5 regional jets operated by United Express

As is the case with all legacy carriers in the United States today, United Airlines has a regional subsidiary, United Express, which serves regional routes across the country. These tend to be shorter than the airline's mainline routes (with a few notable exceptions), and they are operated by smaller regional jets.

Interestingly, these services are operated by subcontractors that United Airlines retains for these air services, each of which maintains its own dedicated fleet of regional jets to serve the United Express route network.

United Express is therefore a regional flight service network (not a regional airline as it operates no flights), one which supports United Airlines.

All United Express flights are marketed by United Airlines or a partner carrier, primarily serving smaller cities with lower demand and connecting them to United's main hubs.

The regional airline is a not insignificant part of the airline's total operational footprint, with United Express flights accounting for roughly 6% of the airline's total capacity in 2023.

The United Express network consists of flights operated under the airline's regional brand by regional subcontractors, such as CommuteAir, GoJet, Mesa Airlines, Republic Airways, and, most importantly, SkyWest Airlines.

These carriers operate under agreements known as Capacity Purchase Agreements, through which United Airlines contracts out flight services and pays fixed, performance-derived fees to these carriers. United Airlines also accounts for additional costs incurred by regional carriers operating these kinds of flights, such as fuel and landing fees.

While regional airlines manage the operations for these United-branded flights, United Airlines will set the schedules for these routes and will also manage ticket pricing, revenue generation, and loyalty program management.

It is also important to note that United Airlines may choose to increase the capacity on a given route, operating both mainline and regional services on a given city pair. Let's take a deeper look at United Express and examine five different aircraft which one is most likely to find in the United Express fleet.

5 Embraer E175

This aircraft is one of the largest in the United Express fleet

The Embraer E175 is one of the largest regional jets in the skies today. That is to say, it is one of the largest aircraft that is still compliant with the Scope Clause, a piece of legislation that sets strict weight and capacity limits on the kinds of aircraft that regional airlines like Embraer can fly.

The Embraer E175 has proven to be such a popular aircraft that even two decades after it entered service there remain more than 30 outstanding orders for the model from US-based regional airlines, according to Aviation Week.

The Embraer E175 is a stretched version of the earlier Embraer E170, and the jet entered service with Air Canada in 2005.

Typically, seating 76 passengers in a two-class configuration and up to 88 passengers in certain high-density layouts, the aircraft is powered by a pair of General Electric CF34-8E engines, which allow the jet to operate off of the short runways of regional airports.

The aircraft's primary competitor is the Bombardier CRJ900, with the two aircraft pretty much controlling the high-capacity regional jet market. Updated variants introduced in 2014 featured wider, angled winglets and an increased wingspan of 29 meters, something which improved the aircraft's fuel efficiency by around 6.4% in comparison to earlier models.

The jet was built in four main variants, including the E175STD, the longer-range E175LR, and a 76-seat variant dubbed the E175SU, one which has proven popular with US-based operators.

The final variant, the 70-seat E175SC, was designed to target the same market as the Bombardier CRJ700, competing based on its better fuel efficiency.

In 2018, a new E175 sold for around $27 million, but resale values today suggest one could be purchased for somewhere from $3-8 million.

Production of the jet continues in 2024, mostly driven by strong demand from US customers as newer E175-E2 jets are too heavy to meet the Scope Clause requirement, something which has resulted in no US airlines ordering the E175's successor.

4 Bombardier CRJ700

This aircraft is operated by just one United Express subcontractor

The Bombardier CRJ700, which was originally developed from the earlier CRJ200 model, first took to the skies on May 27th, 1999.

The airline entered commercial service two years later with Brit Air in 2001. The jet featured a new wing with leading-edge slats, a stretched and widened fuselage, and a lowered floor.

The aircraft was produced in multiple different variants, with the standard CRJ700 variant having a capacity for around 68 passengers.

The aircraft has a maximum operational speed of Mach 0.85 and a commercial service ceiling of 41,000 feet. The aircraft can also fly up to 2,032 nautical miles, and competes directly with Embraer 170 variants.

3 Bombardier CRJ550

The aircraft is one of the newest to join the United Express fleet

The Bombardier CRJ550 is among the newest of the models to enter the United Express fleet, with SkyWest Airlines still maintaining outstanding orders for more than 30 CRJ550 models, many of which will be operated for United, according to FlightGlobal.

The CRJ550 was built as a 50-seat variant of the popular CRJ700 and could accommodate additional premium seating. The aircraft had a reduced maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of just 65,000 pounds and was first certified in 2019.

GoJet Airlines was the first to use the model on commercial flights, with a configuration that included 10 first-class seats. In 2024, the airline began to operate CRJ550 jets under the Delta Connection brand as well. The aircraft has become popular with operators due to its improved overhead storage, large cabinets and self-service first-class galley.

2 Bombardier CRJ200

The aircraft is one of the oldest in the United Express fleet

The popular Bombardier CRJ200 was originally derived from the Challenger 600 business jet, and it today remains one of the oldest aircraft in the United Express fleet

The plane was first introduced in 1992 with Lufthansa CityLine, and the jet is a 50-seat aircraft powered by a pair of General Electric CF34-3B1 turbofan engines, which delivered incredible fuel efficiency, higher altitude capabilities and increased speeds over its predecessor, the CRJ100.

The aircraft has a maximum speed of Mach 0.85 and can fly up to 2,032 nautical miles. The aircraft was one of the first efficient regional jets, something which made it popular with North American regional operators that had previously operated slower turboprops.

Despite production ending in 2006, dozens of CRJ200s remain in service worldwide.

1 Embraer E170

The aircraft is significantly smaller than the popular E175 model

The Embraer E170 is the smallest aircraft in the popular E-Jet family, and it was the first of the many models to enter commercial service, which it did in March 2004. As of 2017, the E170 is no longer in production.

The aircraft typically seats around 72 passengers in an all-economy configuration, and carriers which choose to install first-class seating typically accommodate a total capacity of 66. The aircraft was intended to compete directly with the Bombardier CRJ700.