CRJ1000 operates under Iberia Regional & Lufthansa despite limited popularity

The CRJ1000 supports increased frequency on certain routes, benefiting business travelers and enhancing connectivity. Notably, Madrid to Porto is the most-served airport pair with this aircraft type, covering a distance of 237 nautical miles (439 km) each way. Since first deploying the CRJ1000 on this route in 2011, Iberia has increased its use from half to now operating 80% of flights with this model.

Despite its unpopularity due to weight and seat limitations that prevent compliance with US scope requirements—a critical factor for regional jets—the CRJ1000 offers relatively good economics compared to other regional jets or small mainline alternatives. It shares similar capacities with models like the E195 but boasts a lower maximum takeoff weight by one-fifth, resulting in savings on en route charges and fuel consumption.

While larger aircraft like the Airbus A220-100 have more seats—averaging 119 compared to the CRJ1000's capacity—they also come with higher takeoff weights. Various factors such as range, fuel efficiency, price, availability of spare parts continue to influence airline choices between different aircraft models.