Southern Airways Express
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Founder | Stan Little |
| Headquarters | Palm Beach , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Stan Little (founder) |
| Products | Commuter airline services |
| Parent | Surf Air Mobility |
Southern Airways Express is a commuter airline based in Palm Beach, Florida, providing service throughout the United States. Referred to simply as 'Southern', the airline operates flights to numerous cities nationwide, primarily supported by subsidies from the Essential Air Service program administered by the United States Department of Transportation. It functions as a subsidiary of Surf Air Mobility.
History
Established in 2013 by Stan Little, a litigation lawyer from Hernando, Mississippi, Southern Airways Express launched its inaugural flight in June 2013, connecting Olive Branch Airport near Memphis, Tennessee with Destin Executive Airport. Initial routes also included destinations such as University-Oxford Airport and Birmingham Shuttlesworth International Airport. Originally operating under Executive Express Aviation as a DOT Part 380 scheduled charter provider, Southern acquired Executive Express in 2014, merging its operations under Southern’s own FAA certification.
In 2015, Southern began flying Essential Air Service routes on behalf of SeaPort Airlines, ceasing these operations following SeaPort’s bankruptcy in 2016. Subsequently, Southern secured SeaPort’s former Arkansas routes—serving Boone County Airport, Hot Springs Memorial Field Airport, and South Arkansas Regional Airport—resulting in substantial increases in passenger boardings.
On March 7, 2016, Southern expanded its mid-Atlantic EAS footprint by purchasing Fort Lauderdale-based Sun Air Express. This acquisition prompted the retirement of Sun Air’s Piper aircraft fleet in favor of modern Cessna Caravans and led to relocating Southern’s operational headquarters to Pompano Beach, Florida.
In February 2019, Southern acquired Hawaiian commuter carrier Mokulele Airlines, which operates Cessna Caravans across ten airports and holds the largest share of daily inter-island departures. To enhance capacity beyond the Caravans, Southern introduced Saab 340 aircraft in Hawaii in July 2022 while maintaining the Southern Airways branding. Since December 2020, the company has collaborated with AmpAire to test hybrid-electric aircraft within the Hawaiian market.
On April 30, 2019, SkyWest made a strategic minority investment in Southern Airways. After Hawaii implemented COVID-19 quarantine restrictions, Southern/Mokulele purchased Honolulu-based Makani Kai Air, integrating their operations and increasing system-wide peak-day departures to roughly 220 by May 2021.
In June 2021, Southern relocated its East Coast hub from Baltimore-Washington International Airport back to Washington Dulles International Airport, becoming the third-largest carrier by daily destinations after United and Delta.
On March 28, 2022, Southern Airways Corporation (SAC), the parent company of Southern Airways Express, announced its acquisition of Air Choice One, while maintaining separate air operator certificates for each entity.
On March 30, 2023, the Marianas Southern Airways division exited the Northern Mariana Islands market due to contractual disagreements with the new CNMI government administration.
In July 2023, parent company Surf Air Mobility completed a direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "SRFM".
At the beginning of 2020, Southern Airways secured an exclusive codeshare arrangement with Tailwind Air Service, promoting and distributing flights using its 9X designator across its booking platform and Global Distribution Systems. Tailwind is responsible for operating both scheduled and charter seaplane services.
Interline partnerships
Southern Airways Express maintains interline agreements with several major carriers, including Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, and United Airlines. These agreements allow travelers to enjoy seamless ticketing and baggage handling across connecting flights.
CampusConnection program
Southern provides special fare reductions through the Campus Connection initiative, available at selected colleges and universities. This program extends discounts to students, faculty members, and their families.
Fleet
The aircraft fleet operated by Southern Airways Express includes the following models:[1]
| Type | Fleet | Orders | Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cessna 208 Caravan | 21 | 96 | 9 | Combination of A, B, and EX variants |
| 17 | Operated under the Mokulele Airlines brand | |||
| Regent Monarch | — | 5[2] | 100 | Electric ground-effect vehicle category |
| REGENT Viceroy | — | 15[2] | 12 | |
| Overall Total | 45 | 116 | ||