American Airlines’ regional subsidiary Envoy Air is planning to take an additional 12 large regional jets, with the first of the aircraft due for delivery in 2025.
Irving, Texas-based Envoy disclosed the planned fleet expansion on 5 March, on the heels of American’s 90-strong order for Embraer 175s. American’s deal with Embraer includes potential order options for a further 43 of the type.
With the additional incoming E-Jets, Envoy expects its total fleet to grow to 181 aircraft – 178 E175s and 43 E170s.
”This expansion is on top of the fleet growth previously announced during 2023 and early this year,” Envoy says.
In January, the regional carrier shared plans to add 19 E-Jets, ”a combination of Embraer 175 and 170 aircraft from other carriers and newly-manufactured Embraer 175 deliveries expected in the fourth quarter of 2024”.
It currently operates 111 E175s and 34 E170s, Cirium fleets data show. Envoy’s twinjets have 76 seats in dual-class configuration.
“The E175 is truly the backbone of the US aviation network, connecting all corners of the country,” says Arjan Meijer, chief executive Embraer Commercial Aviation.
American indicates that the E175 deliveries will start in 2025 and continue through the end of the decade. The jets will be operated by its wholly owned subsidiary carriers – Envoy, Piedmont Airlines and PSA Airlines – under the American Eagle brand.
The major US carrier says it will phase out its single-class, 50-seat aircraft by the end of the decade. Notably, Piedmont exclusively operates 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145s.
It is unclear how the remaining 78 E175s will be distributed among American’s regional carriers. American did not respond to questions about the future composition of Piedmont’s fleet.
At the end of 2023, American’s fleet included 98 50-seat jets, including 40 Bombardier CRJ200s and 58 ERJ-145s
The Fort Worth-based carrier operates more than 550 regional jets across its network.
“We are focused on our domestic network and our regional fleet,” Robert Isom, American’s chief executive, said during the company’s investor day on 4 March. “That enables us to serve more small markets in a way others can’t.”
