AirTran AirwaysFL

DEFUNCT AIRLINE: AirTran Airways ceased operations on December 28, 2014, following its acquisition by Southwest Airlines. This guide provides historical information. For current travel, see Southwest Airlines.

AirTran Airways was a low-cost carrier headquartered in Orlando, Florida, that operated from 1993 to 2014. Originally founded as ValuJet Airlines in 1992, the carrier rebranded as AirTran Airways in 1997 after acquiring AirTran Corporation.

At its peak, AirTran operated over 700 daily flights to approximately 70 destinations across the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean. The airline was known for introducing business class on domestic low-cost flights, pioneering WiFi on commercial aircraft, and its AirTran X fare bundles that presaged modern basic economy products.

Key Milestones:

• 1992: Founded as ValuJet Airlines in Atlanta
• 1997: Rebranded as AirTran Airways after merger
• 2004: Moved headquarters from Atlanta to Orlando
• 2008: First U.S. airline to offer WiFi on entire fleet
• 2011: Acquired by Southwest Airlines for $1.4 billion
• 2014: Final flight operated December 28, 2014

Fleet

At its peak, AirTran operated:

Aircraft	Count	Configuration	Notes
Boeing 717-200	88	117 seats (12 business, 105 economy)	Primary aircraft
Boeing 737-700	52	137 seats (12 business, 125 economy)	Longer routes

Seating

Business Class:

• 36" pitch
• 20"+ width
• 2-2 configuration
• Leather seats

Economy:

• 31-32" pitch
• 17.2" width
• 3-3 configuration
• Leather seats throughout

Entertainment & WiFi

AirTran was a WiFi pioneer:

• First U.S. airline to offer WiFi fleet-wide (2008)
• Powered by Gogo
• Cost: $5-12 per flight
• XM Radio available

Food & Beverage

Item	Details
Soft drinks	Complimentary
Snacks	For purchase
Alcohol	For purchase ($5-7)
Business meals	Complimentary (flights 2+ hours)