SkyWest Airlines is a specialized regional carrier that is headquartered in St. George, UT. According to most FAA sources, SkyWest Airlines is a major airline. However, they operate on a regional airline and belong to the RAA (Regional Airline Association). SkyWest operates to 180 cities in various states and provinces, as well as five cities in Mexico and the Bahamas. SkyWest Airlines has partnerships with the following commercial carriers: Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways Express, Delta, and American Airlines. In 2013, SkyWest carried nearly 30 million passengers.

Top Ranked Companies

#1 Southwest Airlines

6.2 Overall Score

4.4

star star star star star_half

(1,847)

View Profile View Profile

#2 Delta Airlines

6.0 Overall Score

4.4

star star star star star_half

(1,363)

View Profile View Profile

#3 JetBlue

5.8 Overall Score

4.4

star star star star star_half

(998)

View Profile View Profile

thumb_up

The Good

Partners
Boarding
Flight statistics
Time in business

SkyWest is a regional airline that operates flights on behalf of the major airlines they partner with. Because of this, they do not perform any reservation or ticketing functions. Instead the major airlines they partner with sells the tickets and the connecting flights may be a SkyWest plane. Their partnering airlines selling the tickets are: • United Airlines (as United Express) • Delta Air Lines (as Delta Connection) • American Airlines (as American Eagle) • Alaska Airlines (as Alaska Airlines operated by SkyWest Airlines) This means that all ticket prices will be what those airlines generally charge. SkyWest does not compete with the other airline prices and instead allows them to set the price and is not involved in the ticketing process. Similarly to the ticket prices, SkyWest does not have their own baggage policy but follows the baggage requirements of their partnering airlines. For flights with Delta that use SkyWest to connect, they follow Delta baggage prices. This is true for all of their partnering airlines. In addition to the restrictions of these airlines, SkyWest has their own restrictions in baggage. They do not accept: • Kayaks • Windsurf equipment • Hang gliders • Extra-large or giant pet kennels These items are prohibited on SkyWest flights due to equipment size or other operational constraints. They also do not allow any items classified as a pressurized gas/liquid, oil-based paints, explosives, poisons, magnetic materials, flammable items, or corrosive, etc. The boarding process on SkyWest Airlines is the boarding process of whichever partnering airline the flight is connecting with. Seats are assigned, and the check-in and boarding process depends on the major airline of the flight. If the tickets are purchased through American Airlines, then it is the check-in and boarding process of American Airlines that will take place on that SkyWest flight. SkyWest flies 1,700 daily flights to hundreds of locations each day. They have great on-time performance when compared to the top airlines. Their on-time percentage for their daily flights is 85% on time, late is 6%, very late is 2%, and excessively late is 5%. This is a similar performance to many of the top airlines that SkyWest partners with. This shows that when taking a connecting flight of SkyWest while on a major airline flight, the on-time performance will be consistent with that that is expected of that major airline. When looking at the most active routes of SkyWest, they did not receive as high of ratings as some of the top airlines. They had many flights with scores of 2-3 stars instead of the 4-5 stars seen by some airlines. Their top flights include: • Yuma to Phoenix (4.1 stars, 90% on time) • Los Angeles to San Diego (3.1 stars, 84% on time) • Milwaukee to Chicago (2.9 stars, 84% on time) Their active routes are short connecting flights, which is mainly what SkyWest flies. Passengers want these short flights to not arrive late for their next flight. Based on these numbers it seems that SkyWest does fairly well at keeping their passengers on time. The first flight of SkyWest took place in 1972. For the past 43 years they have been a regional airline partnering with major airlines in their connecting flights. Compared to those larger airline partners, SkyWest is a newer company. Many of the larger airlines have been around for over 80 years, almost double SkyWest. They have 347 aircrafts in operation and in 2014 carried 27.9 million passengers. SkyWest has a Safety First motto and state that they have some of the most thoroughly trained and experience pilots in the industry. They are known for their "industry-leading workforce, exceptional leadership team, and continued solid operational and economic performance". SkyWest is headquartered in St. George, Utah and flies to many destinations across the United States. Their mission is to be the airline of choice, the employer of choice, and the investment of choice. They do this by partnering with some of the top airlines available such as United, Delta, and American Airlines.

thumb_down

The Bad

Destinations
Lack of information

SkyWest partners with a number of different airlines to serve as their connecting flights. Through these airlines, SkyWest flies to 205 cities. This includes 44 states, Washington D.C., 6 Canadian Provinces, and 11 Mexican cities and the Bahamas. The number of destinations for each airline that SkyWest partners with are as follows: • United: 163 • Delta: 128 • American: 25 • Alaska: 19 • Shared: 102 Because SkyWest partners with these larger airlines, they are able to reach a large number of destinations domestically. They don't have hardly any international flights however which makes them a small airline compared to other top airline and their destinations. While their partnered airlines travel across the world, SkyWest only assists with connecting flights domestically. They are large for how many cities they fly to in the United States, but small when compared with international destinations. SkyWest had very little information about their in-flight services available on their website. They do have the standard complimentary snacks and beverages as well as available beverages that are not complimentary. Beyond this, not much is known about the in-flight services. However, because they specialize in short connecting flights, not much entertainment or food will most likely be offered by the airline, or needed by the passenger.

gavel

The Bottom Line

Overall, we do not recommend SkyWest. Their lack of transparency was the biggest red flag. We also found many poor customer reviews during our research. We suggest shopping around when you purchase your ticket, as you might get stuck on a CRJ 200 flight, which are not always the best for comfort.

Was this content helpful?

thumb_up Yes thumb_down No

border_color Write a Review

User Reviews

Star Rating

4.3

star star star star star_half

53 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

42%

4 grade

45%

3 grade

13%

2 grade

1 grade

Sentiment Criteria

Value

star star star star star_half

Quality

star star star star star_half

Service

star star star star star_half

Trustworthiness

star star star star star_half

cancel

star star star star star

Aubrey Dallas, TX

This airline has good quality for the prices, I feel like the pilots drive safer and the snacks are the best. Even if it costs me an extra $50 I usually will choose SkyWest because I get so scared from all the turbulence on other airlines.

4 years ago

star star star star star

Paula Pili Provo, UT

I have to be honest the first time I saw Sky West DBA I was anxious I wanted to change my flights I’m glad I didn’t because it’s actually not bad at all. Pretty roomy and everyone super friendly Even though I’m claustrophobic I was fine!

4 years ago

star star star star star

Eddie Rios Ogden, UT

SkyWest is a great airline. It ensures great counter service, easy reservations, and makes my flight experience excellent with the help of their flight crews. They care about timeliness and offer great routes to popular destinations. Can't go wrong with Skywest Airlines.

6 years ago

star star star star star

Reese Pleasant Grove, UT

I have flown on SkyWest many times and they have awesome local service, especially , Salt Lake City, Utah to St. George, Utah. they are a smaller airline, but when I used them they have all of the services and options that the big airlines have.

7 years ago

star star star star star

Michelle Rios Ogden, UT

I have flown SkyWest a few times when visiting my husband when we were stationed apart. They were one of the only airlines that offered affordable flights into Yuma, AZ. Though the flights were typically short and on smaller planes, the flight attendant was always nice and provided comfort when passengers felt a little unsure during turbulence. SkyWest helped me to get to my husband and for that I thank you!

6 years ago

star star star star star

kristin Gneiting Pleasant Grove, UT

I just flew Sky West from San Francisco to Salt Lake City. It was a smaller plane with just 2 seats on one side and 3 on the other. I bought the ticket because of the price and expected a discount airline. I was so surprised though with the amount of leg room on the plane. It arrived actually 15 minutes earlier than expected and I was very pleased with the SkyWest staff making me very comfortable.

7 years ago

star star star star star

BeauCarl South Jordan, UT

Skywest is a great small carrier option especially for regional flights without as many passengers, boarding is much faster, overall you save a lot of time compared to the major airlines flying Skywest. I prefer flying with Skywest over the big carriers.

6 years ago

star star star star star

Steve Midway, UT

I have flown on numerous short flights that are operated by SkyWest. They do a great job with their logistics and seem to always be on time. Great customer service too on my flights. Not sure if you can book directly with them, but if you can, I recommend it.

6 years ago

star star star star star_border

Thomas Hullinger Pleasant Grove, UT

They are a wonderful regional airline that flies to many of the destinations that I travel to and are very professional to me and treat me with great customer service. They are on time and don't have many mechanical issues.

8 years ago

star star star star star_border

Kaitlyn Rios Ogden, UT

SkyWest is a great regional airline. They fill in the gaps to destinations that other larger airlines won't. I find that essential when flying to smaller cities that may be a bit rural. Great pricing too! Lots of convenience.

6 years ago

star star star star star_border

Martha Gourley Pleasant Grove, UT

I have always found Skywest to be reliable. They serve smaller airports with good flight options and the flights I have gone on departed and arrived on time. Their planes are clean and their workers, including pilots, seem to really care.

6 years ago

star star star star star_border

Michelle Schow Saratoga Springs, UT

SkyWest generally has smaller planes for travel within the United States. They provide many connector flights for the larger airlines. SkyWest is reliable (although because of the smaller planes the flights seem more prone to turbulence).

6 years ago

star star star star star_border

Tom Gourley Pleasant Grove, UT

I like the "personal touch" that Skywest offers. They really seem to care about customer service. They offer a good variety of destinations at reasonable pricing. Onboard, they make each customer feel valued and go out of their way to help. I always ask for the full can of pop during "smack time" and they always happily take care of me!

6 years ago

star star star star star_border

Shauna Craig Pleasant Grove, UT

We have used SkyWest multiple times when we are flying shorter distances and have always been satisfied with their care. The employees are helpful and courteous and try to address any concerns we have timely. We look to use them when we are booking a flight.

7 years ago

star star star star star_border

Ron Durfey Pleasant Grove, UT

I love SkyWest. I often fly with them in my work travels and have always appreciated their service. I usually arrive to my destination 10-20 minutes early and the service I receive from them is incredible. Their planes are clean and their rides are smooth. Great flight option!

7 years ago

star star star star star_border

Rosann Stanko Logan, UT

We were treated well when we travelled on SkyWest. Our only concern was how small the planes were and the area where we sat. The flight attendants took good care of us and when I needed extra helped with getting around they were extremely accommodating.

7 years ago

star star star star star_border

J Crawley Provo, UT

I've been on dozens of SkyWest flights over the years and have found their services to be reliable and consistent. The attendants and flight crew have been competent, courteous, and I've rarely had a delay in my travels on SkyWest.

7 years ago

star star star star star

Laurel Dalton Herriman, UT

SkyWest is the perfect airline. They make traveling so family-friendly for passengers of all ages. I also appreciate their affordable pricing.

4 years ago Edited January 26, 2022

star star star star star_border

Joseph rex Herriman, UT

I like Skywest. The airplanes are typically smaller but good bang for buck. I like that you fly into smaller towns as well. I travel you guys for work a fair amount.

6 years ago

star star star star_border star_border

Stephanie Love Herriman, UT

I have flown Skywest a few times and the price is usually pretty reasonable, but I don’t love how small the planes are. I just feels really cramped in the plane and makes me a little anxious. The customer service was great though and I wouldn’t be opposed of flying on Skywest, but they aren’t my first option I check out.

6 years ago

star star star star star

fernandopessoa Herriman, UT

Have flown Skywest quite a few times and have had a positive experience every time. Planes are typically smaller which I like because you get more individualized attention.

6 years ago

star star star star star

David T Draper, UT

I have never had any problems with Skywest. They provide a great service for a regional airline. Their prices aren't always the best, but the service is good.

6 years ago

star star star star star_border

Rischelle Mikkelson American Fork, UT

We flew SkyWest after a connection in Chicago. The flight crew was very agreeable and the pilot did a great job getting us through some stormy weather which can be a little nerve racking in a smaller plane.

7 years ago

star star star star star_border

Rosie Hansen Salt Lake City, UT

I use SkyWest when flying short distances. These are connecting flights and so a lot of their planes are smaller and might have 3-4 seats in a row with just one aisle. Although a small plane, the ride is always smooth.

7 years ago

star star star star star_border

Myken Salt Lake City, UT

SkyWest has affordable rates and nice accommodations. The employees are friendly and caring and provide great customer service while flying.

6 years ago

star star star star star

Tori smith Mesa, AZ

My brother in law flies for them! Super good airline. They make sure everyone is comfortable and happy

6 years ago

star star star star star_border

Spencer Morris (Logan) Riverton, UT

Never had too much issue on Sky West-- Seems like smaller planes to more remote areas--- get what ya get to the small areas i guess

6 years ago

star star star star star

Darren Cardwell Riverton, UT

Enjoyable flight on smaller jet with decent room and usually quick flights to smaller out of the way places.

8 years ago

star star star star_border star_border

Cim Carver Cheyenne, WY

I fly Skywest as a Delta customer. It’s a regional service so you can’t expect much, but I cringe every time I have to take a flight because of the small planes and old equipment.

6 years ago

star star star star_border star_border

Cam McClellan Magna, UT

I have flown sky west a few times for smaller regional flights. They were OK, but nothing stood out to me as extra special. I will probably look at other airlines in the future.

6 years ago

star star star star star_border

Jon Robinson Riverton, UT

Skywest can be a good option for domestic flights at a good price. The planes are typically smaller, so prepare for a bit more turbulence on the flight.

6 years ago

star star star star star_border

janice pan ,

Smaller planes but crew was super nice. First class, even in the smaller aircraft, was such a nice treat. Thank you for the kindness.

6 years ago

star star star star star

Hallieford Orem, UT

We love Skywest for their red eye flight options. I was super impressed by the service and cleanliness on the aircraft!

6 years ago

star star star star star_border

take7 Sandy, UT

Smaller planes but quick and easy service to and from destinations. Gate workers and flight attendants were friendly and helpful. No problems.

6 years ago

star star star star star

Reckholdt Magna, UT

I have flown sky west a few times for more local flights and had great experiences. Customer service has been great.

6 years ago

star star star star star

Sandra Douglas Evanston, WY

Enjoyed my flight. I was the only one on the plane from Salt Lake City to Gillette, WY and was treated like a queen.

6 years ago

star star star star star

Sara Smith Riverton, UT

Smaller plane but still provided a great flying time and on time, did not have any delays or issues.

6 years ago

star star star star star_border

Cameron Clark Provo, UT

Cheap airline that I used for a 5 hour flight. Very crammed seating and old plane. Wasn't the best experience, but the flight was very cheap.

7 years ago

star star star star star_border

Don Boren American Fork, UT

The airplanes always seem to be very small on this airline. That means there is less leg room and I feel cramped with the person next to me.

7 years ago

star star star star star

Sage Robertson Cedar City, UT

SkyWest has awesome prices and their planes are always really clean. Their customer service is great as well.

7 years ago

star star star star star

Mazi Marcel Womack Cedar City, UT

I have never been disappointed with SkyWest Airlines. Their planes are always super clean and their prices are great!

7 years ago

star star star star star_border

Ponch Thompson South Jordan, UT

SkyWest is a partner with Delta. We typically fly SkyWest when using a Delta connecting flight. Smaller planes. Solid performance.

7 years ago

star star star star star_border

Sadie Scoville Pleasant Grove, UT

My family and I flew on Skywest. The flight attendants were really nice but the flight was just a little cramped and I felt claustrophobic.

8 years ago

star star star star star

Teagan hickman Seattle, WA

We love Skywest... always have had the best service and so quick and easy to get our bags and such

6 years ago

star star star star star

PessoaJ Herriman, UT

I really like Skywest. I Have had only positive experiences with them. Service has been great too!

6 years ago

star star star star_border star_border

Jon Posey Riverton, UT

Skywest is a small airline that flies to somewhat obscure destinations which is nice but it can be pricey and their service is just ok.

6 years ago

star star star star star_border

abby becht Pleasant Grove, UT

Great regional airline, with a knowledgeable and friendly staff. No hesitation to fly with them again.

7 years ago

star star star star_border star_border

Garn L. Arnold Alpine, UT

Small airline that Delta uses to fly to small airports. They have been on time whenever I have flown with them. I was pleased with their service.

7 years ago

star star star star star

Grossarth Family Herriman, UT

Like the smaller flights and the kindness of the staff.

4 years ago

star star star star_border star_border

SnowballH Salt Lake City, UT

Love the affordability of SkyWest. We use them for shorter flights to get to cities closer to us.

6 years ago