AirTran Airways
United States · CITRUS · Active
Airline Identity
History
AirTran Airways began as Conquest Sun Airlines in 1993, formed from the management of two smaller Florida-based carriers, Destination Sun Airways and Conquest Airlines, before being purchased and renamed by the AirTran Corporation in 1994. The airline merged with the troubled low-cost carrier ValuJet in 1997, adopting the AirTran name and the IATA code FL for the combined operation, and gradually rebuilt ValuJet's damaged safety reputation under new leadership including CEO Joe Leonard and later Robert Fornaro. AirTran grew into a significant U.S. low-cost carrier through the 2000s, building hubs in Atlanta and later Milwaukee, listing on the NYSE, and becoming in 2009 the first major U.S. airline to equip its entire fleet with inflight internet. Southwest Airlines announced its acquisition of AirTran for approximately $1.4 billion on 27 September 2010, completed the purchase on 2 May 2011, and achieved a single operating certificate by March 2012. The AirTran brand was fully retired on 28 December 2014 with its final flight, after which all operations, aircraft, and the FL code were absorbed into Southwest Airlines.
Current Operations
AirTran Airways no longer operates; it ceased to exist as an independent airline brand on 28 December 2014 following its 2011 acquisition by Southwest Airlines. Its former Boeing 717 and 737 fleet, routes, and Atlanta and Milwaukee hub operations were fully absorbed into Southwest's single-carrier system, and the FL designator has not been reassigned to any successor AirTran-branded operation. Travelers seeking AirTran's former network today fly under the Southwest Airlines brand and WN designator instead. No current fleet, route network, or independent operations exist under the AirTran name.
Last verified 2026-08-22· Source: airline public disclosures, company press releases & aviation-industry reporting.