Virgin Australia has ordered eight brand new Embraer E190-E2 jets, which will be delivered from next year.

The regional jets will be operated by Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (VARA) and used mainly on intra-WA routes, including mining charter services. They will ultimately replace the ageing Fokker 100 jets that Virgin Australia Regional Airlines currently uses on these routes alongside the Airbus A320.

Virgin’s new Embraer E190s will be configured in an all-Economy layout with 2-2 seating. These jets can seat approximately 100 passengers.

It’s unusual for airlines to use brand new planes on intra-WA mining routes. Virgin says that these aircraft are around 30% more fuel efficient than the Fokker 100s they replace, as well as being quieter and more comfortable for passengers. (That said, it’s unlikely the legroom on the E190s will be quite as generous as on the Fokker jets.

“When the first new E190-E2 enters service from October 2025, it will become the first brand new aircraft in the WA charter market this century,” Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka said.

Virgin Australia has previously flown Embraer jets

This is not the first time Virgin Australia has used Embraer’s regional aircraft. The airline previously used Embraer E170 and E190 jets on mainline operations, including on the Sydney-Canberra route. The last E190 exited Virgin’s fleet in early 2018.

The E190 is popular with passengers for its comfortable 2-2 seating layout. It’s also a highly capable regional jet which operates at faster speeds and has much more range than turboprop planes.

Alliance Airlines currently flies Embraer E190s in Australia, both on its own services and on behalf of QantasLink.

Matt Graham

The editor of Australian Frequent Flyer, Matt's passion for travel has taken him to over 80 countries… with the help of frequent flyer points, of course!
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