Summary
- Porter operates North America's longest Embraer route by distance, which is from Montreal to Vancouver.
- The Canadian carrier welcomed its first jet in 2022 and has eight of the 10 longest routes.
- Aeromexico operates the remaining two, including a route never served before.
If all Embraer jets are considered, Cirium shows North America has a typical 4,343 daily scheduled movements (take-offs and landings combined) in the first six months of 2024. The schedule information submitted by carriers to the data provider indicates that they cover an average of 478 miles (769 km) and have a block time of 1h 49m.
The 10 longest non-stop Embraer flights
The flights are summarized in the following table. Interestingly, all but one began in 2023 or will commence in 2024. This includes the longest route by distance: Montreal to Vancouver. Like eight of the top 10 routes, it is operated by the fast-growing Porter using the E195-E2. However, the domestic airport pair falls to joint second if block time is considered instead.
Interestingly, Aeromexico Connect between Guadalajara and Detroit is an entirely new route. Like many of the carrier's US services, it exists to feed a hub of transborder joint venture partner Delta. It uses the two-class, 99-seat E190-E1.
Miles (km) | Maximum block time (first half of 2024)* | Route | Airline | Embraer | January-June flights** (launch date) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2,295 (3,693) | 5h 39m | Montreal to Vancouver | Porter | E195-E2 | Daily (April 11th, 2024) |
2,259 (3,635) | 5h 52m | Toronto to San Francisco | Porter | E195-E2 | Daily (January 25th, 2024) |
2,214 (3,563) | 5h 39m | Ottawa to Vancouver | Porter | E195-E2 | Daily (July 26th, 2023) |
2,175 (3,500) | 5h 35m | Toronto to Los Angeles | Porter | E195-E2 | Daily (January 16th, 2024) |
2,100 (3,380) | 5h 21m | Toronto to Victoria | Porter | E195-E2 | Daily (September 20th, 2023) |
2,085 (3,355) | 5h 19m | Toronto to Vancouver | Porter | E195-E2 | Four to five daily (February 7th, 2023) |
1,943 (3,127) | 5h 4m | Toronto to Las Vegas | Porter | E195-E2 | Daily (March 5th, 2024) |
1,923 (3,095) | 4h 59m | Mexico City to Santo Domingo | Aeromexico Connect | E190-E1 | Daily (October 30th, 2017) |
1,894 (3,048) | 4h 15m (stands out!) | Guadalajara to Detroit | Aeromexico Connect | E195-E1 | Daily (March 14th, 2024) |
1,873 (3,014) | 4h 45m | Montreal to Calgary | Porter | E195-E2 | Daily (May 28th, 2024) |
* Either direction | ** Each way |
Porter has 29 E2s
Until December 2022, Porter had a narrow and niche focus based on using its Dash 8 Q400s. That changed dramatically over that festive month with the arrival of its first jet. It now has 29 of them, each in a 132-seat layout. Along with its radically changing network, this will make or break the carrier. (Strangely, it also has 29 Q400s.)
Not only does the E195-E2 have much-reduced fuel consumption (relative to the E1), but it is also the largest Embraer aircraft by capacity, both of which reduce seat-mile costs. The addition of more seats to sell (versus smaller alternatives) makes the variant somewhat more economical on longer sectors.
Of course, it has higher seat-mile costs than larger and much more common narrowbodies, meaning higher fares are needed. This raises the question of its competitiveness in much-served markets. (The potential opportunity in thinner, longer, unserved markets is intriguing.) However, it is somewhat offset by lower trip costs, and fewer passengers are required to break even at a particular load factor.
What is the longest Embraer scheduled route you've flown? Let us know in the comments.