First Air7F

First Air ceased independent operations in November 2019 following its merger with Canadian North. This guide provides historical information about the airline. For current service to these destinations, see Canadian North (5T).

First Air was a Canadian airline that specialized in serving the remote communities of Canada's Arctic regions, including Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavik (Northern Quebec). At its peak, the airline served over 30 communities across the Canadian North from gateway cities in southern Canada.

The airline's origins date to 1946 when Russell Bradley founded Bradley Air Services in Carp, Ontario, near Ottawa, to provide charter flights and bush flying services. The company pioneered Arctic aviation, developing expertise in operating in some of the world's most challenging conditions including extreme cold, limited daylight, and remote gravel airstrips.

In 1973, the company was renamed First Air to better reflect its commercial passenger operations. The airline became 100% Inuit-owned in 1990 when Makivik Corporation, representing the Inuit of Nunavik (Northern Quebec), acquired full ownership. This made First Air one of Canada's only Indigenous-owned airlines, with a mandate to serve the communities that owned it.

First Air was known for its distinctive combi aircraft—Boeing 737s configured to carry both passengers and cargo in the same aircraft cabin. This unique capability was essential for Arctic operations, where the airline served as a lifeline for food, medical supplies, and essential goods to communities inaccessible by road.

In November 2019, First Air merged with Canadian North, combining Canada's two largest Arctic carriers into a single airline operating under the Canadian North brand. The merger united 73 years of Arctic aviation heritage.