Segment Reporting (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) segment	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Segment Reporting
Operating segments number | segment	3
Operating revenues	$ 762,075	$ 760,398
Operating expense	700,266	726,323
Depreciation and amortization expense	67,801	65,691
Interest expense	17,725	18,465
Segment profit (loss)	44,514	16,250
Identifiable intangible assets, other than goodwill	9,936	12,186	$ 10,499
Total assets	4,813,058	4,591,206	$ 4,781,984
Capital expenditures (including non-cash)	99,286	269,138
Corporate/Consolidating
Segment Reporting
Operating revenues	27,972	14,126
Operating expense	12,563	7,103
Depreciation and amortization expense	12,203	6,341
Interest expense	8,943	4,388
Total assets	1,218,935	767,626
Capital expenditures (including non-cash)	80,280	245,948
SkyWest Airlines
Segment Reporting
Operating revenues	466,296	437,715
Operating expense	414,084	399,969
Depreciation and amortization expense	34,331	37,688
Interest expense	6,659	9,721
Total assets	2,292,792	2,404,877
Capital expenditures (including non-cash)	13,958	16,092
Express Jet Airlines Inc
Segment Reporting
Operating revenues	267,807	308,557
Operating expense	273,619	319,251
Depreciation and amortization expense	21,267	21,662
Interest expense	2,123	4,356
Identifiable intangible assets, other than goodwill	9,936	12,186
Total assets	1,301,331	1,418,703
Capital expenditures (including non-cash)	5,048	7,098
Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting
Segment profit (loss)	44,084	15,610
Segment [Member] | Corporate/Consolidating
Segment Reporting
Segment profit (loss)	6,466	2,635
Segment [Member] | SkyWest Airlines
Segment Reporting
Segment profit (loss)	45,553	28,025
Segment [Member] | Express Jet Airlines Inc
Segment Reporting
Segment profit (loss)	$ (7,935)	$ (15,050)