American Eagle Airlines is a regional airline that operates as a feeder carrier for American Airlines, providing connecting service to smaller markets across the United States. It operates under the American Eagle brand, which is a regional service brand of American Airlines Group. The airline was originally founded as a unified regional brand in 1984 when American Airlines consolidated several smaller regional carriers under a single identity. Over the decades, the structure and ownership of American Eagle operations have evolved, with routes and aircraft now operated by various regional partners under capacity purchase agreements. American Eagle flights are marketed and sold through American Airlines' reservation systems, giving passengers seamless connectivity to American's broader domestic and international network. The carrier plays a critical role in serving smaller cities that would otherwise lack access to major hub airports.