FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Dick Fontaine
Senior VP of Marketing
(307)432-7000

GREAT LAKES AVIATION ANNOUNCES RECORD BOARDINGS AT ITS WYOMING LOCATIONS WITH YEAR 2000 PASSENGER BOARDINGS UP 10.7 PERCENT.

Cheyenne, Wyoming – January 31, 2001 – Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd. (NASDAQ:GLUX) today announced traffic results for the year 2000 at the eight locations it serves in Wyoming.  All scheduled flights are operated to Denver International Airport under the United Express marketing identity.

For the full year 2000, Great Lakes passenger boardings at all eight Wyoming points were 96,372, a 10.7 percent increase compared to the prior twelve month period.  Traffic gains were recorded at all locations.  These positive results reflect the addition of flights at most locations.

The highest traffic numbers were at Cheyenne where 19,631 revenue passengers were boarded, a 4.7 percent increase compared to 1999.  Scheduled flights have been increased from a total of six round trips during the first quarter of 2000 to eight round trips during the summer and then to ten round trips beginning in mid-December.   On January 8, 2001 an eleventh weekday was added to the schedule.

The second highest traffic point in Wyoming for Great Lakes was Gillette where 16,318 passengers were boarded, a 7.4 percent increase compared to 1999.  At Gillette five United Express flights are scheduled in summer and fall months with four round trips offered during the winter months.

The third greatest passenger numbers were realized at Sheridan where 15,940 revenue passengers were enplaned, a 7.6 percent increase over 1999 totals.   Year 2000 totals for Sheridan were the highest since 1994 when two airlines provided flights to the community.  Four round trips are scheduled on a year round basis with additional weekend flights during summer months.

At Riverton 13,368 passengers were boarded, a 1.2 percent increase over 1999 traffic levels.  Great Lakes schedules five round trips at Riverton during summer months and four during the balance of the year.

Laramie continued to show exceptional growth with 11,174 passengers boarded in 2000, a 9.4 percent increase compared to 1999.  Four round trips are scheduled year round.  Laramie scheduled service is subsidized under the U.S. Department of Transportation's essential air service program.

Rock Springs enplanements were up 4.2 percent to 9,592 passengers.   Four round trips are scheduled on a year round basis.  Rock Springs is also subsidized under the essential air service program.

At Casper, Great Lakes' United Express flights complement the higher frequency schedule operated by Air Wisconsin.  Great Lakes boarded 6,800 passengers on its two flights to Denver.  Service at Casper was added by Great Lakes in September, 1999.  Beginning December 15, 2000 a third round trip was added in response to a reduction in flights by Air Wisconsin.

Worland passenger boardings were up 11.9 percent to 3,009 compared to 1999.  Three round trips are scheduled at Worland and operated with an enroute stop at Riverton.  Worland flights are also subsidized under the essential air service program.

GREAT LAKES AVIATION / UNITED EXPRESS WYOMING TRAFFIC SUMMARY (Jan.-Dec. 2000)

*Great Lakes' Casper flights began September, 1999

Subject to further review of current economic trends and key market indicators, Great Lakes plans to add seasonal lift at the northern locations in a manner similar to last summer and continuing through the fall hunting seasons.