| GUARANTORS OF SECURITIES (Condensed Income Statement) (Details) - USD ($)$ in Thousands
 | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 
| Sep. 30, 2016 | Sep. 30, 2015 | Sep. 30, 2016 | Sep. 30, 2015 | 
| Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  | 
| Operating revenues | $ 65,006 | $ 69,741 | $ 190,939 | $ 207,894 | 
| Costs and expenses: |  |  |  |  | 
| Operating | 40,371 | 43,007 | 132,074 | 126,396 | 
| Administrative and general | 9,504 | 11,238 | 26,871 | 31,760 | 
| Depreciation | 12,519 | 12,186 | 37,976 | 35,186 | 
| Total costs and expenses | 62,394 | 66,431 | 196,921 | 193,342 | 
| Gains (losses) on asset dispositions, net | (246) | 1,813 | 4,034 | 4,959 | 
| Operating income (loss) | 2,366 | 5,123 | (1,948) | 19,511 | 
| Other income (expense): |  |  |  |  | 
| Interest income | 466 | 232 | 1,170 | 800 | 
| Interest expense | (4,003) | (3,121) | (12,881) | (9,547) | 
| Intercompany interest income (expense) |  | 0 |  | 0 | 
| Gain on debt extinguishment, net | 0 | 16 | (518) | (248) | 
| Derivative losses, net | 0 | 8 | 0 | (14) | 
| Foreign currency gains (losses), net | (33) | 146 | 577 | (2,271) | 
| Gain on sale of FBO | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12,946 | 
| Other, net | 34 | 0 | 63 | (9) | 
| Total other income (expense) | (3,536) | (2,751) | (10,553) | 2,153 | 
| Income (loss) before income taxes and equity earnings | (1,170) | 2,372 | (12,501) | 21,664 | 
| Income tax expense (benefit) | 69 | 1,343 | (2,177) | 9,426 | 
| Income (loss) before equity earnings | (1,239) | 1,029 | (10,324) | 12,238 | 
| Equity earnings (losses), net of tax | 437 | (376) | 1,062 | (719) | 
| Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Net income (loss) | (802) | 653 | (9,262) | 11,519 | 
| Net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiary | 242 | 208 | 6,822 | 633 | 
| Net income (loss) attributable to Era Group Inc. | (560) | 861 | (2,440) | 12,152 | 
| Parent |  |  |  |  | 
| Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  | 
| Operating revenues | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Costs and expenses: |  |  |  |  | 
| Operating | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Administrative and general | 738 | 1,773 | 2,657 | 4,889 | 
| Depreciation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Total costs and expenses | 738 | 1,773 | 2,657 | 4,889 | 
| Gains (losses) on asset dispositions, net | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Operating income (loss) | (738) | (1,773) | (2,657) | (4,889) | 
| Other income (expense): |  |  |  |  | 
| Interest income | 24 | 4 | 37 | 12 | 
| Interest expense | (3,581) | (2,801) | (11,765) | (8,909) | 
| Intercompany interest income (expense) |  | 0 |  | 0 | 
| Gain on debt extinguishment, net |  | 16 | (518) | (248) | 
| Derivative losses, net |  | 0 |  | 0 | 
| Foreign currency gains (losses), net | 28 | 4 | 45 | 620 | 
| Gain on sale of FBO |  |  |  | 12,946 | 
| Other, net | 0 |  | 0 | 0 | 
| Total other income (expense) | (3,529) | (2,809) | (11,165) | 4,917 | 
| Income (loss) before income taxes and equity earnings | (4,267) | (4,582) | (13,822) | 28 | 
| Income tax expense (benefit) | (604) | (2,593) | (2,323) | 12 | 
| Income (loss) before equity earnings | (3,663) | (1,989) | (11,499) | 16 | 
| Equity earnings (losses), net of tax | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries | 3,103 | 2,850 | 9,059 | 12,136 | 
| Net income (loss) | (560) | 861 | (2,440) | 12,152 | 
| Net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiary | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Net income (loss) attributable to Era Group Inc. | (560) | 861 | (2,440) | 12,152 | 
| Guarantors |  |  |  |  | 
| Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  | 
| Operating revenues | 59,130 | 69,491 | 175,607 | 207,550 | 
| Costs and expenses: |  |  |  |  | 
| Operating | 31,759 | 42,812 | 107,127 | 125,886 | 
| Administrative and general | 7,274 | 9,329 | 21,233 | 26,582 | 
| Depreciation | 12,244 | 11,674 | 37,144 | 34,341 | 
| Total costs and expenses | 51,277 | 63,815 | 165,504 | 186,809 | 
| Gains (losses) on asset dispositions, net | 2 | 1,813 | 4,282 | 7,564 | 
| Operating income (loss) | 7,855 | 7,489 | 14,385 | 28,305 | 
| Other income (expense): |  |  |  |  | 
| Interest income | 116 | 228 | 358 | 786 | 
| Interest expense | (387) | (298) | (671) | (605) | 
| Intercompany interest income (expense) |  | 165 |  | 489 | 
| Gain on debt extinguishment, net |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Derivative losses, net |  | 8 |  | (14) | 
| Foreign currency gains (losses), net | 82 | 75 | (142) | (2,958) | 
| Gain on sale of FBO |  |  |  | 0 | 
| Other, net | 1 |  | 2 | 0 | 
| Total other income (expense) | (188) | 178 | (453) | (2,302) | 
| Income (loss) before income taxes and equity earnings | 7,667 | 7,667 | 13,932 | 26,003 | 
| Income tax expense (benefit) | 673 | 4,340 | 146 | 11,314 | 
| Income (loss) before equity earnings | 6,994 | 3,327 | 13,786 | 14,689 | 
| Equity earnings (losses), net of tax | 437 | (376) | 1,062 | (719) | 
| Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Net income (loss) | 7,431 | 2,951 | 14,848 | 13,970 | 
| Net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiary | 0 | 49 | 6,349 | 376 | 
| Net income (loss) attributable to Era Group Inc. | 7,431 | 3,000 | 21,197 | 14,346 | 
| Non-guarantors |  |  |  |  | 
| Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  | 
| Operating revenues | 15,786 | 655 | 47,669 | 1,087 | 
| Costs and expenses: |  |  |  |  | 
| Operating | 18,522 | 600 | 57,284 | 1,253 | 
| Administrative and general | 1,492 | 136 | 2,981 | 289 | 
| Depreciation | 275 | 512 | 832 | 845 | 
| Total costs and expenses | 20,289 | 1,248 | 61,097 | 2,387 | 
| Gains (losses) on asset dispositions, net | (248) | 0 | (248) | (2,605) | 
| Operating income (loss) | (4,751) | (593) | (13,676) | (3,905) | 
| Other income (expense): |  |  |  |  | 
| Interest income | 326 | 0 | 775 | 2 | 
| Interest expense | (35) | (22) | (445) | (33) | 
| Intercompany interest income (expense) |  | (165) |  | (489) | 
| Gain on debt extinguishment, net |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Derivative losses, net |  | 0 |  | 0 | 
| Foreign currency gains (losses), net | (143) | 67 | 674 | 67 | 
| Gain on sale of FBO |  |  |  | 0 | 
| Other, net | 33 |  | 61 | (9) | 
| Total other income (expense) | 181 | (120) | 1,065 | (462) | 
| Income (loss) before income taxes and equity earnings | (4,570) | (713) | (12,611) | (4,367) | 
| Income tax expense (benefit) | 0 | (404) | 0 | (1,900) | 
| Income (loss) before equity earnings | (4,570) | (309) | (12,611) | (2,467) | 
| Equity earnings (losses), net of tax | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Net income (loss) | (4,570) | (309) | (12,611) | (2,467) | 
| Net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiary | 242 | 159 | 473 | 257 | 
| Net income (loss) attributable to Era Group Inc. | (4,328) | (150) | (12,138) | (2,210) | 
| Eliminations |  |  |  |  | 
| Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  | 
| Operating revenues | (9,910) | (405) | (32,337) | (743) | 
| Costs and expenses: |  |  |  |  | 
| Operating | (9,910) | (405) | (32,337) | (743) | 
| Administrative and general | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Depreciation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Total costs and expenses | (9,910) | (405) | (32,337) | (743) | 
| Gains (losses) on asset dispositions, net | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Operating income (loss) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Other income (expense): |  |  |  |  | 
| Interest income | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Interest expense | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Intercompany interest income (expense) |  | 0 |  | 0 | 
| Gain on debt extinguishment, net |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Derivative losses, net |  | 0 |  | 0 | 
| Foreign currency gains (losses), net | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Gain on sale of FBO |  |  |  | 0 | 
| Other, net | 0 |  | 0 | 0 | 
| Total other income (expense) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Income (loss) before income taxes and equity earnings | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Income tax expense (benefit) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Income (loss) before equity earnings | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Equity earnings (losses), net of tax | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries | (3,103) | (2,850) | (9,059) | (12,136) | 
| Net income (loss) | (3,103) | (2,850) | (9,059) | (12,136) | 
| Net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiary | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Net income (loss) attributable to Era Group Inc. | $ (3,103) | $ (2,850) | $ (9,059) | $ (12,136) |