FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Dick Fontaine
Senior VP- Marketing
(712)264-3190
(712)262-1000

GREAT LAKES AVIATION ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF UNITED EXPRESS FLYING AT DENVER STARTING APRIL 23.

Spencer, Iowa - February 26, 1998 - Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd. (NASDAQ:GLUX) today announced that its United Express route structure at Denver International Airport will be expanded to 14 additional cities starting April 23, 1998.

The expanded service will succeed flights operated by Mesa Airlines. Initial schedules will closely mirror the flights currently scheduled at these cities in order to minimize any disruption of travel plans already in place. United Express flights to be operated by Great Lakes Aviation will be scheduled in 19-seat Beech 1900 regional airliners.

The following is a summary of planned weekday flights to and from Denver by city beginning April 23:

Alamosa, CO, 3; Dodge City, KS, 2; Garden City, KS, 3; Great Bend, KS, 2; Hays, KS, 2; Laramie, WY, 3; Liberal, KS, 3; North Platte, NE, 3; Pueblo, CO, 3; Riverton, WY, 3; Rock Springs, WY, 3; Salina, KS, 2; Scottsbluff, NE, 4; Worland, WY, 2.

It is anticipated that beginning June 1, Great Lakes will add United Express service to/from Denver at Cortez and Telluride in Colorado and at Farmington and Santa Fe in New Mexico.

With the addition of these new communities beginning April 23, Great Lakes Aviation will be providing United Express service between Denver and 28 airports with approximately 120 daily flights. In addition, Great Lakes will continue to operate United Express service at Chicago-O'Hare International Airport (106 weekday flights) and Minneapolis/St. Paul (22 weekday flights).

The company also operates 16 weekday flights between Springfield, IL and Chicago-Meigs Field under the Great Lakes Airlines marketing identity.

Additional company information is available on its web site which may be accessed at www.greatlakesav.com

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