Long-term Debt (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Long-term Debt
Long-term debt	$ 1,470,568,000	$ 1,642,022,000
Less current maturities	(177,389,000)	(171,454,000)
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	1,293,179,000	1,470,568,000
Aggregate amounts of principal maturities of long-term debt
2014	177,389,000
2015	184,510,000
2016	188,240,000
2017	161,735,000
2018	139,020,000
Thereafter	619,674,000
Total	1,470,568,000	1,642,022,000
Letters of credit and surety bonds outstanding with various banks and surety institutions	88,500,000
CRJ
Long-term Debt
Long-term debt	1,500,000,000
Effective interest rate (as a percent)	4.50%
Aggregate amounts of principal maturities of long-term debt
Total	1,500,000,000
Notes payable to banks, due in semi-annual installments through 2014 to 2020
Long-term Debt
Interest rate, minimum (as a percent)	1.34%
Interest rate, maximum (as a percent)	2.55%
Long-term debt	224,915,000	273,515,000
Variable interest rate, basis	LIBOR
Aggregate amounts of principal maturities of long-term debt
Total	224,915,000	273,515,000
Notes payable to a financing company, due in semi-annual installments through 2014 to 2021
Long-term Debt
Interest rate, minimum (as a percent)	0.70%
Interest rate, maximum (as a percent)	2.36%
Long-term debt	392,660,000	434,716,000
Variable interest rate, basis	LIBOR
Aggregate amounts of principal maturities of long-term debt
Total	392,660,000	434,716,000
Notes payable to banks, due in semi-annual installments through 2021
Long-term Debt
Interest rate, minimum (as a percent)	6.06%
Interest rate, maximum (as a percent)	7.18%
Long-term debt	149,477,000	168,937,000
Aggregate amounts of principal maturities of long-term debt
Total	149,477,000	168,937,000
Notes payable to a financing company, due in semi-annual installments through 2019
Long-term Debt
Interest rate, minimum (as a percent)	5.78%
Interest rate, maximum (as a percent)	6.23%
Long-term debt	32,528,000	39,548,000
Aggregate amounts of principal maturities of long-term debt
Total	32,528,000	39,548,000
Notes payable to banks, due in monthly installments through 2025
Long-term Debt
Interest rate, minimum (as a percent)	3.15%
Interest rate, maximum (as a percent)	8.18%
Long-term debt	623,315,000	665,867,000
Aggregate amounts of principal maturities of long-term debt
Total	623,315,000	665,867,000
Notes payable to banks, due in semi-annual installments through 2020
Long-term Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)	6.05%
Long-term debt	15,740,000	17,872,000
Aggregate amounts of principal maturities of long-term debt
Total	15,740,000	17,872,000
Notes payable to a bank, due in monthly installments through 2016
Long-term Debt
Interest rate, minimum (as a percent)	2.00%
Interest rate, maximum (as a percent)	4.00%
Long-term debt	31,933,000	41,567,000
Variable interest rate, basis	LIBOR
Aggregate amounts of principal maturities of long-term debt
Total	31,933,000	41,567,000
Line of credit | SkyWest Airlines
Long-term Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)	3.00%
Variable interest rate, basis	Libor
Aggregate amounts of principal maturities of long-term debt
Maximum borrowing capacity	25,000,000	25,000,000
Amount outstanding	$ 0	$ 0