In 1995, Mesa created a new subdivision called Desert Sun Airlines and acquired a pair of Fokker 70 jets for use on new America West Express routes from Phoenix to Des Moines and Spokane. Desert Sun was merged into the Mesa Airlines division in 1997 and its Fokker 70 aircraft were replaced by Canadair CRJ-200 regional jet aircraft. The CRJ-200 aircraft also began replacing the Beechcraft 1900D and Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia turboprops. The BE-1900Ds were then transitioned over to Mesa's Air Midwest subsidiary. Beginning in December 1997, Mesa began operating de Havilland Canada DHC-8 Dash 8 series 200 aircraft between Phoenix and Grand Junction followed by many other cities throughout Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. In 2003, Mesa Airlines took over the operations of Freedom Airlines and Freedom Airlines' Canadair CRJ-900 regional jets were transferred into the America West Express operation. The Beech 1900 flights operated by Air Midwest were discontinued on May 30, 2008.