Segment Reporting (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($) segment	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Segment Reporting
Number of operating segments | segment	3
Operating revenues	$ 729,936	$ 723,694
Operating expense	663,615	627,275
Depreciation and amortization expense	111,708	89,986
Special items		21,869
Interest expense	30,204	32,507
Segment profit (loss)	39,079	114,444
Total assets	6,661,411	6,544,532	$ 6,657,129
Capital expenditures (including non-cash)	111,124	414,579
Segments
Segment Reporting
Segment profit (loss)	36,117	63,912
SkyWest Airlines
Segment Reporting
Operating revenues	606,842	585,768
Operating expense	594,141	545,901
Depreciation and amortization expense	51,775	40,053
Special items		18,508
Interest expense	2,541	3,818
Total assets	2,650,094	2,738,248
Capital expenditures (including non-cash)	38,879	68,650
SkyWest Airlines | Segments
Segment Reporting
Segment profit (loss)	10,160	36,049
ExpressJet Airlines Inc
Segment Reporting
Operating revenues		24,050
Operating expense		28,690
Depreciation and amortization expense		971
Special items		3,361
ExpressJet Airlines Inc | Segments
Segment Reporting
Segment profit (loss)		(4,640)
SkyWest Leasing
Segment Reporting
Operating revenues	123,094	113,876
Operating expense	69,474	52,684
Depreciation and amortization expense	59,933	48,962
Interest expense	27,663	28,689
Total assets	4,011,317	3,806,284
Capital expenditures (including non-cash)	72,245	345,929
SkyWest Leasing | Segments
Segment Reporting
Segment profit (loss)	$ 25,957	$ 32,503