US regional carrier CommuteAir has extended its contract with United Airlines to continue flying 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145s through 2028.
The Westlake, Ohio-based regional carrier says it had “executed an extension” on its capacity purchase agreement with United.
CommuteAir operates about 60 ERJ-145s excluslively on behalf of United under the United Express brand. Almost all of the jets are about 20 years old, according to aviation analytics company Cirium.
Regional jets with 50-passenger capacities hare becoming increasingly rare among US airline fleets, with most carriers in recent years upgauging to larger 75- and 90-seat regional jets.
Piedmont Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines, is another notable operator of the ERJ-145, as is charter carrier JSX.
Other regional jet types landing in the 50-seat segment include the MHIRJ CRJ200 and CRJ550, both of which are still broadly deployed by US airlines.
Last year, CommuteAir launched charter operations with a single Embraer 170, which seats 76 passengers, signalling a potential shift toward operating larger regional jets.
