Wednesday, May 14, 2025
CommuteAir expands in Cleveland. CommuteAir builds big in Cleveland. CommuteAir anchors growth in Cleveland. CommuteAir launches a new chapter with a new HQ in Cleveland. CommuteAir powers forward from Cleveland. CommuteAir commits to Cleveland with bold expansion.
The Cleveland expansion comes with more than just walls and windows. The Cleveland expansion brings purpose. The Cleveland expansion drives change. The Cleveland expansion signals a long-term regional air travel strategy.
CommuteAir expands beyond Cleveland too. CommuteAir expands with a renewed United Airlines contract. CommuteAir expands its operations under United Airlines through 2028. CommuteAir expands its United Airlines partnership for the long haul. CommuteAir expands its role in the United Airlines ecosystem. CommuteAir expands service, expands reach, and expands trust with United Airlines.
CommuteAir expands in Cleveland while also eyeing independent routes. CommuteAir eyes regional gaps. CommuteAir eyes underserved markets. CommuteAir eyes a future beyond codeshare dependency. CommuteAir eyes possibilities to fly its own flag. CommuteAir eyes restoring Cleveland’s forgotten links.
CommuteAir eyes a bolder identity. CommuteAir eyes a role beyond just a United Airlines partner. CommuteAir eyes building from its Cleveland base. CommuteAir eyes delivering solutions during a US regional air travel shakeup.
Cleveland grows with CommuteAir. United Airlines grows with CommuteAir. The US regional air travel shakeup meets its match in CommuteAir. CommuteAir rises from Cleveland, with United Airlines support, and eyes the future with independent confidence.
CommuteAir expands. Cleveland strengthens. United Airlines aligns. The regional air travel shakeup begins—and CommuteAir is ready.
Cleveland’s regional aviation scene just got a much-needed boost. While United Airlines shut down its Cleveland hub a decade ago, one of its key regional affiliates, CommuteAir, is doubling down on the city’s aviation potential. On Tuesday, the airline cut the ribbon on its new 30,000-square-foot corporate headquarters in Westlake, planting deeper roots and unveiling plans for a bold new future.
At a time when smaller cities across the country are grappling with shrinking flight access, CommuteAir is leaning into expansion. Not only has the carrier extended its United Express contract through 2028, but it’s now actively exploring launching its own independent routes—starting with a possible return to regular Cleveland Hopkins International Airport service.
From Modest Beginnings to National Reach
Founded in 1989 in upstate New York, CommuteAir has evolved from a tiny Northeast shuttle carrier to a vital piece of United Airlines’ regional network, with a fleet of 60 aircraft and 250 daily departures. Now headquartered in the Cleveland suburb of Westlake, the airline employs about 1,500 people nationwide, including 200 in its new Ohio headquarters.
Currently, CommuteAir operates primarily out of United’s Houston and Washington Dulles hubs, connecting smaller cities across the eastern and southern U.S. using 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145 jets. The airline also operates one 76-seat Embraer 170 aircraft, often used for charter flights for college athletic teams.
United Partnership Solidifies, but Independence Beckons
The renewed partnership with United Airlines ensures CommuteAir will continue flying under the United Express banner for at least four more years. That alone is significant, giving the airline contractual security and operational consistency.
However, something even more ambitious may be on the horizon.
For the first time, CommuteAir leadership is openly discussing the potential to launch scheduled service under its own brand, reclaiming its legacy as a stand-alone operator. And at the top of that list? Cleveland, the city it once helped turn into a bustling Continental hub before the 2010 merger with United.
The airline sees a gap—a widening disconnect between major carriers’ hub-focused growth and smaller cities’ increasing demand for reliable, point-to-point air service.
The Regional Gap Widens—And CommuteAir Sees Its Moment
Over the past decade, many small and mid-sized communities across America have lost nonstop air service altogether. As the country’s largest carriers focus almost exclusively on funneling traffic through mega-hubs, these underserved regions are left behind.
But the demand hasn’t disappeared. In fact, it’s growing. Business travelers, college students, medical patients, and leisure fliers in cities like Akron, Erie, Peoria, and Evansville are looking for fast, reliable alternatives to long drives or time-consuming layovers.
CommuteAir sees a chance to serve them again. With a lean fleet, lower operating costs, and a seasoned team, the airline is positioning itself as a nimble solution to one of aviation’s most persistent problems: how to connect small cities in a big-network world.
Cleveland’s Comeback Starts at Home
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, once a thriving Continental hub, has seen service gradually decline since the United merger. CommuteAir, which once operated dozens of flights out of Hopkins, now flies just one—a daily hop to Washington Dulles.
But that could soon change.
With the opening of the new Westlake headquarters, CommuteAir is cementing its long-term investment in Northeast Ohio. Its executives suggest Cleveland could once again be a viable base for multiple daily departures—either under the United banner or as part of a new independent venture.
This move would bring jobs, traffic, and connectivity back to one of the Midwest’s most strategically located airports.
Investment in People, Operations, and Innovation
CommuteAir’s new facility includes both corporate and operations control staff, giving the airline tighter command over its daily functions and the flexibility to scale. From scheduling to dispatch, the new headquarters is designed to support growth—both for United operations and future independent ambitions.
The carrier is also investing heavily in personnel. With more than 1,500 employees nationwide—pilots, mechanics, flight attendants, and corporate staff—CommuteAir is creating a robust internal ecosystem. That matters in today’s travel environment, where talent shortages in aviation remain a persistent challenge.
Industry Veterans at the Helm
CommuteAir’s leadership team is stacked with experience. CEO Rick Hoefling brings decades of legacy carrier insight, having served as a top executive at both Continental and United Airlines. He knows the Cleveland market, understands the demands of regional flying, and sees the structural issues plaguing U.S. aviation—especially at outdated, overworked hubs like Newark.
Hoefling believes CommuteAir’s small size is its strength. Unlike bloated legacy carriers, it can adapt quickly, seize regional opportunities, and offer passengers a level of service that’s often lost in large-scale operations.
His message is simple: small cities deserve great air travel too.
Final Boarding Call: A Big Future for a Small Airline
CommuteAir may fly under the radar for now, but that’s changing. With a major headquarters investment in Cleveland, a renewed United Airlines contract, and serious talks of independent expansion, the airline is stepping into a powerful new chapter.
The regional air travel crisis isn’t going away. But CommuteAir may have found its moment in the turbulence—ready to reconnect the cities that legacy carriers left behind.
For Cleveland and beyond, that means more choices, more flights, and a hopeful sign that America’s regional skies are ready to lift off again.
