There are over 75,000 flights scheduled on September 27th. While narrowbodies naturally have the bulk of flights (70%), regional jets are the next most used (13%). With an average of seven RJ flights every minute globally, they play a vital yet underappreciated role in aviation. We check out the world's longest RJ routes on this specific September day.

Regional jets are crucial

Over 2,100 routes are operated by RJs on this September day, analyzing schedules data provided to data OAG reveals. When combined, they have over 9,800 flights. With 75% of RJ flights, use is enormously about the USA, as you'd expect. This one country has 17 times more movements by this aircraft group than the number-two, Russia.

Thanks to the US and the scope clause agreement, the Embraer 175 is the world's most commonly operated RJ. The use of this variant has grown greatly in recent years from upgauging to achieve lower seat-mile costs, higher revenue opportunities, and stronger route performance.

Alaska Airlines Embraer 175
Alaska's Chicago O'Hare to Portland is the world's ninth-longest RJ route on September 27th. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying.

The average RJ route is 419 nautical miles

Across all RJs, the average sector distance is 419 nautical miles, as shown below. Of course, distance varies depending on the specific RJ examined. The Sukhoi Superjet 100-95 has the longest average distance (647nm), followed by the Embraer 175 with winglets (553nm).

As winglets help improve fuel efficiency, despite the extra weight, winglet-equipped E175s have a 14% longer sector average than those without them. At the other end of the scale is the Embraer 145, at just 262nm, potentially making the ATR-72 a very enticing proposition for replacement and much lower operating costs.

  • Widebody: average sector length on September 27th is 2,252 nautical miles
  • Narrowbody: 691nm
  • RJ: 419nm
  • Turboprop: 163nm
Binter E195 E2 Gran Canaria to Lille
When writing this article, this 1,597nm route from Gran Canaria to Lille landed in France. Operated by a Binter Canarias' Embraer 195-E2, it had a flight time of about three hours and 40 minutes. Image: RadarBox.com.

The world's 10 longest RJ flights this Sept. day

More exciting are very long RJ routes, with the top-10 on September 27th shown below and far beyond the average of 419nm. Of course, this is just a snapshot: on different days, other routes may exceed these other operators may serve them. Indeed, Airlink began Johannesburg to Entebbe on September 19th using Embraer 190s, competing directly with Uganda Airlines, but it operates on Wednesdays and Sundays.

  1. Moscow Domodedovo to Kyzyl: 1,978nm by IrAero and the Superjet 100-95
  2. Gran Canaria to Venice: 1,688nm; Binter Canarias; E195-E2
  3. Anadyr to Khabarovsk: 1,664nm; Yakutia; Superjet 100-95
  4. Novosibirsk to Rostov: 1,642nm; Azimuth; Superjet 100-95
  5. Gran Canaria to Lille: 1,597nm; Binter Canarias; E195-E2
  6. Johannesburg to Entebbe: 1,583nm; Uganda Airlines; CRJ-900
  7. Mineralnye Vody to Nizhnevartovsk: 1,553nm; Azimuth; Superjet 100-95
  8. Chicago O'Hare to Vancouver: 1,533nm; Air Canada Jazz; CRJ-900
  9. Chicago O'Hare to Portland (OR): 1,511nm; Alaska; E175
  10. Chicago O'Hare to Fresno: 1,503nm; United; E175
Uganda Airlines
Photo: Getty Images

Domodedovo to Kyzyl

At 1,978nm, the world's longest RJ service is from Moscow Domodedovo to Kyzyl in southern Siberia. Operated by IrAero, it has a flight time to the Russian capital – and therefore more into the wind – of five or so hours. And because Kyzyl is four hours ahead of Moscow, it leaves the capital at 22:00, arrives at 07:10 the next morning, leaves at 08:20, and touches down at 09:40.

What is the longest RJ flight you've been on? Let us know in the comments.