Its headquarters were originally near Marquette, Michigan, at the Marquette County Airport in Negaunee Township,[1] and were eventually moved to the Near North Side of Chicago, Illinois.

[2] Simmons Airlines, Inc. began operations in 1978 between Marquette and Lansing using a Piper Navajo.

It began operating as a Republic Express-branded carrier on April 28, 1985, (later Northwest Airlink) serving markets from Detroit, and as an American Eagle-branded carrier on October 1, 1985, serving markets from Chicago.

[3] Simmons was acquired by AMR Corp. on August 8, 1988, and ended Northwest Airlink flights soon after.

Metro and its holdings Metro Airlines Leasing (d/b/a Metroflight), operated American Eagle flights from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and had recently acquired Chaparral Airlines just prior the asset acquisition by AMR Simmons.