Japan Airlines (JAL) has sought proposals from manufacturers for up to 70 regional and turboprop aircraft to replace its domestic fleet that services areas outside major metropolitan regions, according to people familiar with the matter.
The Tokyo-based national carrier is seeking about 40 regional single-aisle jets, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the information is private, in a deal that will pit the Airbus SE A220 model against the Embraer SA E2. JAL is also looking for as many as 30 turboprop aircraft, the people said.
The deals could include firm orders and options, and the size and composition are subject to changes, according to the sources. They said the airline plans to make a decision by the end of the current fiscal year.
A spokesperson for JAL didn’t respond to a request for comment.
The airline is looking to streamline the number of jet types it operates to boost efficiencies and cost savings. JAL has also long considered expanding its use of smaller aircraft, which typically carry around 100 passengers or less, as Japan’s aging and shrinking population reshapes air travel preferences and future demand.
JAL said in its 2025 annual report that it was deciding on successor aircraft types for its domestic regional jet fleet and is keeping an eye on future demand trends.
The airline’s subsidiaries, including Osaka-based J-Air and Hokkaido Air System, already operate a combination of about 52 Embraer jets and turboprops from the Franco-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR and De Havilland Aircraft of Canada.
The deal for regional aircraft adds to a multi-year period of commitments from JAL for several dozen new Airbus and Boeing wide-body and single-aisle planes.
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