The United States Department of Transportation defines a major carrier or major airline carrier as a U.S.-based airline that posts more than $1 billion in operating revenue during a fiscal year, grouped accordingly as "Group III".
Airlines
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics updates the listing of major airlines once per year. According to operating revenues, 19 carriers meet the requirement for Group III status:
Mainline passenger
- Alaska Airlines <small>(subsidiary of Alaska Air Group)</small>
- Allegiant Air
- American Airlines*
<!--Do NOT add Avelo Airlines or Breeze Airways. As of 2026, those carriers are in GROUP II. They are NOT listed as GROUP III carriers.-->
- Delta Air Lines*
- Frontier Airlines
- Hawaiian Airlines <small>(subsidiary of Alaska Air Group)</small>
- JetBlue
- Southwest Airlines*
- Sun Country Airlines
- United Airlines*
(*) - considered one of the "Big 4" U.S. airlines
Regional passenger
<!--Do NOT add other regional airlines. These companies DO NOT FIT THE DOT DEFINITION. They are NOT listed in the source!-->
- Envoy Air <small>(subsidiary of American Airlines Group)</small>
- PSA Airlines <small>(subsidiary of American Airlines Group)</small>
- Republic Airways
- SkyWest Airlines
Cargo
- Atlas Air
- FedEx Express
- Kalitta Air
- UPS Airlines
See also
- Largest airlines in the world
- List of largest airlines in North America
- List of airlines of the United States
- Legacy carrier