Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer confirmed on September 3 that it had signed an agreement covering eight additional E190-E2 regional jets for Japan’s ANA Holdings, building on the airline group’s original order placed in 2025.
The new agreement raises ANA’s confirmed E190-E2 order from 15 to 23 aircraft, while ANA continues to hold options for another five jets. If those options are eventually exercised, the airline group’s E190-E2 fleet commitment could reach 28 aircraft.
The first E190-E2s are expected to arrive beginning in fiscal 2028, opening a new chapter not only for ANA but also for Embraer in one of Asia’s most demanding aviation markets.
ANA currently operates no Embraer aircraft, meaning the arrival of the E190-E2 will introduce an entirely new aircraft manufacturer into the carrier’s passenger fleet. Embraer described ANA’s original selection as the first order for its second-generation E-Jet family from a Japanese airline.
The eight-aircraft deal was already taking shape
Although Embraer’s signed agreement was announced in early September, ANA had disclosed its intention to acquire the eight additional aircraft more than a month earlier.
On July 29, ANA Holdings said its board had approved the extra E190-E2 order, specifically linking it to an expansion of an operating partnership involving ANA and Japanese regional carrier IBEX Airlines.
ANA said the roughly 100-seat E190-E2 would help reduce fuel consumption, noise and operating costs while allowing the company to match aircraft capacity more closely with passenger demand on domestic routes.
That capacity question is crucial.
Japan has one of the world’s most sophisticated domestic aviation systems, but airlines must balance strong demand on major trunk routes with smaller regional markets where deploying larger narrow-body jets can be less economical.
A roughly 100-seat aircraft gives ANA another option between turboprops and larger aircraft such as Boeing 737s and Airbus A320-family jets.
The IBEX partnership may be the bigger story
ANA and IBEX announced a comprehensive business partnership on the same day the eight additional aircraft were approved.
The companies are preparing to begin a new operating arrangement in fiscal 2029, subject to regulatory approval.
Under the planned structure, ANA would remain responsible for areas such as route planning and ticket sales, while IBEX would operate ANA flights using its flight crews. IBEX would, in turn, outsource aircraft maintenance to ANA.
Most importantly, the companies have selected the Embraer E190-E2 as the common aircraft type for the operation.
That means ANA’s extra eight-aircraft purchase is not simply another fleet-renewal order.
It is part of a broader attempt to develop a more flexible operating model for Japan’s regional network — one in which a major airline can sell and plan services while a regional partner provides the operational resources needed to fly them.
ANA and IBEX said the arrangement is intended to maintain regional routes while improving operational efficiency.
For Japan, where sustaining air links to smaller communities can be increasingly challenging, that could ultimately prove more important than the aircraft order itself.
ANA first turned to Embraer during its huge 2025 fleet overhaul
ANA’s relationship with the E190-E2 began in February 2025, when the Japanese aviation group unveiled one of the largest fleet-investment programs in its history.
ANA announced orders and options covering 77 aircraft from Boeing, Airbus and Embraer, including 68 firm orders and nine options.
The original package included 15 firm E190-E2 orders plus five options.
ANA also ordered Boeing 787-9s for international expansion, Boeing 737-8s and Airbus A321neos for fleet renewal, and A321neo and long-range A321XLR aircraft for low-cost subsidiary Peach Aviation.
At the time, ANA said it expected its overall group fleet to reach roughly 320 aircraft by fiscal 2030.
The company also projected that fuel-efficient aircraft would account for about 91% of its fleet, reflecting both environmental goals and the financial pressure airlines face from fuel and maintenance expenses.
Why the E190-E2 fits ANA’s domestic strategy
The E190-E2 occupies a relatively unusual position in the commercial-aircraft market.
It is significantly smaller than mainstream Boeing 737 and Airbus A320-family aircraft while still offering jet speed, range and passenger comfort.
The aircraft’s cabin uses Embraer’s characteristic 2-2 seating configuration, meaning there are no middle seats.
Embraer says improvements incorporated into the E2 family have substantially reduced fuel consumption compared with previous-generation E-Jets. The manufacturer says the E190-E2 delivers approximately 17.3% better fuel efficiency per seat than its predecessor.
For ANA, however, the most important advantage may simply be size.
Using a smaller jet can allow an airline to maintain flight frequency without having to fill as many seats on every departure. That could become increasingly valuable on Japanese regional routes where demand varies widely depending on the city, season and time of day.
ANA itself has described the E190-E2 as a way to achieve more flexible supply-and-demand management in its domestic business.
Embraer gains a strategic foothold in Japan
The deal is equally significant for Embraer.
The Brazilian manufacturer is already established across Asia-Pacific, but winning ANA gives the E2 program an especially prominent customer in Japan.
Other Embraer aircraft already operate in the country, including earlier-generation E-Jets, but ANA’s decision represents the first Japanese airline commitment to Embraer’s newer E2 generation.
The timing also comes as demand remains strong for smaller, fuel-efficient commercial jets.
Aircraft lessor Azorra recently said demand for regional jets remained robust amid a broader global shortage of aircraft, while reporting that operating conditions surrounding some next-generation engines were beginning to improve.
For Embraer, every additional major airline customer strengthens the argument that the E2 can occupy a profitable niche below the larger Boeing and Airbus narrow-body families.
What happens next
ANA’s firm E190-E2 commitment now stands at 23 aircraft, not 28.
The distinction matters: another five aircraft remain options rather than confirmed purchases.
Deliveries of the original aircraft are scheduled to begin in fiscal 2028, while ANA and IBEX are targeting fiscal 2029 for the start of their new operational partnership, subject to regulatory approval.
The immediate headline is a straightforward victory for Embraer: another eight aircraft have been added to its ANA order book.
But the longer-term story is potentially much bigger.
If ANA and IBEX can use the E190-E2 to operate thinner domestic routes more efficiently, the aircraft could become more than a new jet in ANA’s fleet.
It could become the centerpiece of a new operating model for keeping Japan’s regional air network connected.
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