The regional US airline, Republic has confirmed this week that it is greatly expanding its operational partnership with the mega-carrier, Delta Air Lines. The new agreement will mean a further 30 Embraer 175 E-Jet aircraft will join Republic’s fleet which will expand the carrier position as the world’s largest E-Jet operator with over 220 aircraft. The first aircraft is scheduled to be delivered during October 2019 with the last one expected to arrive before the end of July 2020.

Currently, Republic flies around 38 aircraft for Delta and expects the expansion to increase its scheduled daily operations for Delta by more than 75%. “Our partnership with Delta is a vital part of our business, and we’re excited by the opportunity to expand our relationship with Delta and continue to serve its customers,” said Bryan Bedford, Republic Airways president and chief executive officer. “Over the last several years, our team – flight attendants, mechanics, pilots, dispatchers, associates in every department – has been working hard to position us for growth and to enable us to respond to the needs of our codeshare partners. Their hard work is the reason we can make this announcement today.”

To suppose this massive expansion, Republic will open two new bases, Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF). The Boston airport is scheduled to open in December and will be a crew and a maintenance base. Republic already has a maintenance base at Louisville and will add a crew base there in December.

Republic has come a long way since its early days of August 1974 as Chautauqua Airlines when it operated two Beechcraft 99 aircraft. Now the airline employs more than 6,000 people and is already the second-largest regional airline in the country. It operates more than 1000 daily flights to around 100 cities across the US, Canada, Central America and the Caribbean.