| GUARANTORS OF SECURITIES (Condensed Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($)$ in Thousands
 | Sep. 30, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Sep. 30, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014 | 
| Current assets: |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ 32,144 | $ 14,370 | [1] | $ 13,808 | $ 40,867 | 
| Receivables: |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Trade, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $1,214 | 34,300 | 48,639 | [1] |  |  | 
| Tax receivables | 0 | 6,085 | [1] |  |  | 
| Other | 6,490 | 3,305 | [1] |  |  | 
| Inventories, net | 26,615 | 27,994 | [1] |  |  | 
| Prepaid expenses | 1,799 | 1,963 | [1] |  |  | 
| Other current assets | 190 | 191 | [1] |  |  | 
| Total current assets | 101,538 | 102,547 | [1] |  |  | 
| Property and equipment | 1,175,131 | 1,175,909 | [1] |  |  | 
| Accumulated depreciation | (347,113) | (316,693) | [1] |  |  | 
| Property and equipment, net | 828,018 | 859,216 | [1] |  |  | 
| Equity investments and advances | 29,595 | 28,898 | [1] |  |  | 
| Investments in consolidated subsidiaries | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Intangible assets | 1,141 | 1,158 | [1] |  |  | 
| Deferred taxes | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Intercompany receivables | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Other assets | 11,177 | 12,532 | [1] |  |  | 
| Total assets | 971,469 | 1,004,351 | [1] |  |  | 
| Current liabilities: |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Accounts payable and accrued expenses | 9,132 | 12,000 | [1] |  |  | 
| Accrued wages and benefits | 9,077 | 9,012 | [1] |  |  | 
| Accrued interest | 3,363 | 562 | [1] |  |  | 
| Accrued income taxes | 550 | 0 | [1] |  |  | 
| Accrued other taxes | 2,311 | 2,520 | [1] |  |  | 
| Accrued contingencies | 1,543 | 2,410 | [1] |  |  | 
| Current portion of long-term debt | 1,539 | 3,278 | [1] |  |  | 
| Other current liabilities | 2,470 | 2,300 | [1] |  |  | 
| Total current liabilities | 29,985 | 32,082 | [1] |  |  | 
| Long-term debt (including $0 and $5,259 from VIEs in 2016 and 2015, respectively) | 232,655 | 263,698 | [1] |  |  | 
| Deferred income taxes | 227,417 | 229,848 | [1] |  |  | 
| Intercompany payables | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Other liabilities | 4,280 | 2,616 | [1] |  |  | 
| Total liabilities | 494,337 | 528,244 | [1] |  |  | 
| Redeemable noncontrolling interest | 4,331 | 4,804 | [1] |  |  | 
| Era Group Inc. stockholders’ equity: |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Common stock, $0.01 par value, 60,000,000 shares authorized; 20,940,372 and 20,495,694 outstanding in 2016 and 2015, respectively, exclusive of treasury shares | 211 | 207 | [1] |  |  | 
| Additional paid-in capital | 437,291 | 433,175 | [1] |  |  | 
| Retained earnings | 38,062 | 40,502 | [1] |  |  | 
| Treasury shares, at cost, 171,614 and 154,549 shares in 2016 and 2015, respectively | (2,855) | (2,673) | [1] |  |  | 
| Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax | 92 | 92 | [1] |  |  | 
| Total equity | 472,801 | 471,303 | [1] |  |  | 
| Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interest and stockholders’ equity | 971,469 | 1,004,351 | [1] |  |  | 
| Parent |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Current assets: |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Cash and cash equivalents | 28,692 | 7,565 |  | 10,877 | 16,481 | 
| Receivables: |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Trade, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $1,214 | 39 | 39 |  |  |  | 
| Tax receivables |  | 6,013 |  |  |  | 
| Other | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Inventories, net | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Prepaid expenses | 439 | 458 |  |  |  | 
| Other current assets | 190 | 190 |  |  |  | 
| Total current assets | 29,360 | 14,265 |  |  |  | 
| Property and equipment | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Accumulated depreciation | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Property and equipment, net | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Equity investments and advances | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Investments in consolidated subsidiaries | 181,394 | 172,335 |  |  |  | 
| Intangible assets | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Deferred taxes | 5,771 | 3,823 |  |  |  | 
| Intercompany receivables | 469,301 | 515,255 |  |  |  | 
| Other assets | 1,659 | 2,166 |  |  |  | 
| Total assets | 687,485 | 707,844 |  |  |  | 
| Current liabilities: |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Accounts payable and accrued expenses | 139 | 386 |  |  |  | 
| Accrued wages and benefits | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Accrued interest | 3,363 | 549 |  |  |  | 
| Accrued income taxes | 0 |  |  |  |  | 
| Accrued other taxes | 30 | 30 |  |  |  | 
| Accrued contingencies | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Current portion of long-term debt | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Other current liabilities | 647 | 534 |  |  |  | 
| Total current liabilities | 4,179 | 1,499 |  |  |  | 
| Long-term debt (including $0 and $5,259 from VIEs in 2016 and 2015, respectively) | 210,597 | 235,134 |  |  |  | 
| Deferred income taxes | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Intercompany payables | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Other liabilities | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Total liabilities | 214,776 | 236,633 |  |  |  | 
| Redeemable noncontrolling interest | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Era Group Inc. stockholders’ equity: |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Common stock, $0.01 par value, 60,000,000 shares authorized; 20,940,372 and 20,495,694 outstanding in 2016 and 2015, respectively, exclusive of treasury shares | 211 | 207 |  |  |  | 
| Additional paid-in capital | 437,291 | 433,175 |  |  |  | 
| Retained earnings | 38,062 | 40,502 |  |  |  | 
| Treasury shares, at cost, 171,614 and 154,549 shares in 2016 and 2015, respectively | (2,855) | (2,673) |  |  |  | 
| Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Total equity | 472,709 | 471,211 |  |  |  | 
| Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interest and stockholders’ equity | 687,485 | 707,844 |  |  |  | 
| Guarantors |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Current assets: |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Cash and cash equivalents | 1,602 | 3,334 |  | 0 | 22,188 | 
| Receivables: |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Trade, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $1,214 | 27,871 | 40,345 |  |  |  | 
| Tax receivables |  | 72 |  |  |  | 
| Other | 5,362 | 3,089 |  |  |  | 
| Inventories, net | 26,352 | 25,557 |  |  |  | 
| Prepaid expenses | 1,231 | 1,411 |  |  |  | 
| Other current assets | 0 | 1 |  |  |  | 
| Total current assets | 62,418 | 73,809 |  |  |  | 
| Property and equipment | 1,159,147 | 1,159,441 |  |  |  | 
| Accumulated depreciation | (345,877) | (316,090) |  |  |  | 
| Property and equipment, net | 813,270 | 843,351 |  |  |  | 
| Equity investments and advances | 29,595 | 28,898 |  |  |  | 
| Investments in consolidated subsidiaries | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Intangible assets | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Deferred taxes | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Intercompany receivables | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Other assets | 5,308 | 6,999 |  |  |  | 
| Total assets | 910,591 | 953,057 |  |  |  | 
| Current liabilities: |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Accounts payable and accrued expenses | 7,207 | 9,635 |  |  |  | 
| Accrued wages and benefits | 6,583 | 6,875 |  |  |  | 
| Accrued interest | 0 | 13 |  |  |  | 
| Accrued income taxes | 536 |  |  |  |  | 
| Accrued other taxes | 1,109 | 789 |  |  |  | 
| Accrued contingencies | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Current portion of long-term debt | 1,524 | 1,663 |  |  |  | 
| Other current liabilities | 1,789 | 1,311 |  |  |  | 
| Total current liabilities | 18,748 | 20,286 |  |  |  | 
| Long-term debt (including $0 and $5,259 from VIEs in 2016 and 2015, respectively) | 22,058 | 23,305 |  |  |  | 
| Deferred income taxes | 232,510 | 232,994 |  |  |  | 
| Intercompany payables | 436,996 | 501,512 |  |  |  | 
| Other liabilities | 1,246 | 1,887 |  |  |  | 
| Total liabilities | 711,558 | 779,984 |  |  |  | 
| Redeemable noncontrolling interest | 4 | 4 |  |  |  | 
| Era Group Inc. stockholders’ equity: |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Common stock, $0.01 par value, 60,000,000 shares authorized; 20,940,372 and 20,495,694 outstanding in 2016 and 2015, respectively, exclusive of treasury shares | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Additional paid-in capital | 100,306 | 95,543 |  |  |  | 
| Retained earnings | 98,631 | 77,434 |  |  |  | 
| Treasury shares, at cost, 171,614 and 154,549 shares in 2016 and 2015, respectively | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax | 92 | 92 |  |  |  | 
| Total equity | 199,029 | 173,069 |  |  |  | 
| Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interest and stockholders’ equity | 910,591 | 953,057 |  |  |  | 
| Non-guarantors |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Current assets: |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Cash and cash equivalents | 1,850 | 3,471 |  | 2,931 | 2,198 | 
| Receivables: |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Trade, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $1,214 | 6,390 | 8,255 |  |  |  | 
| Tax receivables |  | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Other | 1,128 | 216 |  |  |  | 
| Inventories, net | 263 | 2,437 |  |  |  | 
| Prepaid expenses | 129 | 94 |  |  |  | 
| Other current assets | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Total current assets | 9,760 | 14,473 |  |  |  | 
| Property and equipment | 15,984 | 16,468 |  |  |  | 
| Accumulated depreciation | (1,236) | (603) |  |  |  | 
| Property and equipment, net | 14,748 | 15,865 |  |  |  | 
| Equity investments and advances | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Investments in consolidated subsidiaries | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Intangible assets | 1,141 | 1,158 |  |  |  | 
| Deferred taxes | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Intercompany receivables | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Other assets | 4,210 | 3,367 |  |  |  | 
| Total assets | 29,859 | 34,863 |  |  |  | 
| Current liabilities: |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Accounts payable and accrued expenses | 1,786 | 1,979 |  |  |  | 
| Accrued wages and benefits | 2,494 | 2,137 |  |  |  | 
| Accrued interest | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Accrued income taxes | 14 |  |  |  |  | 
| Accrued other taxes | 1,172 | 1,701 |  |  |  | 
| Accrued contingencies | 1,543 | 2,410 |  |  |  | 
| Current portion of long-term debt | 15 | 1,615 |  |  |  | 
| Other current liabilities | 34 | 455 |  |  |  | 
| Total current liabilities | 7,058 | 10,297 |  |  |  | 
| Long-term debt (including $0 and $5,259 from VIEs in 2016 and 2015, respectively) | 0 | 5,259 |  |  |  | 
| Deferred income taxes | 678 | 677 |  |  |  | 
| Intercompany payables | 32,305 | 13,743 |  |  |  | 
| Other liabilities | 3,034 | 729 |  |  |  | 
| Total liabilities | 43,075 | 30,705 |  |  |  | 
| Redeemable noncontrolling interest | 4,327 | 4,800 |  |  |  | 
| Era Group Inc. stockholders’ equity: |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Common stock, $0.01 par value, 60,000,000 shares authorized; 20,940,372 and 20,495,694 outstanding in 2016 and 2015, respectively, exclusive of treasury shares | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Additional paid-in capital | 4,562 | 9,325 |  |  |  | 
| Retained earnings | (22,105) | (9,967) |  |  |  | 
| Treasury shares, at cost, 171,614 and 154,549 shares in 2016 and 2015, respectively | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Total equity | (17,543) | (642) |  |  |  | 
| Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interest and stockholders’ equity | 29,859 | 34,863 |  |  |  | 
| Eliminations |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Current assets: |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Cash and cash equivalents | 0 | 0 |  | $ 0 | $ 0 | 
| Receivables: |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Trade, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $1,214 | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Tax receivables |  | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Other | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Inventories, net | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Prepaid expenses | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Other current assets | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Total current assets | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Property and equipment | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Accumulated depreciation | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Property and equipment, net | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Equity investments and advances | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Investments in consolidated subsidiaries | (181,394) | (172,335) |  |  |  | 
| Intangible assets | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Deferred taxes | (5,771) | (3,823) |  |  |  | 
| Intercompany receivables | (469,301) | (515,255) |  |  |  | 
| Other assets | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Total assets | (656,466) | (691,413) |  |  |  | 
| Current liabilities: |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Accounts payable and accrued expenses | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Accrued wages and benefits | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Accrued interest | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Accrued income taxes | 0 |  |  |  |  | 
| Accrued other taxes | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Accrued contingencies | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Current portion of long-term debt | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Other current liabilities | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Total current liabilities | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Long-term debt (including $0 and $5,259 from VIEs in 2016 and 2015, respectively) | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Deferred income taxes | (5,771) | (3,823) |  |  |  | 
| Intercompany payables | (469,301) | (515,255) |  |  |  | 
| Other liabilities | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Total liabilities | (475,072) | (519,078) |  |  |  | 
| Redeemable noncontrolling interest | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Era Group Inc. stockholders’ equity: |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Common stock, $0.01 par value, 60,000,000 shares authorized; 20,940,372 and 20,495,694 outstanding in 2016 and 2015, respectively, exclusive of treasury shares | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Additional paid-in capital | (104,868) | (104,868) |  |  |  | 
| Retained earnings | (76,526) | (67,467) |  |  |  | 
| Treasury shares, at cost, 171,614 and 154,549 shares in 2016 and 2015, respectively | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax | 0 | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Total equity | (181,394) | (172,335) |  |  |  | 
| Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interest and stockholders’ equity | $ (656,466) | $ (691,413) |  |  |  | 
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