Originally founded in 1974, Republic Airways built its business as a regional airline holding company providing scheduled passenger flights under contract for larger carriers. The company historically operated a fleet of regional jets (Embraer E-Jets) and flew under capacity-purchase agreements (CPAs) with major airlines — meaning Republic operated flights under the larger carriers’ brands (e.g. as “American Eagle,” “Delta Connection,” “United Express”), rather than under its own name.
In 2025, Republic made a major strategic move by merging with Mesa Air Group, Inc. (and its subsidiary Mesa Airlines) in an all-stock transaction — a merger officially completed on November 25, 2025. As a result, the combined company continues under the name Republic Airways Holdings Inc. and trades on NASDAQ under the ticker “RJET.”
Post-merger, Republic now operates the world’s largest fleet of Embraer regional jets — around 310 E-Jets — supporting more than 1,300 daily departures. The merger preserves Republic’s existing CPAs with its major airline partners, and Mesa Airlines (as part of the new, merged entity) will support United Airlines under a new 10-year CPA.
In short: Republic Airways Holdings has transformed from a standalone regional carrier operating on behalf of major airlines into a consolidated regional-airline powerhouse, with expanded scale, a significantly larger fleet, and a broader operational footprint. The merger with Mesa — and the resulting scale — positions the company to be an even more central player in regional aviation across North America.