Mainline (air travel)

Mainline carriers typically operate between hub airports within their network and on international or long-haul services, using narrow-body and wide-body aircraft.

This is in contrast to regional airlines, providing feeder services to hub airports operating smaller turboprop or regional jet aircraft, or low-cost carrier subsidiaries serving leisure markets.

and American Flagship Service cater to the medium-haul transcontinental business segment.

An airline carrier's collective bargaining agreement with flight crews stipulates the maximum seating capacity of regional aircraft; as such, any aircraft that exceeds this capacity must operate as a mainline flight.

3 These independent airlines operate regional aircraft under codeshare agreements with a mainline carrier.

A mainline flight by an American Airlines Boeing 777-200ER lands at London Heathrow Airport , England.
Unlike many other airlines, JetBlue's mainline equipment includes the Embraer E190 . On traditional legacy carriers, such operations on the smaller aircraft are mostly outsourced to smaller, usually independently owned regional airlines.
Embraer E-190 . Similarly to JetBlue, US Airways and at one time, Air Canada both operated the Embraer 190 as part of their mainline fleets.
JetBlue's affiliate Cape Air at Logan International Airport .
United's affiliate GoJet at O'Hare International Airport in full United Express colors