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                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1


                  DART GROUP CORPORATION ANNOUNCES EXTENSION OF
                  CONDITIONAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE
                              WITH HERBERT H. HAFT

                  LANDOVER, MD, June 12, 1997 -- Dart Group Corporation (Nasdaq:
DARTA) announced today a further extension of the conditional settlement
agreement in principle initially reached on April 21, 1997, between Dart and
Herbert H. Haft, the Company's founder and its present Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer.

                  As announced on April 22, implementation of the conditional
agreement in principle is subject to the negotiation of a definitive settlement
agreement satisfactory to Dart and Dart's receipt of satisfactory advice from
its investment bankers. The conditional agreement in principle stated that it
would terminate if a definitive settlement agreement were not entered into by
May 9, 1997. As previously announced, that date was subsequently extended first
to May 23 and then to June 12, 1997. Dart and Herbert Haft have not entered into
a definitive settlement agreement, and the agreement in principle has been
amended to state that it will terminate if a definitive agreement is not entered
into by July 11, 1997.

                  The agreement in principle continues also to be conditioned 
on Dart's entering into a supplemental settlement with Ronald Haft and a 
comprehensive settlement with Gloria, Robert and Linda Haft. Negotiations with
respect to these related settlements are ongoing.

                  As previously announced, closing of the transactions
contemplated by the agreement in principle also is subject to (1) final and
non-appealable action by the Delaware Court of Chancery or the Delaware Supreme
Court approving all of the terms of the settlement, terminating certain putative
derivative actions pending with respect to Dart in the Delaware Court of
Chancery, and approving the October 1995 settlement between Dart and Ronald Haft
and the supplemental settlement between Dart and Ronald Haft, and (2) final and
non-appealable action by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court approving the effectiveness
of Chapter 11 plans of reorganization for certain real estate entities owned by
Mr. Haft and members of his family.

                  The parties are continuing to have difficulty resolving
outstanding issues in the negotiations and Dart's financial, corporate and legal
evaluation is ongoing. There can be no assurance that a definitive settlement
agreement between Dart and Herbert Haft will be entered into and that the
transactions contemplated by the conditional agreement in principle will be
implemented. If a definitive settlement agreement is not reached




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by July 11, there can be no assurance that the parties will agree to another
extension of the conditional agreement in principle.

                  In its negotiation with members of the Haft family, Dart is
represented by the Executive Committee of its Board of Directors, comprised of
Larry G. Schafran, Chairman, Douglas M.
Bregman, Esq. and Bonita A. Wilson.

                  For further information, contact Larry G. Schafran
(301-731-1502).