List of airline bankruptcies in the United States

A number of major airlines have declared bankruptcy and have either ceased operations, or reorganized under bankruptcy protection. Airlines, like any business, are susceptible to market fluctuations and economic difficulties. The economic structure of the airline industry may contribute to airline bankruptcies as well. One major element in almost every airline bankruptcy is the rejection by the debtor of its current collective bargaining agreements with employees. After satisfying certain requirements, bankruptcy law permits courts to approve the rejection of labor contracts by the debtor-employer. With this tool, airline managers reduce costs. Terms of an employee contract negotiated over years can be eliminated in months through Chapter 11. Terms of the Railway Labor Act, amended in 1936 to cover airlines, prevent most labor union work actions before, during and after an airline bankruptcy.

Continental Airlines declared bankruptcy, Chapter 11, a second time in December 1990.

Timeline

This is a timeline of airlines who have filed for bankruptcy protection. Also see list of defunct airlines for a list of airlines which are no longer operating.

U.S. airlines bankruptcy filings

Chapter 7

This is a list of airlines that have filed for bankruptcy protection via Chapter 7 in the United States.^[1][2]

Airline	Date Bankruptcy filed
National Florida Airlines[3]	December 1, 1983
Excellair	July 7, 1984
Oceanaire Lines	February 10, 1984
Connectaire	October 10, 1984
Princeton Air Link	August 11, 1988
Air Kentucky	July 19, 1989
Eastern Air Lines	January 18, 1991
Northcoast Executive	January 29, 1991
Midway Airlines (1976-1991)	November 27, 1991
L’Express	February 2, 1992
Eastwind Airlines	September 30, 1999
Midway Airlines (1993-2003)	October 30, 2003
Southeast Airlines	December 1, 2004
TransMeridian Airlines	September 29, 2005
Big Sky	January 7, 2008
Aloha Airlines	March 31, 2008
Air Midwest	May 14, 2008
Gemini Air Cargo	August 12, 2008
Independence Air	January 6, 2009
Comair	April 4, 2012
Direct Air	April 12, 2012
Evergreen International Airlines	December 31, 2013

Chapter 11

This is a list of airlines that have filed for bankruptcy protection via Chapter 11 in the United States.^[2][4]

Airline	Date Bankruptcy filed	Date Exited Bankruptcy	Notes
American Trans Air (ATA)	2008-04-02April 2, 2008		Ceased operations
New York Airways	1979-05-18May 18, 1979		Ceased operations
Aeroamerica	1979-11-19November 19, 1979		Ceased operations
Florida Airlines	1980-01-24January 24, 1980		Ceased operations
Indiana Airlines	1980-03-03March 3, 1980
Air Bahia	1980-12-15December 15, 1980		Ceased operations
Tejas Airlines	1980-12-31December 31, 1980		Ceased Operations[5]
Mountain West Airlines-Idaho	1981-03-06March 6, 1981		Ceased operations
LANICA	1981-03-16March 16, 1981		Nicaraguan airline; ceased operations
Coral Air	1981-07-13July 13, 1981
Pacific Coast Airlines	1981-09-11September 11, 1981
Swift Aire Lines	1981-09-18September 18, 1981		Ceased operations (Charter flights)
Golden Gate Airlines	1981-10-09October 9, 1981		Ceased operations
Pinehurst Airlines	1982-01-26January 26, 1982
Silver State Airlines	1982-03-03March 3, 1982
Air Pennsylvania	1982-03-26March 26, 1982		Ceased operations
Air South	1982-04-02April 2, 1982
Cochise Airlines	1982-04-16April 16, 1982		Ceased operations
Braniff International	1982-05-13May 13, 1982		Ceased operations
Astec Air East	1982-07-08July 8, 1982
Will's Air	1982-08-19August 19, 1982
Aero Sun International	1982-10-15October 15, 1982
Aero Virgin Islands	1982-10-19October 19, 1982		Ceased operations (in 1990)
Altair Airlines	1982-11-09November 9, 1982		Ceased operations
Continental Airlines	1983-09-23September 23, 1983	1986-06-30June 30, 1986	Emerged after merger with PEOPLExpress, Frontier Airlines, and New York Air
Frontier Airlines	1986-08-26August 28, 1986		Ceased operations
Eastern Airlines	1989-03-09March 9, 1989		Ceased operations
Partnair	1989-10-01October 1, 1989		Norwegian airline; ceased operations
Pan American World Airways	1991-01-08January 8, 1991		Ceased operations; Most assets purchased by Delta Air Lines
America West Airlines	1991-06-28June 28, 1991	1994-08-26August 26, 1994	Merged with US Airways in 2005
Sun Country Airlines	2002-01January 2002	2003	Involuntary
National Airlines	2000-12-06December 6, 2000		Ceased operations on November 6, 2002
Trans World Airlines	2001-01-10January 10, 2001		Filed as part of an acquisition by American Airlines
US Airways	2002-08-11August 11, 2002	2003-03-31March 31, 2003
United Airlines	2002-12-09December 9, 2002	2006-02-01February 1, 2006
Air Canada	2003-04-01April 1, 2003	2004-09-30September 30, 2004	Canadian airline
Flash Airlines	2004-03-01March 1, 2004		Ceased operations
US Airways	2004-09-12September 12, 2004	2005-09-27September 27, 2005	Second filing, emerges in conjunction with its acquisition by America West
Avianca	2004-12-10March 21, 2003 May 10, 2020[6]	December 10, 2004[7] December 1, 2021[8]	Colombian airline
Aloha Airlines	2004-12-30December 30, 2004	2006-02-17February 17, 2006	Cargo division continued flying as Aloha Air Cargo
Northwest Airlines	2005-09-14September 14, 2005	2007-05-31May 31, 2007	Ceased Operations; Merged with Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines	2005-09-14September 14, 2005	2007-04-30April 30, 2007	Included subsidiary Comair
Maxjet Airways	2007-12-26December 26, 2007		Ceased operations
Aloha Airlines	2008-03-31March 31, 2008		Second filing; ceased passenger operations
ATA Airlines	2008-04-03April 3, 2008		Ceased operations
Skybus Airlines	2008-04-05April 5, 2008		Ceased operations
Frontier Airlines	2008-04-10April 10, 2008	2009-10-01October 1, 2009
Eos Airlines	2008-08-26August 26, 2008		Ceased operations
Sun Country Airlines	2008-10-06October 6, 2008	2011-02-23February 23, 2011	Second bankruptcy
Primaris Airlines	2008-10-15October 15, 2008		Ceased operations
Mesa Airlines	2010-01-05January 5, 2010	2011-03-11March 11, 2011
Arrow Air	2010-07-01July 1, 2010		Ceased operations and liquidated
Mexicana	2010-08-28August 28, 2010		Mexican airline; ceased operations
American Airlines	2011-11-29November 29, 2011	2013-12-08December 8, 2013	Emerged from bankruptcy as American Airlines Group; includes parent company AMR Corporation and subsidiary American Eagle Airlines
Ryan International Airlines	2012-03-06March 6, 2012		Ceased operations
Pinnacle Airlines	2012-04-02April 2, 2012	2013-05-01May 1, 2013	Emerged as subsidiary of Delta Air Lines; name changed to Endeavor Air
Southern Air	2012-09-28September 28, 2012
SeaPort Airlines	2016-02-05February 5, 2016
Republic Airways Holding	2016-02-25February 25, 2016
PenAir	2017-08-07August 7, 2017		Ceases operations in Denver and Portland
Dynamic International Airways	2017-07-19July 19, 2017
Island Air (Hawaii)	2017-10-16October 16, 2017		Ceased operations
Miami Air[9]	2020-03-25March 25, 2020		Ceased operations
Ravn Alaska	2020-04-05April 5, 2020
Spirit Airlines	2020-04-05December 15, 2024[10]
LATAM Airlines Group	2020-05-26May 26, 2020[11]	2022-11-03November 3, 2022[12]	Chilean airline holding group; included all subsidiaries