Regional jets continue to play a significant role in US aviation, with over 7,000 daily flights scheduled for February. This accounts for more than a quarter of the total flights, with American Eagle leading as the largest operator through Envoy Air and PSA.
According to Cirium Diio data, RJ-operated services are at their highest level in recent years but remain down by nearly a quarter compared to February 2020. Flights on single-class, 50-seat aircraft have decreased significantly, with just over 1,050 daily services planned for February. Larger regional jets like the Embraer E175 and CRJ900 dominate due to better economics and comfort.
In February, regional jets will connect 1,460 airport pairs across almost 400 airports. Chicago O’Hare is expected to have the most flights. The average flight distance has increased slightly but remains below historic highs.
The longest regional jet flights include international routes such as Montreal to Denver on the CRJ900. “Barely one in 10 of the airport pair’s services are on RJs,” notes the report. Other long-distance domestic routes include San Francisco to Minneapolis and Portland to Anchorage using United Express and Alaska Airlines’ E175s.
These developments highlight changes in capacity and service patterns within US regional aviation.
