The battle will begin with regional jets. The smaller aircraft are rapidly replacing propeller aircraft at commuter airlines.
Passengers enjoy the difference.
American Eagle's 50-seat jet can travel more than 1,000 miles at a cruising speed of 519 miles an hour. The older turboprop fleet can't compare, and that's why the airlines are buying more small jets as competition throttles up. American Eagle will soon serve 15 cities with regional jets out of DFW, adding Lubbock and Corpus Christi next month. We've been doing that more than a year. As American Eagle and Delta's commuter airline subsidiary Atlantic Southeast Airlines add regional jets at DFW, Delta is taking the opportunity to become more competitive.