Envoy Air History: From American Eagle Airlines to Envoy – Airline Employee Shop

Envoy Air History

Envoy Air grew out of the regional airlines that flew as American Eagle from 1984, became American Eagle Airlines in 1998, and took the Envoy name in 2014. Here's a short history of Envoy, plus the Envoy collection that celebrates it.

The first Eagles (1984-1989)

On November 1, 1984, the first American Eagle flight took off. Metroflight Airlines flew a Convair 580 from Fayetteville, Arkansas, to Dallas/Fort Worth. At first American Eagle was a brand, not an airline. Independent regional carriers, including Metro, Chaparral, Simmons and Wings West, flew under the Eagle name to feed American Airlines hubs. In the late 1980s American began buying these carriers outright.

One airline: American Eagle Airlines (1998-2013)

On May 15, 1998, Wings West and Flagship were merged into Simmons Airlines, which was renamed American Eagle Airlines. That same month the carrier began regional jet service with the Embraer ERJ 145. A sister company, Executive Airlines, flew American Eagle turboprops from San Juan, Puerto Rico, until those turboprops were retired.

A new name: Envoy (2014-today)

By the 2010s other regional airlines were also flying American Eagle routes for American, so a separate company name was needed. American Airlines Group announced the change on January 14, 2014, and American Eagle Airlines began flying as Envoy that April. Envoy still operates flights marketed as American Eagle. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines Group and is based in Irving, Texas, next to DFW Airport.

Envoy today

Envoy now flies a single family of aircraft, the Embraer 170 and 175. Its hubs include Chicago O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami and Phoenix. It has more than 18,000 employees, operates over 1,000 daily flights, and flies about a third of all American Eagle flights.

A few things collectors love

  • The Convair 580 that flew the very first American Eagle trip in 1984.
  • In 2021 Envoy painted an Embraer E170 in an American Eagle heritage livery with a vintage eagle on the tail.
  • The Envoy name reflects the airline's role as a messenger for the American brand.

Shop Envoy

Browse Envoy logo T-shirts, coffee mugs, coasters, tote bags and crew-inspired designs in the Envoy collection. Add an airline bag tag or key tag, or explore the rest of the AA Family Tree collection.

AirlineEmployeeShop.com sells Envoy merchandise under license from American Airlines. This page is for historical interest.