
A Delta Connection Embraer E175.
LE BOURGET: Embraer further boosted its already strong presence in the U.S. regional market with new regional jet sales, while also announcing significant orders in Africa and the global freight market.
The biggest deal announced by the Brazilian manufacturer Wednesday was for 60 E175-E1s for U.S. regional SkyWest Airlines, which operates through partnerships with Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.
The St. George, Utah-headquartered SkyWest also took 50 purchase rights on further E175s. First deliveries of firm orders will arrive in 2027. Embraer put the value of the order at $3.6 billion, which will be added to the company’s Q2 backlog.
SkyWest has an existing Embraer fleet of 263 aircraft, with a current backlog of 16, and is the world’s the largest E-Jet operator. The airline serves 268 cities and carried more than 42 million passengers in 2024.
“We’re pleased to continue growing our E175 fleet and enhance our dual-class footprint. This order enables us to advance our long-term fleet strategy and to continue to deliver the premier regional product in the industry,” SkyWest president and CEO Chip Childs said.
“We are thrilled to continue our long-standing partnership with SkyWest Airlines with this mega order,” Embraer Commercial Aviation president and CEO Arjan Meijer said.
South African regional carrier Airlink, meanwhile, will take 10 E195-E2s via lessor Azorra. The Johannesburg-based regional is already the largest Embraer operator outside North America and Europe. Three of the new batch will be delivered this year and deliveries will be completed by the end of 2026.
“We had some aircraft that became available from our order book,” Azorra founder and CEO John Evans said.
Azorra already has a single E190 in service with the South African carrier, and the lessor’s recent purchase of a portfolio of 49 regional aircraft from Dubai-based DAE has seen it take ownership of a further 15 E1 variants that are placed with Airlink.
Finally, two new E190F converted freighters are going to Malta-based Bridges Air Cargo, with operations scheduled to start in Q3 2025. The aircraft are being leased through US lessor Regional One. Bridges Air Cargo is part of UK-based Bridges Worldwide, with aircraft that operate for major freight integrators such as FedEx, DHL and UPS.
Regional One also confirmed it will take on two more E190Fs, bringing its fleet to four.