By Brazil Stock Guide — Dutch airline KLM is moving toward an all-Embraer E195-E2 regional fleet and expects to decide by the end of 2026 whether to exercise options for additional aircraft, potentially opening the door to another significant order for the Brazilian planemaker.
KLM Cityhopper, the carrier’s regional subsidiary, currently operates 59 Embraer aircraft, including 25 E195-E2s, 17 E190s and 17 E175s. The airline intends to gradually retire its older-generation jets and standardize operations around the larger, more fuel-efficient E195-E2.
Maarten Koopmans, managing director of KLM Cityhopper, told Air Transport World earlier this month that the airline was reviewing options for 25 additional E2 aircraft and hoped to reach a decision before year-end.
The strategy received further support from KLM Chief Executive Marjan Rintel, who told Airways Magazine that the airline’s future regional fleet would consist exclusively of E195-E2 aircraft, ruling out the smaller E190-E2 variant.
The decision would reinforce Embraer’s position at one of Europe’s leading network airlines, where the Brazilian manufacturer already supplies the entire regional fleet.
According to BTG Pactual, KLM represents one of Embraer’s most advanced commercial opportunities, alongside Japan Airlines. The bank estimates that replacing Cityhopper’s 34 older E175 and E190 aircraft could create a substantial long-term opportunity, although the timing and structure of potential orders remain uncertain.
Existing orders and fresh opportunities
KLM’s 2025 annual report shows that the airline has already ordered 10 additional E195-E2 aircraft for delivery between 2027 and 2029, taking its planned E2 fleet to 35 aircraft.
The extent to which those existing commitments overlap with the 25 options currently under consideration has not been clarified. No further firm order has been announced.
For KLM, the transition would simplify pilot training, maintenance, spare-parts inventories and aircraft scheduling, while helping the airline meet tighter noise restrictions around Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.
The E195-E2 carries 136 passengers in KLM’s configuration. According to the airline, it consumes 15% less fuel per flight and is 63% quieter than the earlier E190 model.
The potential expansion also comes as Air France-KLM moves to increase its stake in Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) from 19.9% to 60.5%, subject to regulatory approval.
SAS has separately ordered 45 Embraer E195-E2 aircraft, with deliveries expected to begin in late 2027. Executives from the two carriers have identified potential opportunities to cooperate on maintenance, training and spare parts once the ownership transaction is completed.
Together, the developments could strengthen Embraer’s presence in European regional aviation and increase the importance of the E195-E2 within the Air France-KLM group’s future operations.
BTG Pactual reiterated Embraer as its top pick in global aerospace in an October 12 research note, citing strong industry fundamentals and a favorable outlook for the Brazilian manufacturer.
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