Air Wisconsin (IATA: ZW) is a US regional airline that does not sell tickets under its own brand. Instead, it operates as a contract carrier flying a fleet of CRJ-family regional jets — including the CRJ200 and CRJ700 — on behalf of larger network airlines. Today, Air Wisconsin operates 100% of its scheduled flights as United Express, United Airlines' regional brand for shorter routes flown with smaller aircraft.
Air Wisconsin previously operated flights as American Eagle on behalf of American Airlines, but that contract ended in 2023, and the carrier has since flown exclusively for United. Because Air Wisconsin has no independent fare class or booking system, every ticket on an Air Wisconsin-operated aircraft is sold, priced, and ticketed by United — the flight number appears as a United (UA) flight even though Air Wisconsin's crew and aircraft operate it.
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There is no separate Air Wisconsin booking site, fare class, or independently searchable "Air Wisconsin flight." Air Wisconsin operates exclusively as United Express, meaning every flight it flies is sold, ticketed, and priced entirely by United Airlines.
To fly on an Air Wisconsin-operated aircraft, search and book a United Express flight at united.com or through FareOptic's United Airlines search. Your itinerary, ticket, and flight number will show as United (UA), even though the aircraft and crew are provided by Air Wisconsin — this is standard practice for all regional partner flying in the US airline industry.
If you're looking to book a flight rather than research the operator, search United flights instead:
Search United Airlines Flights →Air Wisconsin's United Express operations are anchored by crew bases at two major United hubs.
Air Wisconsin flies regional jets in a single Economy cabin, configured to United Express standards.
Air Wisconsin does not have its own loyalty program. Because every ticket is sold and issued by United, passengers earn United MileagePlus miles and applicable elite-qualifying credit on Air Wisconsin-operated United Express flights exactly as they would on a mainline United flight.
Since tickets are sold as United fares, baggage policy on Air Wisconsin-operated flights follows United's policy exactly — there is no separate Air Wisconsin baggage rule.
| Bag / Policy | United Express (ZW-operated) |
|---|---|
| Carry-on bag | Follows United's carry-on policy |
| Checked baggage | Follows United's checked baggage fees and allowances |
| Gate-checked items | Common on smaller CRJ regional jets due to limited overhead bin space |
| Fare class differences | Allowance depends on the United fare class purchased (Basic Economy, Economy, etc.) |
Always check united.com for the exact baggage allowance tied to your fare class — Air Wisconsin does not set or vary this policy independently.
Check in at united.com or the United app using your United confirmation number, exactly as you would for any other United Express flight.
Boarding follows United's standard boarding group process, regardless of which regional partner is operating the aircraft.
Air Wisconsin flights typically depart from regional jet gates or remote stands at United hub airports — allow a little extra time to reach the gate.
Because tickets are sold as United fares, cancellation and change rules on Air Wisconsin-operated flights follow United's policy exactly — there is no separate Air Wisconsin rule set.
As a US carrier's ticket, United tickets booked at least 7 days before departure can be cancelled within 24 hours of purchase for a full refund, including on Air Wisconsin-operated segments.
If booked on a United Basic Economy fare, changes may not be permitted at all — this applies the same way whether the flight is mainline United or an Air Wisconsin-operated United Express segment.
All cancellations, changes, and refund requests are handled through united.com or United customer service — Air Wisconsin has no independent customer service channel for ticketing.
CRJ200 and CRJ700 aircraft feature a smaller single-aisle cabin with 2x1 or 2x2 seating, typical of regional jets used for shorter United Express routes.
Complimentary soft drinks and snacks are offered on most flights, consistent with United's standard domestic service on regional jets.
Wi-Fi availability on Air Wisconsin-operated CRJ aircraft varies and may be more limited than on United's larger mainline jets — check your specific flight.
Smaller regional jets have less overhead bin space, so larger carry-on bags are frequently gate-checked at no charge.
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Everything you need to know about Air Wisconsin and booking its United Express flights on FareOptic
No. Air Wisconsin does not sell tickets under its own brand and has no independent booking site or fare class. It operates 100% of its flights as United Express on behalf of United Airlines, so every seat on an Air Wisconsin-operated aircraft is sold and ticketed as a United flight. To fly on an Air Wisconsin-operated plane, you book a United Express flight through united.com or a travel platform like FareOptic.
United contracts a number of regional carriers, including Air Wisconsin, to fly shorter routes under the United Express brand using smaller regional jets. Your ticket, flight number, and fare are all United's — Air Wisconsin simply operates the aircraft and crew for that specific flight segment.
Yes. Air Wisconsin previously operated flights as American Eagle on behalf of American Airlines. That contract ended in 2023, and Air Wisconsin now flies exclusively as United Express.
Air Wisconsin operates a fleet of CRJ-family regional jets, including the CRJ200 and CRJ700, configured to United Express specifications for short and medium-haul domestic routes.
Yes. Since the ticket is sold and issued by United, passengers earn United MileagePlus miles and any applicable elite-qualifying credit exactly as they would on a mainline United-operated flight.
Air Wisconsin's United Express operations are anchored by crew bases at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), two of United's major hubs.