FLYING Magazine
Embraer on Wednesday said it delivered its 2,000th E-Jet to Brazil’s Azul Linhas Aéreas, marking a key milestone for the family of twin-engine narrowbodies as the manufacturer looks to expand its global reach.
Azul, which Embraer described as a “key operator” of the family, took delivery of an E195-E2, the largest member of the second-generation E2 family. The aircraft features a special livery with the words “2,000th E-Jet” painted on the left side of the nose.
Embraer said Azul has operated more than 140 E-Jets. It received the Brazilian manufacturer’s first E195-E2 in 2019 as the type’s launch customer.
The E-Jet family includes the first-generation E170, E175, E190, and E195. The latter two types have been in the news this week due to a controversial low flyover in South Africa, but they are considered to have an excellent safety record.
The E2 family aircraft, the E190-E2 and E195-E2, were introduced in the 2010s and offer improved fuel efficiency. Embraer said Azul has been a “strategic partner” in the second-generation family’s success.
E-Jets are known for their relatively low cost per trip due to high fuel efficiency, as well as the ability to offer the comfort of larger aircraft on regional routes. Embraer credited the family as the enabler for it to “expand beyond its traditional regional aviation market and establish a strong position in the global small narrowbody segment.”
Republic Airways is the largest E-Jet operator with more than 300 E170s and E175s in its regional fleet.
Then and Now
The E-Jet family entered service in 2004 with LOT Polish Airlines. According to Embraer, it has racked up 48 million flight hours and transported more than 2.85 billion passengers. The manufacturer described it as “one of the world’s three largest commercial jet families” and said in July that the E2 is the “only small narrowbody aircraft family in operation across six continents.”
Compare those figures to the company’s May 2024 update marking its 1,800th E-Jet delivery. At the time, Embraer said the family had flown 2 billion passengers, meaning it has transported about 850 million since. At the same time, the 2024 update said the family has served 90 airlines across over 60 countries, numbers that remained unchanged in Wednesday’s announcement.
That does not mean E-Jets are failing to attract new customers. At the Farnborough International Airshow in July, Embraer announced a total of up to 58 E-Jet sales. The manufacturer in June surpassed 500 E2 orders following a deal with aircraft lessor Azorra.
India’s civil aviation regulator in July awarded type certification for E-Jets, extending their worldwide coverage. The family is particularly popular among U.S. regional airlines. However, scope clause restrictions on maximum takeoff weight for aircraft with up to 76 seats have complicated the E2 series’ introduction in the American market.
Embraer said in early 2025 that it would delay development of the second-generation E175-E2 by four years, in part due to scope clause restrictions. Avelo Airlines, which in 2025 placed a firm order for 50 E195-E2s, is expected to be the first U.S. E2 operator, though deliveries are not expected until next year.