
11. Hawaiian Airlines
Headquarters location: Honolulu
Size: 5,000–10,000 employees
Description: Founded in 1929, Hawaiian Airlines is another commercial airline within the United States and provides flights between Hawaii, Asia, the mainland U.S., Australia, American Samoa, French Polynesia and New Zealand. As one of the oldest passenger carriers in the U.S., it has the designation of having had no fatal crashes or hull losses throughout its entire operational history. This airline is also one of the highest-rated carriers in the U.S. They have a consistent track record with the fewest baggage handling problems and flight cancelations.
12. Avelo Airlines
Headquarters location: Houston
Size: 501–1,000 employees
Description: Founded in 1987, Avelo Airlines is an ultra-low-cost carrier with certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to perform both international and domestic flight operations. The carrier has limited flight operations within the U.S., including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Utah. Currently, the carrier uses several Boeing 737 airplanes for its operations. This airline has a few customer-centric benefits, like no change fees and smaller airports that allow passengers to save time and find their flight terminals more quickly.
13. Skywest Airlines
Headquarters location: St. George, Utah
Size: More than 10,000 employees
Description: Founded in 1972, Skywest Airlines is the largest regional airline, unique because it operates on behalf of its mainline partner companies, United Airlines, Delta, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. Operating more than 2,400 passenger flights every day, the company is able to cover over 240 cities within U.S., Mexico and Canada. The large network helps to connect routes between small-sized airports and large partner hubs. It’s also the largest independently owned airline in the North American region.
