Pilot Order Adds 90 More E175s with Options for 43 More

American Airlines has been on a tear heading into March, inking deals left and right.

For their regional jet needs, they once again headed down south to Brazil to chat with Embraer, walking out the door with a firm order for 90 more of their E175 aircraft, with options for 43 additional planes should they need them. The aircraft were specced with a 76-seat layout in dual-class configuration, the bread and butter for American's regional operations. The deal, with all purchase rights exercised, would be worth more than $7 billion at list price (though it's quite unlikely they will be invoiced anywhere close to MSRP, as negotiations often go).

Embraer continues to see success with its E175, which is still crawling its way up to a global fleet of 1,000 planes. Right now, 837 have been sold since its release in 2013, attaining 88% market share in its regional jet niche.

“Over the past decade, we have invested heavily to modernize and simplify our fleet, which is the largest and youngest among U.S. network carriers,” said American’s CEO Robert Isom. “These orders will continue to fuel our fleet with newer, more efficient aircraft so we can continue to deliver the best network and record-setting operational reliability for our customers.”

“The E175 is truly the backbone of the U.S. aviation network, connecting all corners of the country," said Arjan Meijer, CEO of Embraer's Commercial Aviation arm. "One of the world’s most successful aircraft programs, the E175 was upgraded with a series of modifications that improved fuel burn by 6.5%. This modern, comfortable, reliable, and efficient aircraft continues to deliver the connectivity the U.S. depends on day after day. This represents American’s largest-ever single order of E175s, and we thank American for its continued trust in our products and people.”

FMI: www.embraer.com