Represents the mandatory retirement age for commercial pilots.

No definition available.

Name:	skyw_CommercialPilotMandatoryRetirementAge
Namespace Prefix:	skyw_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the eligible age for which medical bridge coverage is provided by the entity to the employees.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	skyw_DefinedBenefitPlanAgeForProvidingMedicalBridgeCoverage
Namespace Prefix:	skyw_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the maximum percentage of the participant's compensation eligible for the employer matching contribution.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	skyw_DefinedBenefitPlanMaximumPercentageOfParticipantTotalCompensationEligibleForEmployerMatchingContribution
Namespace Prefix:	skyw_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the maximum percentage of participant total compensation eligible for employer matching contribution after requisite service period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	skyw_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the minimum service period required for Maximum employer matching contribution.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	skyw_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the maximum percentage of the employer's matching contribution for participant contributions based upon the length of service.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	skyw_DefinedBenefitPlanPercentageOfEmployerMatchingContributionForParticipantContributionsBasedUponLengthOfService
Namespace Prefix:	skyw_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the first threshold percentage of the participant's compensation eligible for the employer's matching contribution based upon the length of service.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	skyw_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the third threshold percentage of the participant's compensation eligible for the employer's matching contribution based upon the length of service.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	skyw_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the second threshold percentage of the participant's compensation eligible for the employer's matching contribution based upon the length of service.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	skyw_DefinedBenefitPlanPercentageOfParticipantsCompensationEligibleForEmployerMatchingContributionBasedUponLengthOfServiceThresholdTwo
Namespace Prefix:	skyw_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the age required to be completed by the employee to be eligible to participate in the plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	skyw_DefinedBenefitPlanRequiredAge
Namespace Prefix:	skyw_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Description of the estimated period of time over which an employee is required to provide service to participate in the defined benefit plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	skyw_DefinedBenefitPlanRequisiteServicePeriod
Namespace Prefix:	skyw_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the percentage of vesting for plan participants in their elective deferrals and rollover amounts.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	skyw_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the percentage of vesting of company matching contribution for plan participants based on the length of service.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	skyw_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the minimum period of service required to be completed by retired employees for availing medical bridge coverage provided by the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	skyw_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The increase in the fair value of plan assets from contributions made by the employer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (b)(3)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28361610&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsByEmployer
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanDisclosureLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis=skyw_AtlanticSoutheastAirlinesIncInvestmentSavingsPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis=skyw_SkyWestIncEmployeesRetirementPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
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Retirement Plans and Employee Stock Purchase Plans (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2007	Nov. 30, 2007	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
ExpressJet Plan
Minimum period of service required to be completed by retired employees for availing medical bridge coverage			10 years
Mandatory retirement age for commercial pilots	65 years	60 years
Minimum
ExpressJet Plan
Eligible age to provide medical bridge coverage			60 years
Maximum
ExpressJet Plan
Eligible age to provide medical bridge coverage			65 years
SkyWest Plan
Retirement Plans
Service period required to be completed to be eligible to participate in plan			90 days
Required age for an employee to be eligible to participate in plan			18 years
Percentage of employer matching contribution based on length of service			100.00%
Percentage of participant's compensation eligible for employer's matching contribution based upon length of service, threshold one			2.00%
Percentage of participant's compensation eligible for employer's matching contribution based upon length of service, threshold two			4.00%
Percentage of participant compensation eligible for employer's matching contribution based upon length of service, threshold three			6.00%
Company's combined contributions			19.3	$ 18.3	$ 16.0
Atlantic Southeast and the ExpressJet Plans
Retirement Plans
Service period required to be completed to be eligible to participate in plan			90 days
Required age for an employee to be eligible to participate in plan			18 years
Company's combined contributions			27.2	$ 26.7	$ 26.4
Atlantic Southeast Plan
Retirement Plans
Maximum percentage of participant's total compensation eligible for employer matching contribution			6.00%
Minimum service period required to be completed for eight percent matching contribution by the employer			10 years
Maximum percentage of participant's total compensation eligible for employer matching contribution after requisite service period			8.00%
Percentage of vesting for plan participants' elective deferrals and rollover amounts			100.00%
Atlantic Southeast Plan \| Minimum
Retirement Plans
Percentage of employer matching contribution based on length of service			20.00%
Percentage of vesting of company matching contribution based on length of service			10.00%
Atlantic Southeast Plan \| Maximum
Retirement Plans
Percentage of employer matching contribution based on length of service			75.00%
Percentage of vesting of company matching contribution based on length of service			100.00%