[5] First Air has assisted in various humanitarian missions such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, airlifting relief supplies and equipment.

[12] Ptarmigan Airways operated smaller turboprop aircraft types such as the Beechcraft King Air (BE-200 model), DHC-6 Twin Otter and Grumman Gulfstream I turboprops, and a single Cessna Citation II business jet aircraft.

At the time of the merger NWT Air operated Boeing 737-200 jetliners and a single Lockheed L-100 Hercules cargo turboprop.

[15] On 5 June 2009, First Air received a wide-body aircraft, a Boeing 767-223 SF (Super Freighter), which was under a three-year dry lease from Cargo Aircraft Management (CAM), a subsidiary of Air Transport Services Group (ATSG).

On 30 March 2010, it added Whale Cove, Repluse Bay, Coral Harbour and Chesterfield Inlet to the Kivalliq Routes.

[17] In February 2011, First Air and Qikiqtaaluk Corporation (QC) started a new airline named Qikiqtani First Aviation.

This announcement came shortly after Makivik Corporation stated that, after many rumours, its stake in First Air was not for sale.

[23] On 11 April 2014, the Makivik Corporation and Norterra, owners of Canadian North, began negotiations to merge the two airlines.

[24][25] According to a website set up the same day the new airline would be owned equally between the two companies and "a merger would create a stronger, more sustainable business, provide better service to customers and lead to new economic development opportunities across the North - "We believe the two companies would complement each other’s strengths.

On 1 June 2015, First Air began their codeshare flights with Calm Air ending their Kivalliq Regional Flights from Rankin Inlet to Arviat, Baker Lake, Coral Harbour, Repulse Bay, Whale Cove, and Chesterfield Inlet.

[29] On 19 June 2019, the federal government gave approval to the merger provided several terms and conditions were met.

[33] First Air operates scheduled services to these domestic destinations in Canada:[5] According to the Official Airline Guide (OAG), First Air operated scheduled passenger service from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s nonstop between Ottawa (YOW) and Boston (BOS) primarily with Hawker Siddeley HS 748 turboprops, but also with Boeing 727-100 Combi jetliners as well.