[1] Air Atlanta's first scheduled route was Atlanta-Memphis, with the first flight being operated on February 1, 1984, using a Boeing 727-100 jetliner.

By April 1, 1984, nonstop 727 service was being operated Atlanta-Memphis, Atlanta-Miami and Atlanta-New York JFK Airport.

[3] The airline subsequently introduced service to Detroit, Fort Myers, Greenbrier/Lewisburg, WV, New Orleans, Orlando, Philadelphia, Tampa, and Washington National Airport in Crystal City, Virginia, outside Washington, D.C.[4] When Air Atlanta initially began service, every seat was a first class seat with meals served on white linen accompanied by fine china and crystal although the airline stated that it was charging coach fares for this service.

At the time it filed, KLM offered to invest $10 million in Air Atlanta if the existing investors would match it.

Air Atlanta had a perfect safety record and was responsible for many innovations in the airline industry including with respect to financing its operations through the use of the zero coupon convertible note.