Segment Reporting (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) aircraft	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) segment aircraft	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Segment Reporting
Operating segments number | segment			3
Operating revenues	$ 799,776	$ 794,004	$ 2,363,190	$ 2,342,819
Operating expense	713,942	715,708	2,131,410	2,160,515
Depreciation and amortization expense	71,743	66,603	209,431	196,953
Interest expense	19,865	19,914	55,876	56,460
Segment profit (loss)	66,560	59,763	177,410	128,561
Identifiable intangible assets, other than goodwill	8,811	11,061	8,811	11,061	$ 10,499
Total assets	5,299,764	4,902,906	5,299,764	4,902,906	$ 4,781,984
Capital expenditures (including non-cash)	309,101	134,534	631,061	654,693
Early lease return costs	9,200		19,400
Accrued liabilities, early lease return arrangement	$ 8,700		$ 8,700
CRJ 700
Segment Reporting
Number of aircraft removed from service | aircraft	6		9
Segments
Segment Reporting
Segment profit (loss)	$ 65,969	58,382	$ 175,904	125,844
SkyWest Airlines
Segment Reporting
Operating revenues	502,600	485,749	1,473,003	1,387,451
Operating expense	436,504	417,599	1,278,730	1,221,909
Depreciation and amortization expense	34,942	34,220	103,858	106,692
Interest expense	6,584	9,002	19,997	27,874
Total assets	2,259,640	2,377,655	2,259,640	2,377,655
Capital expenditures (including non-cash)	15,385	5,251	37,270	30,169
Early lease return costs	3,900		3,900
SkyWest Airlines | Segments
Segment Reporting
Segment profit (loss)	59,512	59,148	174,276	137,668
Express Jet Airlines Inc
Segment Reporting
Operating revenues	260,362	283,034	794,410	896,683
Operating expense	261,003	286,941	809,478	911,782
Depreciation and amortization expense	20,726	21,575	63,453	64,918
Interest expense	1,597	2,757	5,337	9,590
Identifiable intangible assets, other than goodwill	8,811	11,061	8,811	11,061
Total assets	1,347,418	1,400,015	1,347,418	1,400,015
Capital expenditures (including non-cash)	3,296	5,137	10,346	19,713
Early lease return costs	5,300		15,500
Express Jet Airlines Inc | Segments
Segment Reporting
Segment profit (loss)	(2,238)	(6,664)	(20,405)	(24,689)
SkyWest Leasing
Segment Reporting
Operating revenues	36,814	25,221	95,777	58,685
Operating expense	16,435	11,168	43,202	26,824
Depreciation and amortization expense	16,075	10,808	42,120	25,343
Interest expense	11,684	8,155	30,542	18,996
Total assets	1,692,706	1,125,236	1,692,706	1,125,236
Capital expenditures (including non-cash)	290,420	124,146	$ 583,445	604,811
SkyWest Leasing | CRJ 200
Segment Reporting
Number of aircraft under contract | aircraft			2
SkyWest Leasing | Segments
Segment Reporting
Segment profit (loss)	$ 8,695	$ 5,898	$ 22,033	$ 12,865