 | |||||||
 Contour AirlinesEmbraer ERJ-145 | |||||||
| |||||||
| Founded | March 22, 2016; 9 years ago (2016-03-22) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commenced operations | April 5, 2016; 9 years ago (2016-04-05) | ||||||
| AOC # | FJTA920D[1] | ||||||
| Hubs | |||||||
| Fleet size | 40 | ||||||
| Destinations | 32[2] | ||||||
| Parent company |
| ||||||
| Headquarters | Smyrna, Tennessee, United States | ||||||
| Key people | Matt Chaifetz (CEO)[3] | ||||||
| Employees | 800 (approx.) | ||||||
| Website | contourairlines | ||||||
Contour Airlines is an independentregional airline headquartered atSmyrna Airport inSmyrna, Tennessee, United States.[4]
Contour Airlines is set up as apublic charter operator for regulatory purposes and does not directly operate aircraft. Contour Airlines charters 30-seat regional jets operated by its parent company,Contour Aviation, then resells seats on those aircraft to the public. The arrangement allows Contour to utilize pilots who arequalified to operate charter services, who can be either less experienced or older than allowed on commercial passenger flights.[5]
Contour Airlines was established by its parent companyContour Aviation in 2016. Contour began service on April 5, 2016, completing its inaugural flight from Nashville to Tupelo, Mississippi. On April 1, 2019, Contour retired itsJetstream 31/32 fleet and focused solely onERJ-135/145 aircraft.
On February 5, 2020, Contour Airlines announced that it would addIndianapolis as a focus city and purchase additionalERJ-135/145 aircraft. The goal was to provide efficient service to markets within driving distance but without direct flights to capture travelers who would rather drive than fly with a layover.[6] The airline planned to serveNashville,Pittsburgh andSt. Louis from Indianapolis beginning June 10, 2020,[7] however, the service had been suspended indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8] On July 28, 2021, Contour announced its relaunch in Indianapolis, beginning on October 12 and flying toMilwaukee,Nashville, andPittsburgh.[9] However, Contour quietly dropped Milwaukee and Pittsburgh less than three months later.[10] According to Contour CEO Matt Chaifetz, the Indianapolis to Milwaukee route averaged 40% full and was climbing, but stalled in the winter due to fears over the omicron variant.[6] He said "the timing was just poor" for the new routes but said, "We're still committed to Indianapolis."[6]
In early 2024, regional carrierSkyWest Airlines purchased a 25% ownership stake in Contour Airlines to gain access to its infrastructure, personnel, and operational expertise as it launches its own Part 135 operation, SkyWest Charter. SkyWest also plans to supply Contour withCRJ200 aircraft and partner with the airline to both recruit young pilots and provide opportunities to pilots who would otherwise need to retire due to age.[11][12]
On October 1, 2024, Contour changed multiple routes to new American Airlines hubs.Altoona used to connect toPhiladelphia but now connects toCharlotte.[13]Fort Leonard Wood andCape Girardeau changed fromNashville toChicago.
In January 2025, Contour appointed Ben Munson as President. He will report to CEO Matt Chaifetz.[14]
As of 2024, Contour Airlines employs approximately 800 people across its operations. Matt Chaifetz is the current president and chief executive officer; leading the company since its founding in 2016.[15] Contour currently employs nearly 200 pilots, all reporting to Greg Engel, the Chief Pilot.
Contour Airlines' Corporate Headquarters is located at 808 Blue Angel Way, on the grounds ofSmyrna Airport (MQY) inSmyrna, Tennessee, a suburb ofNashville. The facility serves as the nerve center for the airline's operations and administrative functions. In addition, it is the home of the Systems Operations Control Center (SOC), the Inflight Services Training Center (IFS), the Reservations Call Center (RES), and various other administrative offices. This centralized location allows for efficient coordination between different departments, supporting Contour Airlines' operations across its network.
As of November 2025[update], Contour Airlines operates flights serving the following destinations:[16][17]
| City | Airport | IATA Code | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Dominica | ||||
| Dominica | Douglas–Charles Airport | DOM | Saint Thomas[18] San Juan[18] | |
| City | Airport | IATA Code | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Sint Maarten | ||||
| Sint Maarten | Princess Juliana International Airport | SXM | San Juan[19] | |
| City | Airport | IATA Code | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Alabama | ||||
| Muscle Shoals | Northwest Alabama Regional Airport | MSL | Charlotte Pensacola | Seasonal | AEAS community |
 Arizona | ||||
| Page | Page Municipal Airport | PGA | Denver | Seasonal Phoenix | AEAS community |
| Phoenix | Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport | PHX | Moab Page Show Low[20] Vernal | |
| Show Low | Show Low Regional Airport | SOW | Phoenix | AEAS community |
 Arkansas | ||||
| El Dorado | South Arkansas Regional Airport at Goodwin Field | ELD | Dallas/Fort Worth | AEAS community[21][22] |
 Colorado | ||||
| Denver | Denver International Airport | DEN | Moab Page | Seasonal Taos Vernal | |
 Florida | ||||
| Pensacola | Pensacola International Airport | PNS | Muscle Shoals | Seasonal |
 Georgia | ||||
| Macon | Middle Georgia Regional Airport | MCN | Washington/Dulles[23] | AEAS community |
 Illinois | ||||
| Chicago | O'Hare International Airport | ORD | Burlington[24] Cape Girardeau[25] Fort Leonard Wood[25] Kirksville Lewisburg | Seasonal Manistee Marion Owensboro Quincy[26] | |
| Marion | Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois | MWA | Chicago/O'Hare | EAS community |
| Quincy | Quincy Regional Airport | UIN | Chicago/O'Hare | AEAS community[26] |
 Iowa | ||||
| Burlington | Southeast Iowa Regional Airport | BRL | Chicago/O'Hare | AEAS community[24] |
 Kentucky | ||||
| Paducah | Barkley Regional Airport | PAH | Charlotte | EAS community Service ending November 30, 2025, to be replaced bySkyWest Airlines[27] |
| Owensboro | Owensboro-Daviess County Regional Airport | OWB | Chicago/O'Hare | EAS community |
 Michigan | ||||
| Manistee | Manistee County Blacker Airport | MBL | Chicago/O'Hare | AEAS community |
 Mississippi | ||||
| Tupelo | Tupelo Regional Airport | TUP | Nashville Dallas/Fort Worth | AEAS community |
 Missouri | ||||
| Cape Girardeau | Cape Girardeau Regional Airport | CGI | Chicago/O'Hare[25] Dallas/Fort Worth[28] | EAS community |
| Fort Leonard Wood | Waynesville-St. Robert Regional Airport | TBN | Chicago/O'Hare[25] Dallas/Fort Worth | EAS community |
| Kirksville | Kirksville Regional Airport | IRK | Chicago/O'Hare | EAS community |
 New Mexico | ||||
| Taos | Taos Regional Airport | TSM/SKX | Denver | |
 New York | ||||
| Plattsburgh | Plattsburgh International Airport | PBG | Washington/Dulles[23] | AEAS community |
 North Carolina | ||||
| Charlotte | Charlotte Douglas International Airport | CLT | Altoona[29] Beckley Clarksburg Lewisburg (ending by February 28, 2026)[30][31] Muscle Shoals Paducah (ending November 30, 2025)[27] Shenandoah (ending by February 28, 2026)[30][31] | |
 Pennsylvania | ||||
| Altoona | Altoona–Blair County Airport | AOO | Charlotte[29] | AEAS community |
 Puerto Rico | ||||
| San Juan | Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport | SJU | Dominica[18][32] Sint Maarten | |
 Tennessee | ||||
| Nashville | Nashville International Airport | BNA | Tupelo | |
 Texas | ||||
| Dallas/Fort Worth | Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport | DFW | Cape Girardeau[28] El Dorado[21][22] Fort Leonard Wood Tupelo | |
 United States Virgin Islands | ||||
| Saint Thomas | Cyril E. King Airport | STT | Dominica | [18] |
 Utah | ||||
| Moab | Canyonlands Regional Airport | CNY | Denver Phoenix | AEAS community |
| Vernal | Vernal Regional Airport | VEL | Denver Phoenix | AEAS community |
 Virginia | ||||
| Shenandoah | Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport | SHD | Charlotte | EAS community Service ending by February 28, 2026, to be replaced bySkyWest Airlines[30][31] |
| Washington D.C. | Dulles International Airport | IAD | Macon Plattsburgh | [23] |
 West Virginia | ||||
| Beckley | Raleigh County Airport | BKW | Charlotte | AEAS community |
| Clarksburg | North Central West Virginia Airport | CKB | Charlotte | EAS community |
| Lewisburg | Greenbrier Valley Airport | LWB | Charlotte Chicago/O'Hare | Seasonal | EAS community Service ending by February 28, 2026, to be replaced bySkyWest Airlines[30][31] |
| City | Airport | IATA Code | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 California | ||||
| Crescent City | Del Norte County Airport | CEC | Oakland | Replaced byAdvanced Air on March 17, 2024.[33] |
| Oakland | Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport | OAK | Crescent City | Replaced byAdvanced Air on March 17, 2024.[33] |
| Palm Springs | Palm Springs International Airport | PSP | Sacramento (Seasonal) | Ended due toCOVID-19 pandemic |
| Sacramento | Sacramento International Airport | SMF | Palm Springs (Seasonal) Santa Barbara | Ended due toCOVID-19 pandemic |
| San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport | SBP | Las Vegas | Ended due toCOVID-19 pandemic |
| Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara Municipal Airport | SBA | Las Vegas Oakland Sacramento | Ended due toCOVID-19 pandemic[34] |
| Florida | ||||
| Destin | Destin–Fort Walton Beach Airport | VPS | Bowling Green | Ended due to low demand |
| Tampa | Tampa International Airport | TPA | Charlotte Macon | Ended due to low demand[35] |
| Georgia | ||||
| Atlanta | Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport | ATL | Bowling Green | Ended due to low demand[36] |
 Indiana | ||||
| Indianpolis | Indianapolis International Airport | IND | Milwaukee Nashville Pittsburgh | Ended due toCOVID-19 pandemic[37] |
| Kentucky | ||||
| Bowling Green | Bowling Green–Warren County Regional Airport | BWG | Atlanta Destin-Fort Walton | Ended due to low demand[36] |
| Paducah | Barkley Regional Airport | PAH | Charlotte | Ending November 30, 2025, to be replaced bySkyWest Airlines[27] |
 Maryland | ||||
| Baltimore | Baltimore/Washington International Airport | BWI | Macon | Ended April 30, 2025, replaced by Washington/Dulles.[23] |
| Mississippi | ||||
| Greenville | Greenville Mid-Delta Airport | GLH | Dallas/Fort Worth | Ended September 30, 2025, replaced byDenver Air Connection[38] |
| Missouri | ||||
| St. Louis | St. Louis Lambert International Airport | STL | Fort Leonard Wood | |
 Nevada | ||||
| Las Vegas | Harry Reid International Airport | LAS | Page San Luis Obispo Santa Barbara | Ended due toCOVID-19 pandemic |
| New York | ||||
| Ogdensburg | Ogdensburg International Airport | OGS | Philadelphia | Replaced byBreeze Airways on October 1st, 2024.[39] |
| Pennsylvania | ||||
| Philadelphia | Philadelphia International Airport | PHL | Plattsburgh | Ended April 30th, 2025. Replaced by Washington/Dulles.[23] |
| Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh International Airport | PIT | Indianapolis Milwaukee | Ended due to low demand |
| Virginia | ||||
| Shenandoah | Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport | SHD | Charlotte | Service to end by February 28, 2026, to be replaced bySkyWest Airlines[30][31] |
| West Virginia | ||||
| Lewisburg | Greenbrier Valley Airport | LWB | Charlotte Chicago | Service to end by February 28, 2026, to be replaced by SkyWest Airlines[30][31] |
| Parkersburg | Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport | PKB | Beckley | Ended on September 30, 2025, and replaced byAir Wisconsin[40] |
 Wisconsin | ||||
| Milwaukee | Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport | MKE | Indianapolis Pittsburgh | Ended due to low demand |
As of September 2025, Contour uses a variety of regional jets in a 30-seat configuration under theCorporate Flight Management certificate.
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bombardier CRJ100 | 1 | - | Used for VIP charters |
| Bombardier CRJ200 | 16 | - | |
| Embraer ERJ-145 | 4 | - | |
| Embraer ERJ-140 | 9 | - | |
| Embraer ERJ-135 | 11 | - | |
| Total | 41 | 0 |
Contour has had aninterline agreement withAmerican Airlines since October 2019,[41] allowing passengers to travel via Contour and American under a single itinerary. Bookings can be made through third-party travel agencies, through the American Airlines website, or directly through the Contour Airlines website.[42]
Since April 2024, Contour has had aninterline agreement withAlaska Airlines.[41] Passengers who book throughAlaska Airlines are eligible to earn miles forMileage Plan when flying Contour.[43]
Since October 2024, Contour andUnited Airlines have had aninterline agreement.[44][45]
Passengers traveling with Contour receive free seat selection and their first piece of checked baggage without charge on all fare classes.[46] All Contour flights feature leather seating, 36 inches of legroom, and complimentary in-flight snack and beverage service.[47]
