The Embraer E190 is a roughly 100-seat twin-jet, a stretched relative of the E175 with bigger engines and wings. Major US airlines have largely retired theirs, so today you are more likely to see one on charter, foreign-airline or specialized flights than on a big-brand domestic route.
E190 at a glance
- First flight
- 2004
- Length
- 118 ft 11 in (36.2 m)
- Wingspan
- 94 ft 3 in (28.7 m)
- Engines
- 2 × GE CF34-10E turbofans
- Seats
- 96–114
- Cruise speed
- ~447 kt (514 mph) / Mach 0.78
- Service ceiling
- 41,000 ft
- Range
- ~2,450 nmi
How to recognize the E190
The E190 looks like a stretched E175: same rounded nose and double-bubble body, but longer, with a bigger wing and larger engines.
- Engines: GE CF34-10E turbofans under the wings, visibly bigger than the E175's and set slightly further forward.
- Length: about 15 ft longer than an E175, making the fuselage look more like a small mainline jet.
- Wing: larger, with more span and small upright winglets.
- Tail: conventional low horizontal tail with a large fin.
- Doors: two main doors on the left side (front and rear) and overwing exits.
- Cabin: four-abreast, no middle seats.
- Sound: a deeper engine note than the E175, with a typical turbofan whine on approach.
The A220-100 is a similar size, but it has a sleeker pointed nose, much larger engines and five-abreast seating. The newer E190-E2 (type code E290) has longer wings, geared turbofans and a different tail; it appears in the US mainly with Canadian and foreign carriers.
The most reliable clue is overall length: the E190 has noticeably more fuselage ahead of the wing than an E175, and its wing spans several feet more. At altitude it leaves two contrails spaced farther apart than a rear-engined CRJ's, because the engines hang under the wings.
Where and when you'll see it
JetBlue and American once flew large E190 fleets but both have retired them, and Breeze Airways has been phasing out its Embraer jets in favor of the A220. Today, E190s in US airspace are typically flown by charter operators, sports-team and contract carriers, and foreign airlines such as Aeromexico Connect into Texas and other gateways. That makes them less predictable than other airliners, but still worth looking for at airports with charter traffic.
Cruise is typically FL350 to FL410. Approaches follow normal jet profiles at 2,000 to 3,000 ft and about 130 to 140 kt. On ADS-B the type code is E190 (E195 for the stretched version). Callsigns vary widely because of the charter mix; a positioning flight with no passengers is common.
Easily confused with
- Embraer E175: The E175 is about 15 ft shorter with smaller engines.
- Airbus A220-100: The A220-100 has a pointed nose, much larger engines and big cabin windows.
- Bombardier CRJ900: The CRJ900 has rear-mounted engines and a T-tail.
Quick facts
- JetBlue was the launch customer for the E190, introducing it in 2005.
- The E190 has the same fuselage cross-section as the E175, with four-abreast seating and no middle seats.
- Its second-generation successor, the E190-E2, uses Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engines.
E190 questions
Do any major US airlines still fly the E190?
Few, if any, in scheduled mainline service. JetBlue and American retired theirs, so most E190s seen in the US now fly charters or foreign-airline routes.
What's the difference between the E190 and the E175?
The E190 is about 15 ft longer, with a bigger wing and engines, seating roughly 100 passengers versus 76.
Spot one live
Open the live sky tool and look for E190 in the type column, or browse the live map on airplanes.live.