In October 1952 Wisconsin Central scheduled flights to 28 airports, all west of Lake Michigan, from Chicago to Fargo and Grand Forks.

The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) classified North Central as a "local service carrier," flying to cities in one region and feeding passengers to larger "trunk airlines" that flew nationwide.

North Central eventually was allowed a few routes outside the Midwest: to Washington, D.C.-National, New York-LaGuardia, Boston, Denver, and Tucson.

After deregulation of the airline industry, North Central expanded and began operating McDonnell Douglas DC-9-50s, its largest jet aircraft type.

[12] Republic soon targeted San Francisco-based Hughes Airwest for acquisition,[13] and the deal was finalized in October 1980 for $38.5 million.

[14] Saddled with debt from two acquisitions and new aircraft, the airline struggled in the early 1980s,[15] and even introduced a human mascot version of Herman the Duck.

Republic also quickly downsized North Central's operations to and among smaller airports in the upper Midwest, concentrating their fleet at the Detroit and Minneapolis hubs.

[citation needed] According to its June 8, 1979 system timetable, North Central was operating 130-passenger seat McDonnell Douglas DC-9-50 and 100-passenger seat McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 jets as well as 48-passenger seat Convair 580 turboprops with service to the following destinations in the U.S. and Canada shortly before the acquisition of and merger with Southern Airways was completed thus resulting in the formation of Republic Airlines in July 1979:[19] Domestic U.S. destinations Canadian destinations According to the route map in the aforementioned June 8, 1979 system timetable, North Central's network stretched from as far west as Tucson to as far east as Boston and as far north as Winnipeg to as far south as Miami with such cities as Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St.

Paul, New York City, Omaha, Philadelphia, Syracuse, Tampa, Toronto and Washington D.C. also being served at this time.