Summary
- Delta Air Lines has added Mitsubishi CRJ550 flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) in September.
- The flights, operated by SkyWest Airlines, will be an addition to Delta Connection’s CRJ550 flights from Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC).
- The CRJ550 made its debut with United Airlines and its regional affiliate, United Express, in 2019.
Delta Air Lines and its regional partner SkyWest Airlines have scheduled the first Mitsubishi CRJ550 flights from one of Delta’s main hubs serving the twin metropolitan area of Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
Flights to other cities in Minnesota
According to data from the aviation analytics company Cirium, Delta Air Lines and SkyWest Airlines have added CRJ550 flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) to Bemidji Regional Airport (BJI) and Falls International Airport (INL), with both destinations being in Minnesota.
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The flights have been added for September only so far. SkyWest Airlines will operate 14 weekly itineraries from MSP to BJI and 13 weekly flights from MSP to INL on behalf of Delta Connection, resulting in 224,182 weekly available seat kilometers (ASK) and 265,703 weekly ASKs, respectively.
However, these are Delta Air Lines’ only flights originating from MSP with the CRJ550 in 2024 and 2025, with the latter year’s data being available up until July 2025.
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The jets will enter service with Delta Connection.
Delta’s network with the CRJ550
Data from the aviation analytics company Cirium further indicated that Delta Air Lines has marketed 81 weekly departures from MSP and Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) with the CRJ550, all of which are operated by SkyWest Airlines, in September.
The route network from SLC includes flights to Bert Mooney Airport (BTM), Cedar City Regional Airport (CDC), Casper/Natrona County International Airport (CPR), Elko Regional Airport (EKO), and Yellowstone Airport (WYS).
Photo: Great Circle Mapper
In total, the Delta Connection CRJ550 network was scheduled to offer 4,050 weekly seats and 1.7 million ASKs in September.
Related
Delta Air Lines To Debut Bombardier CRJ550 Service On 4 Routes From Salt Lake City
The aircraft will replace about half of the routes’ respective frequencies, which are currently operated by a larger aircraft type.
Meeting scope clause requirements with the CRJ550
The CRJ550 is a converted CRJ700, which has fewer seats – up to 50 – and a lower maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) to meet scope clause requirements that are set out by pilots’ contracts in the United States.
The first CRJ550 debuted in October 2019, with GoJet Airlines operating a flight on behalf of United Airlines and its regional flying brand, United Express.
Photo: EQRoy | Shutterstock
The Japanese conglomerate paid around $550 million for Bombardier’s CRJ assets as it attempted to enter the US regional jet market with its SpaceJet. However, it failed to do so, and in February 2023, it axed the program, abandoning decades of effort to develop a new regional aircraft because scope clause requirements had not been lifted.
The Embraer E175-E2 has suffered the same fate, with the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer freezing the development of the smallest member of the E2 family due to scope clause limitations in the US.
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