United to Add 30 New Embraer 76-Seat Aircraft to United Express Fleet

United Airlines has signed an agreement to add 30 Embraer 175 regional jets to the United Express fleet.

United will purchase the aircraft with deliveries scheduled for 2014 and 2015. The aircraft will be operated by an, as yet unnamed, United Express partner.

“At United, we are focused on modernizing our fleet, and we look forward to introducing the E175 to our United Express service. Compared to the 50-seat aircraft we are replacing, these aircraft provide a superior customer experience and are more fuel efficient,” said Jim Compton, United’s vice chairman and chief revenue officer. “With a large first class cabin, wider fuselage, and larger overhead bins, this aircraft brings an improved regional flying experience to our customers.”

The Embraer 175 is the first 76-seat regional jet aircraft in the United Express fleet. The aircraft will be configured with 12 United First, 16 Economy Plus and 48 United Economy seats.

As United inducts the new aircraft into the United Express fleet, the company will remove some of the older 50-seat regional jets in the fleet.

The E175s will consume 10% less fuel per seat and will have less CO2 emissions per seat than the 50-seat aircraft they replace.