<PAGE>

               SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                     WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549





                            FORM 8-K

                         CURRENT REPORT




             Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                Securities Exchange Act of 1934




Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  June 4, 1997.



                     MESABA HOLDINGS, INC.
     (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

     Minnesota              0-17895               41-1616499
 (State or other        (Commission File       (I.R.S. Employer
 Jurisdiction of            Number)             Identification
  incorporation)                                     No.)
                                
                     7501 26th Avenue South
                  Minneapolis, Minnesota 55450
            (Address of principal executive offices)


Registrant's telephone no., including area code:  (612) 726-5151

                         Not Applicable
 (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 <PAGE>

 ITEM 5.  Other Events.

      On June 4, 1997, Mesaba Holdings, Inc. and its wholly owned
subsidiary,  Mesaba  Aviation,  Inc.  (together,  the  "Company")
announced  that  the  Company had reached an  understanding  with
Northwest  Airlines  to  enter into a  10-year  Airline  Services
Agreement  to be executed on or before June 30, 1997.  Under  the
agreement, the Company will provide all Northwest Airlink service
in   Minneapolis/St.   Paul  effective  August   1,   1997.    As
consideration for the expansion of the Company's operations,  the
Company  will  issue  to  Northwest Airlines  (or  an  affiliate)
options  to  purchase  880,000 shares of  Mesaba  Holdings,  Inc.
common  stock  at an exercise price of $14.125  per  share.   For
additional information, see the press release dated June 4, 1997,
which  is  attached to this Report as an exhibit and incorporated
herein by reference.


ITEM 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

     The following are exhibits to this Current Report:

          99.1 Press release of the Company dated June 4, 1997

<PAGE>
                           SIGNATURE

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act
of  1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this  report
to  be  signed  on its behalf by the undersigned  thereunto  duly
authorized.



Date:  June 5, 1997

MESABA HOLDINGS, INC.



By: /s/ John S. Fredericksen
    ------------------------
    John S. Fredericksen
    Vice President and General Counsel

<PAGE>
                         EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit
Number    Description

99.1           Press release of the Company dated June 4, 1997.
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "secsgml_size_bytes": 2710}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "MESABA HOLDINGS INC", "cik": "0000835768", "assigned-sic": "4512", "irs-number": "411616499", "state-of-incorporation": "MN", "fiscal-year-end": "0331"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-17895", "film-number": "97619889"}, "business-address": {"street1": "7501 26TH AVE S", "city": "MINNEAPOLIS", "state": "MN", "zip": "55450", "phone": "6127265151"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "7501 26TH AVE SOUTH", "city": "MINNEAPOLIS", "state": "MN", "zip": "55450"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                     WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                            FORM 8-K

                         CURRENT REPORT

             Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  June 4, 1997.

                     MESABA HOLDINGS, INC.
     (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

     Minnesota              0-17895               41-1616499
 (State or other        (Commission File       (I.R.S. Employer
 Jurisdiction of            Number)             Identification
  incorporation)                                     No.)
                                
                     7501 26th Avenue South
                  Minneapolis, Minnesota 55450
            (Address of principal executive offices)

Registrant's telephone no., including area code:  (612) 726-5151

                         Not Applicable
 (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
ITEM 5.  Other Events.

      On June 4, 1997, Mesaba Holdings, Inc. and its wholly owned
subsidiary,  Mesaba  Aviation,  Inc.  (together,  the  "Company")
announced  that  the  Company had reached an  understanding  with
Northwest  Airlines  to  enter into a  10-year  Airline  Services
Agreement  to be executed on or before June 30, 1997.  Under  the
agreement, the Company will provide all Northwest Airlink service
in   Minneapolis/St.   Paul  effective  August   1,   1997.    As
consideration for the expansion of the Company's operations,  the
Company  will  issue  to  Northwest Airlines  (or  an  affiliate)
options  to  purchase  880,000 shares of  Mesaba  Holdings,  Inc.
common  stock  at an exercise price of $14.125  per  share.   For
additional information, see the press release dated June 4, 1997,
which  is  attached to this Report as an exhibit and incorporated
herein by reference.

ITEM 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

     The following are exhibits to this Current Report:

          99.1 Press release of the Company dated June 4, 1997
SIGNATURE

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act
of  1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this  report
to  be  signed  on its behalf by the undersigned  thereunto  duly
authorized.

Date:  June 5, 1997

MESABA HOLDINGS, INC.

By: /s/ John S. Fredericksen
    ------------------------
    John S. Fredericksen
    Vice President and General Counsel
EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit
Number    Description

99.1           Press release of the Company dated June 4, 1997.