SkyWest picks up 20 more Embraer E175s for American Airlines

American Airlines will add 20 more Embraer E175s to its regional fleet over the next year under a new deal with partner SkyWest Airlines.

Deliveries of the 20 jets to Utah-based SkyWest will begin in the second half of the year, Embraer said Thursday. The E175s will seat 76 passengers, with seats for 12 in first class and 64 in economy.

SkyWest plans to begin flying 10 E175s under the American Eagle banner this year, and the remaining 10 in 2021, it said Thursday.

The E175s are the first E-Jets SkyWest will fly for American. The regional airline operated seven Bombardier CRJ200s and 66 Bombardier CRJ700s for American at the end of September, its latest fleet plan shows.

The new jets begin flying in American’s network just as the carrier retires its 20 Embraer E190s, which seat 99 passengers. The E190s are due to leave the mainline fleet by the end of summer.

Earlier in January, American’s vice president of PHL hub operations Jim Moses told TPG that the majority of E190 flights in Philadelphia – where the fleet is primarily based – will shift to larger Airbus A319s. The balance will move to E175s and other large regional jets, like the Bombardier CRJ900.

American plans to end 2020 with 617 regional jets, 12 more than it had in December, its latest fleet plan shows. The airline’s mainline fleet could grow to as many as 964 aircraft depending on when the Boeing 737 MAX – American expects 22 in 2020 – returns to service.