BermudAir to become the first Embraer E190F freighter operator in the Americas

Bermuda-based carrier BermudAir is set to become the first operator of Embraer’s E190F freighter in the Americas, marking the next step in the development of the Brazilian manufacturer’s passenger-to-freighter conversion programme.

The airline will operate an E190F leased from US-based lessor Regional One, becoming only the second airline worldwide to put the type into service.

BermudAir to become the first E190F operator in the Americas

The announcement, made by Embraer and Regional One on 16 September, is said to represent a significant milestone for BermudAir as it expands beyond passenger flying into air cargo.

The airline currently operates two E175s and two E190s, serving ten destinations across the Caribbean, the United States and Canada.

The E190F will allow BermudAir to use its existing regional network for express cargo, e-commerce shipments and other time-sensitive freight.

For BermudAir, the move is closely aligned with the geography of its network. The airline connects Bermuda and Caribbean markets with North American destinations, where smaller volumes of high-value or time-sensitive cargo can require frequent services rather than the capacity of a large widebody freighter.

BermudAir founder and CEO Adam Scott described cargo as a natural extension of the airline’s existing operation.

The company intends to use the aircraft for express freight, local business requirements, e-commerce and other time-sensitive shipments across the islands and North American markets it serves.

The E190F therefore gives BermudAir an additional source of network utility without requiring it to build an entirely separate aircraft type around a conventional cargo fleet.

Its existing experience with E190 passenger operations also provides commonality with the converted freighter platform.

For the wider Caribbean market, the aircraft could provide a right-sized alternative to both belly cargo on passenger aircraft and larger dedicated freighters.

Its combination of main-deck loading, container capability, range and relatively modest capacity is aimed at precisely the shipments that need speed and frequency but do not necessarily require a Boeing 737- or 757-sized freighter.

What is the Embraer E190F?

The E190F is a passenger-to-freighter conversion of Embraer’s popular E190 regional jet. Rather than being designed as a conventional large cargo aircraft, it occupies a middle ground between large turboprop freighters and larger narrowbody freighters.

The conversion adds a large main-deck cargo door, a reinforced main deck and a rigid 9G barrier, while the aircraft can use both its main deck and lower-deck cargo space.

Embraer says the aircraft can accommodate up to nine pallets and containers.

Its headline cargo figures are substantial for an aircraft of its size. The E190F offers up to 13.5 tonnes of structural payload and approximately 103 cubic metres of cargo volume when its main and lower decks are considered.

Embraer says this represents around 40% more volume capacity than large cargo turboprops, while providing approximately three times their range.

The aircraft also has a fully loaded range of up to 2,590 nautical miles (4,797 km), giving operators the ability to connect regional and medium-haul markets without moving up to a substantially larger freighter.

Operating economics are another central part of the E190F proposition. Embraer says the E-Freighter offers up to 30% lower operating costs than larger narrowbody freighters, while providing the range and capacity needed for express and e-commerce distribution.

The manufacturer has positioned the aircraft as a way of serving secondary and tertiary markets with high-frequency services rather than concentrating cargo through major hubs.

That makes the aircraft particularly relevant to island and regional markets. An operator does not necessarily need to fill a much larger narrowbody freighter to make a route viable, while the E190F’s jet performance provides a substantial range advantage over turboprop cargo aircraft.

BermudAir becomes only the world’s second E190F operator

BermudAir will be the second E190F operator worldwide. The only other operator currently flying the type is Bridges Air Cargo, based in Malta.

Bridges became the launch operator of the E190F programme, with its first converted aircraft entering commercial service in March 2026 on a flight from Cologne, Germany, to Larnaca, Cyprus, carrying time-sensitive express material.

Bridges subsequently introduced a second E190F in June 2026. Both converted aircraft are operated by Bridges, making it the only E190F operator before BermudAir’s aircraft enters service.

The E190F programme was launched to respond to changing freight patterns, particularly the growth of e-commerce and demand for faster, more decentralised delivery networks.

Regional One has placed five firm orders for E190F conversions, with two aircraft already delivered and in service.

BermudAir’s arrival therefore gives Embraer’s E-Freighter programme its first foothold in the Americas and adds a distinctly regional application to a concept already being tested in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

With its useful payload, cargo volume and range when fully loaded, the E190F is designed to occupy a niche between turboprops and larger freighters.

For BermudAir, that niche could prove particularly relevant. The aircraft is small enough for regional demand, but capable enough to move time-sensitive cargo between Bermuda, the Caribbean and mainland North America at jet speed.