Delta Air Lines has ordered 20 Bombardier CRJ900s to replace older regional jets in its feeder fleet.
The aircraft will have 70 seats and come equipped with the Canadian airframer's Atmosphere cabin, says the US carrier. Deliveries will begin later this year and run through 2020.
Bombardier says the deal is worth $961 million at list prices.
Atlanta-based Delta does not say what regional aircraft the CRJ900s will replace nor which Delta Connection carrier will operate them. However, they are likely to replace either Bombardier CRJ700s or Embraer 170s which, with 69 seats, are comparably sized to the 70-seat CRJ900s.
The airline had 82 CRJ700s operated by Endeavor Air, ExpressJet Airlines, GoJet Airlines and SkyWest Airlines in its fleet at the end of March, its latest fleet plan shows. It also had 20 E170s operated by Republic Airlines.
Delta is in the process of winding down its feeder agreement with ExpressJet. This includes the removal of 30 CRJ700s for which Delta has yet to name a replacement.
The mainline carrier had 151 CRJ900s in its regional fleet at the end of March, the fleet plan shows.
The Delta order is the second for Bombardier's CRJ family from the USA this year. American Airlines ordered 15 CRJ900s for its PSA Airlines subsidiary in May.
Prior to the order today, Bombardier had 48 firm orders for the CRJ family, including 34 for the CRJ900, Flight Fleets Analyzer shows.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
