Another US airline merger is brewing, but the Mesa-Republic deal may fly under travelers’ radar

Travelers should see little impact from the latest U.S. airline merger between regional giants Mesa Air Group and Republic Airways.

If you have flown on either an Embraer E170 or E175 at American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express, the odds are you have flown on either Mesa or Republic. The carriers are two of the largest independent regional airlines in the U.S., with a combined 310 E-Jets flying for the Big Three. Only Utah-based SkyWest Airlines is larger.

And the merger lacks any of the normal challenges that can create disruptions for travelers. Since Mesa and Republic only operate flights for their partners, they do not need to, for example, integrate reservations systems or loyalty programs — steps that have created big passenger disruptions during past mergers.

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“Republic and Mesa share a common mission to connect communities across America, and we believe that we can better achieve that mission together,” Bryan Bedford, president and CEO of Republic, said in a statement. “With this combination, we are establishing a single, well-capitalized, public company that will benefit from the deep expertise of Republic and Mesa associates, creating value for all stakeholders well into the future.”

Bedford, who would be in line to lead the combined airline, is expected to leave Republic in the coming months once he is confirmed as administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.

Big eastern and southern presence

New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is the merged airline’s largest base, according to April 2025 schedules from aviation analytics firm Cirium. Mesa and Republic operate a combined 4,734 departures for primarily American Airlines and Delta Air Lines from the airport.

The airlines’ other largest bases are Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) where they feed American and United Airlines’ competing hubs; Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), a hub for Delta; Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), a hub for United; and Dulles International Airport (IAD) near Washington, D.C., also a United hub, Cirium data shows.

Mesa and Republic plan to maintain their “current basing structures and routes” if the merger is approved, they said in a statement.

Details of the Mesa-Republic merger

Mesa and Republic hope to close their merger by late in the third quarter or early in the fourth quarter — roughly in September or October — of 2025. The deal is subject to shareholder approval and U.S. Department of Justice sign-off.

The all-stock deal would see Mesa shareholders own up to 12% of the combined airline and Republic shareholders owning the balance.

American and United would count themselves among owners of the new regional carrier. American currently owns 25% of Republic; United owns roughly 10% of Mesa and 19% of Republic.

The new airline would retain the Republic name and likely maintain the carrier’s current headquarters in Carmel, Indiana, near Indianapolis. The Republic leadership team will lead the carrier with the new board of directors made up of six directors from Republic and one from Mesa.

The new Republic will be listed on Nasdaq under the “RJET” stock symbol; Mesa is currently listed on the stock exchange while Republic was delisted and went private in 2016.

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