Our History

Established by entrepreneur Pat Byrne in 1993, CityJet launched services between Dublin and London City Airport in January 1994 under a franchise agreement with Virgin Atlantic Airways. CityJet quickly established itself as a pioneer in regional aviation. providing a direct link between Dublin and the newly opened London City Airport.

In 1996, CityJet entered into a partnership with Air France and became part of the Air France Group in 2000. During this period, CityJet expanded its presence at London City Airport while strengthening connections to the Air France hub at Paris Charles de Gaulle. Its original BAe 146 fleet were replaced by Avro RJ85 aircraft in 2007, while Saab 2000 turboprops also formed part of the fleet during the late 1990s. CityJet also acquired Belgian airline VLM, further strengthening its position in the London City market.

A new chapter began in 2014 when Air France sold CityJet to Intro Aviation. In 2015, a consortium led by it's original founder, Pat Byrne, acquired the business and launched a programme of expansion and strategic development. Under its new ownership, CityJet rebranded with a refined livery, reflecting a newly independent spirit and dedication to passenger service and quality.

​CityJet continued to undergo significant advancement in the following years. In addition to its RJ85 aircraft operating CityJet-branded scheduled services and wet lease services on behalf of Air France, the airline secured a wet lease contract to operate a fleet of 90-seat regional jets for SAS Scandinavian Airlines, commencing in 2016.  As part of this activity, CityJet ordered 22 new CRJ900 aircraft and acquired both Finnish airline Blue1 in 2015 and Danish carrier, Cimber in 2017, strengthening its operational footprint across Northern Europe.

Alongside its scheduled services, CityJet developed into one of Europe's leading providers of ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance) wet lease services. Additional contracts followed with Brussels Airlines, while operations were also provided for Aer Lingus, Air France, HOP!, Lufthansa and SAS.

In October 2018, CityJet completed a transition from a scheduled airline to a dedicated ACMI operator, ending scheduled service under the CityJet brand and focusing entirely on operating flights on behalf of customer airlines.

In 2019, CityJet employed more than 1,250 people and operated a fleet of 30 aircraft for airline partners across Europe, flying over 1,500 flights with 100,000 passengers per week. Crew were based at eleven locations across Europe to support this operation.

CityJet also operated a significant ad hoc charter business during this period, including serving as the official airline of the Republic of Ireland national football team during UEFA Euro 2016 and supporting Leinster Rugby through both charter operations and sponsorship.

In 2023, CityJet became part of SARA (Strategic Alliance of Regional Airlines) making it part of the largest regional aviation platform in Europe in co-operation with Air Nostrum of Spain.

On 31st October 2025, CityJet entered a new chapter under the ownership of CityJet Holding ApS, with a renewed focus on long-term stability, operational excellence and sustainable growth

Today, CityJet operates exclusively as an ACMI provider for Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), with a fleet of CRJ900 aircraft based at Copenhagen and Stockholm. More than three decades after its first flight, CityJet continues to deliver safe, reliable and efficient regional aviation services, building on the experience and values that have defined the company since 1993.