KLM Cityhopper, the regional subsidiary of Dutch flag carrier KLM, will soon upgrade its fleet of Embraer E195-E2 aircraft. As part of the enhancements, the airline is increasing capacity in the E195-E2’s economy cabin by adding four additional seats, bringing the total to 136.

One of the 22 E195-E2s has already entered service with the upgraded layout. On December 6, 2025, the first modified Embraer E195-E2 operated by KLM Cityhopper departed on its inaugural flight from Amsterdam (AMS) to Porto (OPO), Portugal.

22 E-195-E2s To Be Converted By June 2026

Credit: Embraer

KLM cityhopper stated that it plans to convert all 22 Embraer E195-E2 aircraft by June 2026, in time for the lucrative summer season. Currently, all of KLM’s E195-E2s, except for one, are configured to seat a total of 132 passengers in a single-class cabin. The more densely configured E195-E2 will allow KLM Cityhopper to carry 136 passengers across its busy European network.

Typically, the E195-E2 can accommodate 132 passengers in a single-class cabin with a 31-inch seat pitch, which was the configuration used by KLM. The aircraft’s maximum certified capacity at a 28-inch pitch is 146 seats. This indicates that KLM did not reduce seat pitch or compromise comfort to add more passengers, as it has stated. Instead, the additional seating capacity is achieved by downsizing the galley and redesigning how catering supplies are stored and managed. KLM emphasized that passenger comfort and the onboard catering offering will remain unchanged.

These changes reduce the overall catering weight carried on each flight. KLM Cityhopper plans to extend this new catering approach across its entire fleet, resulting in an estimated annual reduction of five million kilograms in catering weight. This efficiency measure could translate into savings of up to 160,000 kilograms of jet fuel per year. This modification will also reduce carbon emissions per passenger by approximately 3% compared with the previous configuration.

More About The Embraer E195-E2 Jet

Credit: Embraer

The Embraer E195-E2 entered commercial service in mid-2019 with its launch operator, Azul Brazilian Airlines, shortly after receiving certification in April of that year. It followed the introduction of the E190-E2, the first member of the E2 family, which began service in April 2018. Embraer’s E195-E2 aircraft is the largest aircraft in the E-Jet E2 family.

The E195-E2 has a range of up to 3,000 nautical miles (5,556 kilometers) and a maximum cruise speed of Mach 0.82, making it a fast and highly capable regional aircraft, often comparable to smaller narrowbody jets.

It is engineered to deliver strong economics and efficiency on high-frequency routes, and it serves as an effective platform for airlines looking to open new markets, where larger jets would be underutilized or uneconomical, offering superior fuel efficiency, lower per-seat costs, and a 2-2 seating layout.

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Airlines Operating Embraer E195-E2 Jets

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According to ch-aviation data, a total of 132 Embraer E195-E2 aircraft are currently in active operation across 11 airlines, the Mexican Air Force, and Embraer, which uses some aircraft as testbeds and display units.

Commercial carriers operating the type include Azul, Air Peace, Binter Canarias, Helvetic Airways, Hunnu Air, KLM Cityhopper, LOT Polish Airlines, Luxair, Porter Airlines Canada, Royal Jordanian, and TUI fly Belgium. Among these operators, Porter Airlines Canada has the largest fleet, with 43 aircraft in service. Azul Linhas Aereas follows with a fleet of 39 E195-E2s.

In terms of the order book, the Embraer E195-E2 has a total of 271 units on order from 11 airlines. Some of the orders listed in the ch-aviation database are not yet assigned to specific operators, even though they are recorded as firm orders.