A
mainline flight is a flight operated by an airline's main operating unit, rather than by regional alliances, regional code-shares or regional subsidiaries. In the
United States, examples of mainline
passenger airline flights include those operated by
American Airlines,
Delta Air Lines,
United Airlines, and
US Airways but it would not include flights operated by
regional airlines Envoy Air,
Executive Airlines,
Piedmont Airlines, or
PSA Airlines with
regional jets or the services of regional airline marketing brands such as
American Eagle,
Delta Connection,
United Express, or
US Airways Express aboard lower-capacity narrowbody jets and turboprop aircraft, such as those produced by
Embraer or
Bombardier, that do not have transcontinental range.