CommuteAir

ICAO: UCA IATA: C5 Active as of Feb 1, 2026

Airline Statistics

115

Active Routes

6991

Flight Observations

53

Unique Destinations

56

Origin Airports

437

Avg Route Distance (mi)

1482

Longest Route (mi)

29

Domestic Routes

71

International Routes

About CommuteAir

Here is comprehensive information about CommutAir (ICAO: UCA) airline, structured into the requested sections:

CommutAir is a regional airline headquartered in Westlake, Ohio, that operates exclusively as a United Express carrier for United Airlines. Founded on April 8, 1989, in Plattsburgh, New York, initially as Champlain Enterprises, Inc. d/b/a CommutAir, the company began its inaugural flights on August 1, 1989, under the USAir Express brand with Beechcraft 1900 turboprops. It later transitioned its affiliation to Continental Airlines in late 2000, which subsequently became United Airlines. In July 2020, CommutAir became the sole operator of United Airlines' Embraer ERJ-145 fleet, significantly expanding its role within the United Express network.

The airline's main operational hubs are Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston. CommutAir primarily operates an all-jet fleet consisting of 59 Embraer ERJ-145 regional jets, each configured for 50 passengers in a single economy class. In a move to diversify beyond its 50-seat jets, the airline introduced a single Embraer E170 in 2024 for charter services. Its route network focuses on regional feeder services, connecting more than 75 smaller U.S. communities and 3 destinations in Mexico to United Airlines' major hubs, with over 1,600 weekly flights.

As an exclusive United Express partner, CommutAir is affiliated with the Star Alliance, and its employees receive flight benefits across the Star Alliance network. The airline offers a standard (economy) cabin class on its regional flights, which are typically short, resulting in limited onboard services and facilities.

Traveler Reviews

Recent traveler reviews indicate a mixed, but generally acceptable, experience with CommutAir, especially given its role as a regional connector.

What Travelers Love:

  • Professional and attentive crews: Many travelers appreciate the intensely professional nature of the flight crews, noting their proactive approach to service, such as offering snack boxes, particularly to elite status passengers.
  • Comfort of ERJ-145: The Embraer ERJ-145 aircraft is often preferred by passengers over other 50-seat regional jets (e.g., CRJ-200) for its relative comfort.
  • Well-maintained aircraft: Despite the fleet's age, passengers generally find the aircraft to be well-maintained, even if some interiors show signs of wear.

Common Complaints:

  • Aging aircraft interiors: A recurring comment points to the older age of the Embraer ERJ-145 fleet, which sometimes results in worn interiors.
  • Limited gate services at hubs: Travelers often face inconvenient gate assignments at major hubs like Washington Dulles (IAD), where gates may lack adequate passenger services, such as comfortable seating or United Club access.
  • Reliability and delays: Some passengers have reported issues with flight reliability and punctuality, citing consistent operational delays that can significantly impact travel plans.

Overall, the sentiment among travelers suggests that CommutAir is a functional regional airline that capably fulfills its role in connecting smaller markets to major hubs. While the professional service and relative comfort of its primary aircraft are positive points, the aging fleet's aesthetics and occasional operational disruptions are areas noted for improvement.

Safety Information

CommutAir places an emphasis on safety and efficiency in its operations. The airline maintains robust internal systems for reporting incidents and potential safety concerns.

  • Recent safety record and any notable incidents (or lack thereof): CommutAir has experienced a few notable safety incidents, including runway excursions in March 2019 and July 2023. Other reported incidents include bird strikes into both engines in April 2023, an engine shut down in flight in January 2025, smoke in the cockpit and lost electrics in September 2025, and a runway overrun in September 2025. Investigations into some of these incidents have questioned crew decision-making.
  • Regulatory certifications (IOSA, FAA compliance, EU safety list status): As a U.S. regional airline, CommutAir operates under the regulatory oversight of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It has an FAA-authorized Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) that allows employees to report safety and regulatory compliance concerns without fear of punitive action, fostering a culture of proactive safety reporting. CommutAir is not listed on the EU Air Safety List, which identifies non-EU airlines banned or restricted from operating within the European Union due to safety concerns.
  • Fleet age and maintenance reputation: The Embraer ERJ-145 fleet, which forms the core of CommutAir's operations, has an average age of over 20 years. The airline handles much of its maintenance in-house at facilities in Houston, Albany, New York, and Knoxville, Tennessee, while outsourcing heavy airframe checks and engine/APU restorations. CommutAir has also recently invested in new Embraer MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) facilities in Fort Worth, Texas, to support its fleet.
  • Overall safety assessment based on available data: While specific incidents have occurred, CommutAir actively works to identify and address safety deficiencies through its internal reporting systems and FAA-authorized programs. The airline states an emphasis on safety and efficiency in its operations.
  • Any safety awards or recognitions: Based on the available information, there is no specific mention of CommutAir having received direct safety awards or recognitions.
Compiled by AirportRoutes.com • Updated 2 months ago

Route Network Map

Click on any airport to see its routes

Most Popular Routes

468 flights
E45X
LFT → IAH
Lafayette Regional Airport → Houston Bush Int'ctl
201 miles
406 flights
E45X
SCE → IAD
State College Regional Airport → Washington Dulles Intl
133 miles
355 flights
E45X
LRD → IAH
Laredo International Airport → Houston Bush Int'ctl
301 miles
351 flights
E45X
350 flights
E45X
MOB → IAH
Mobile Regional Airport → Houston Bush Int'ctl
426 miles
306 flights
E45X
MFE → IAH
317 miles
280 flights
E45X
271 flights
E135
HRL → IAH
Valley International Airport → Houston Bush Int'ctl
296 miles
246 flights
E135
CHO → IAD
Charlottesville Albemarle Airport → Washington Dulles Intl
77 miles
235 flights
E45X

Top Destinations

IAH (KIAH)
Houston Bush Int'ctl
Houston
4190 flights
32 routes
IAD (KIAD)
Washington Dulles Intl
Washington
2315 flights
25 routes
HSV (KHSV)
Huntsville Intl
Huntsville
30 flights
2 routes
MHT (KMHT)
Manchester Boston Rgnl
Manchester
26 flights
2 routes
ROA (KROA)
Roanoke Rgnl
Roanoke
23 flights
1 route
DAY (KDAY)
James M Cox Dayton Intl
Dayton
23 flights
1 route
CAE (KCAE)
Columbia Metro
Columbia
20 flights
1 route
TYS (KTYS)
McGhee Tyson
Knoxville
19 flights
2 routes
BTV (KBTV)
Patrick Leahy Burlington Intl
Burlington
18 flights
1 route
CRP (KCRP)
Corpus Christi Intl
Corpus Christi
17 flights
1 route

Top Origin Airports

BRO (KBRO)
Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport
Brownsville
468 flights
1 route
MOB (KMOB)
Mobile Regional Airport
Mobile
442 flights
2 routes
LFT (KLFT)
Lafayette Regional Airport
Lafayette
406 flights
1 route
SCE (KUNV)
State College Regional Airport
State College
355 flights
1 route
LRD (KLRD)
Laredo International Airport
Laredo
351 flights
1 route
GPT (KGPT)
Gulfport Biloxi International Airport
Gulfport
350 flights
1 route
HSV (KHSV)
Huntsville International Carl T Jones Field
Huntsville
300 flights
3 routes
MFE (KMFE)
McAllen Miller International Airport
McAllen
280 flights
1 route
AMA (KAMA)
Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport
Amarillo
272 flights
2 routes
IAD (KIAD)
Washington Dulles International Airport
Dulles
269 flights
26 routes

Top Border Crossing Flights

IAH (KIAH)
George Bush Intercontinental Houston Airport
Houston, US
4190 flights
32 routes

Longest Routes

IAH → ALB
George Bush Intercontinental Houston Airport → Albany Intl
1482 mi
MOT → IAH
Minot International Airport → Houston Bush Int'ctl
1324 mi
IAH → MOT
George Bush Intercontinental Houston Airport → Minot Intl
1302 mi
IAD → HSV
Washington Dulles International Airport → Huntsville Intl
1175 mi
IAD → LNK
Washington Dulles International Airport → Lincoln
1030 mi

Shortest Routes

CHO → IAD
Charlottesville Albemarle Airport → Washington Dulles Intl
77 mi
IAD → CHO
Washington Dulles International Airport → Charlottesville-Albemarle
77 mi
IAD → MDT
Washington Dulles International Airport → Harrisburg Intl
94 mi
MDT → IAD
Harrisburg International Airport → Washington Dulles Intl
94 mi
AMA → LBB
Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport → Lubbock Smith Intl
112 mi

All Routes

115 Total Routes
Showing 25 most popular routes
Route Destination Flights Distance Aircraft Last Seen
BRO → IAH Houston Bush Int'ctl
Houston
468 309 mi E45X Feb 1, 2026
LFT → IAH Houston Bush Int'ctl
Houston
406 201 mi E45X Feb 1, 2026
SCE → IAD Washington Dulles Intl
Washington
355 133 mi E45X Feb 1, 2026
LRD → IAH Houston Bush Int'ctl
Houston
351 301 mi E45X Nov 15, 2025
GPT → IAH Houston Bush Int'ctl
Houston
350 376 mi E45X Jan 31, 2026
MOB → IAH Houston Bush Int'ctl
Houston
306 426 mi E45X Feb 1, 2026
MFE → IAH Houston Bush Int'ctl
Houston
280 317 mi E45X Jan 31, 2026
AMA → IAH Houston Bush Int'ctl
Houston
271 518 mi E135 Jan 31, 2026
HRL → IAH Houston Bush Int'ctl
Houston
246 296 mi E135 Jan 31, 2026
CHO → IAD Washington Dulles Intl
Washington
235 77 mi E45X Feb 1, 2026
CRP → IAH Houston Bush Int'ctl
Houston
230 201 mi E45X Feb 1, 2026
AVP → IAD Washington Dulles Intl
Washington
225 189 mi E45X Feb 1, 2026
BTR → IAH Houston Bush Int'ctl
Houston
212 253 mi E45X Feb 1, 2026
ROA → IAD Washington Dulles Intl
Washington
183 177 mi E135 Jan 31, 2026
HSV → IAH Houston Bush Int'ctl
Houston
172 595 mi E45X Feb 1, 2026
ALB → IAD Washington Dulles Intl
Washington
151 325 mi E135 Jan 31, 2026
MDT → IAD Washington Dulles Intl
Washington
143 94 mi E45X Jan 31, 2026
MOB → IAD Washington Dulles Intl
Washington
136 836 mi E45X Feb 1, 2026
HSV → IAD Washington Dulles Intl
Washington
127 595 mi E45X Feb 1, 2026
DAY → IAD Washington Dulles Intl
Washington
115 367 mi E45X Feb 1, 2026
TYS → IAH Houston Bush Int'ctl
Houston
111 772 mi E45X Feb 1, 2026
JAN → IAH Houston Bush Int'ctl
Houston
106 351 mi E135 Jan 31, 2026
MHT → IAD Washington Dulles Intl
Washington
106 418 mi E45X Feb 1, 2026
TYS → IAD Washington Dulles Intl
Washington
97 419 mi E45X Feb 1, 2026
CAE → IAD Washington Dulles Intl
Washington
93 402 mi E145 Jan 2, 2026
Data Information:

Airline statistics are based on flight route observations collected from FlightAware AeroAPI and other sources. Flight counts represent observed operations, not scheduled frequencies. Route data is continuously updated as new flight information becomes available.

Data Freshness: Real-time
Last Update: Feb 1, 2026 12:03
Coverage: Observed routes only