SkyWest Airlines on 31 October disclosed a deal to deploy 40 MHIRJ CRJ550 regional jets to fly under contract for United Airlines.
The deal includes 11 CRJ550s that United previously disclosed would be reallocated to SkyWest, with the first of the type set to enter service in December.
FlightGlobal has learned that those jets will be subtracted from the fleet of rival US regional carrier GoJet Airlines, which also operates under the United Express banner.
SkyWest plans to convert the remaining 29 aircraft from its existing fleet of CRJ700s, the carrier disclosed during its third-quarter earnings call on 31 October.
St George, Utah-based SkyWest reports making $89.7 million on the quarter, compared with a $23.5 million profit during the prior-year period, while revenue increased year-on-year to $913 million from $766 million.
”The ongoing strong demand and delivery book continues to position us for increased regional market share,” says chief executive Chip Childs.
United and SkyWest did not initially reveal the source of the 11 CRJ550s that would be added to SkyWest’s fleet.
But Rick Leach, GoJet’s chief executive, recently confirmed that the jets would be reallocated from GoJet’s fleet – representing a blow for the St Louis-based regional carrier.
“We have reached an agreement with United to return up to 11 aircraft they own to be deployed in the United Express network,” Leach said in an internal memo to employees. “It is important to note that, even with the continued growth we are planning through 2025, GoJet would have been unable to return these aircraft to revenue service until the middle of 2026.
”These assets represent tens of millions of dollars of investment by United, and once active they will provide significant market and revenue impact,” he adds.
Leach, originator of the concept to convert older CRJ700s into CRJ550s, acknowledges that GoJet “would love to be the exclusive operator of the CRJ550 in our industry”, adding that “we take pride in the aircraft and product we created”.
“While we might not like the initial outcome, we completely understand the value and benefits of this decision to the United brand and the 550 programme”.
After the transaction with United, GoJet will have 56 aircraft on its certificate, with the opportunity to deploy up to 74 CRJ550s into the United Express network.
”We have significant growth on our plate throughout the remainder of this year, 2025 and beyond,” Leach says.
SkyWest expects to complete purchases of the 11 CRJ550s from United by the middle of next year, according to chief commercial officer Wade Steel.
“We are excited about the continued partnership with United,” he says. “We successfully launched flying of our first CRJ550 for Delta [Air Lines] during July, and we anticipate transitioning 15 CRJ550s to our Delta fleet by the first quarter of 2025.”
Steel says SkyWest views the CRJ550 as an “ideal replacement for single-class CRJ200s”.
“We are making strong progress with partners to productively place the remaining CRJ700 aircraft under pro-rata and contract flying agreements,” he says.
SkyWest also expects to take delivery of 20 Embraer E175 aircraft starting in the fourth quarter of this year through 2026.
By the end of 2026, the carrier forecasts having an operational fleet of 278 E175s.
