JAL picks the Embraer E190-E2 to replace J-AIR's regional jets, with 16 firm orders

Japan Airlines has chosen its next regional jet. In a press release on October 14, JAL said it will bring in the Embraer E190-E2 to replace the Embraer E170 and E190 jets flown by J-AIR, its regional airline.

The order

Here is what JAL announced:

• 26 aircraft in total: 16 firm orders and 10 options.
• Deliveries are planned to start in fiscal year 2029. JAL's fiscal year starts in April.
• The jets will be flown by J-AIR Co., Ltd., which is based at Osaka International Airport, better known as Itami.
• Standard seating on the E190-E2 is 97 to 114 seats.

JAL did not describe the cabin layout. It did not say how many seats J-AIR will fit, or whether there will be a premium cabin. Today, JAL's domestic network sells Class J and, on some routes, First Class. We will have to wait to see which of those the new jets carry.

Why JAL chose it

JAL's release lists better fuel use, lower CO2 emissions and less noise. It also cites high reliability and lower maintenance costs. Mitsuko Tottori, JAL's President and Group CEO, said: "We are delighted to welcome the state-of-the-art Embraer E190-E2 to the JAL Group fleet as our new wings."

The release gives some basic specs. The E190-E2 is 36.3 meters long, with a wingspan of 33.7 meters. It uses Pratt & Whitney PW1900G engines and has a range of 5,463 kilometers, or 2,950 nautical miles. That is plenty for any route inside Japan.

What it means for passengers

For most travelers, this is a long-term story. The first jets will not arrive for a few years. But regional jets matter in Japan. J-AIR links Osaka with smaller cities across the country, and these are often the planes you board after a long-haul flight into Japan. E-Jets seat four across in economy, two on each side of the aisle, so there are no middle seats today. We will confirm how JAL sets up the new cabin when it shares details.

If you connect to these flights from a long-haul trip, you will still start in JAL's big lounges. JAL's domestic lounges at Tokyo Haneda were recently renewed, and you can read about them in our story on the Haneda North Wing reopening. You can see JAL's current fleet on our Japan Airlines page.

The bigger picture

Embraer has been winning more E2 orders this year. LATAM Brasil just took its first E195-E2, which we covered earlier this month. The E2 appeals to airlines that want to replace older regional jets without moving up to a bigger Airbus or Boeing.

For JAL, the deal keeps J-AIR with the same maker it already uses for its E170s and E190s. That can make training and maintenance simpler when a new model arrives.

My take

This is not an order that changes your next trip. But quieter, more efficient regional jets are good news for anyone who flies between Japan's smaller cities. I will be watching to see if JAL puts a Class J cabin on these jets.

Related reading

• JAL reopens its Haneda North Wing lounges
• LATAM Brasil gets its first Embraer E195-E2