Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012 segment subsidiary	Dec. 31, 2011 segment subsidiary	Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Reporting
Operating segments number									2	2
Number of operating subsidiaries representing operating segments									2	2
Segment Reporting
Operating revenues	$ 810,726	$ 865,259	$ 937,214	$ 921,173	$ 899,850	$ 955,425	$ 933,697	$ 865,951	$ 3,534,372	$ 3,654,923	$ 2,765,145
Operating expense (income)									3,368,385	3,613,818	2,563,319
Depreciation and amortization expense									251,958	254,182	236,499
Interest expense									77,380	80,383	86,517
Segment profit (loss)									88,607	(39,278)	115,309
Identifiable intangible assets, other than goodwill	17,248				19,497				17,248	19,497	21,747
Total assets	4,254,637				4,281,908				4,254,637	4,281,908	4,446,509
Capital expenditures (including non - cash)									73,860	199,756	181,077
SkyWest
Segment Reporting
Operating revenues									1,930,149	2,002,830	1,904,472
Operating expense (income)									1,774,876	1,893,909	1,759,784
Depreciation and amortization expense									153,915	147,520	144,002
Interest expense									49,208	50,907	53,622
Segment profit (loss)									106,065	58,014	91,066
Total assets	2,633,369				2,595,901				2,633,369	2,595,901	2,587,371
Capital expenditures (including non - cash)									53,656	166,998	158,787
ExpressJet
Segment Reporting
Operating revenues									1,593,527	1,640,837	855,095
Operating expense (income)									1,588,400	1,714,481	804,110
Depreciation and amortization expense									98,043	106,662	92,497
Interest expense									23,582	25,142	27,933
Segment profit (loss)									(18,455)	(98,786)	23,052
Identifiable intangible assets, other than goodwill	17,248				19,497				17,248	19,497	21,747
Total assets	1,621,268				1,686,007				1,621,268	1,686,007	1,859,138
Capital expenditures (including non - cash)									20,204	32,758	22,290
Other
Segment Reporting
Operating revenues									10,696	11,256	5,578
Operating expense (income)									5,109	5,428	(575)
Interest expense									4,590	4,334	4,962
Segment profit (loss)									$ 997	$ 1,494	$ 1,191