JSX Plans All-Business Class ATR Turboprop Flights In United States

Public charter air carrier JSX has just revealed plans to introduce turboprop service, with 30-seat all-business class aircraft. This is an interesting development for the carrier, and a logical evolution.

JSX will fly ATR 42-600 turboprops as of late 2025

For context, JSX is an air carrier that operates point-to-point flights within the United States with 30-seat regional jets. The carrier operates flights primarily out of private terminals, and markets a “business class” experience.

Many people refer to the airline as offering a semi-private experience, though to me that’s an oxymoron. The company has a controversial business model, since it’s not a Part 121 operator, meaning the company can skirt many of the rules that apply to airlines. To JSX’s credit, the airline is offering something unique in the market.

Anyway, up until now, JSX has operated its flights with Embraer ERJ-135 and ERJ-145 aircraft, though the company will soon be adding another aircraft to its fleet. JSX plans to begin operations with ATR turboprops as of late 2025. Specifically, the airline will lease two ATR 42-600s.

These planes will feature the new ATR HighLine interior, with 30 premium seats, in a 1-1 configuration. This partnership marks ATR’s entry into the United States’ public charter market, which the aircraft manufacturer thinks will pave the way for more opportunities.

Here’s how JSX CEO Alex Wilcox describes this development:

“The ATR -600 series will bring over 1,000 new airports into reach for JSX, expanding access to reliable public charter flights across the great United States. Many of these airports were, until now, reserved only for those who had the means to fly private. I am confident that our Customers will love the ATR product, not just for the variety of new routes it allows JSX to operate, but also for its quiet cabin and comfortable seating. When paired with our award-winning JSX hospitality, the addition of the ATR marks an innovative step forward in our company’s unyielding mission to increase the safety, speed, and convenience of air travel that moves our country forward.” 

This seems like a good fit for JSX’s business model

Broadly speaking, turboprops have been phased out in the United States over the years, so you don’t see many airlines operating them anymore.

ATR has been heavily pitching its ATR HighLine interior concept, which is basically an all-business class cabin on the plane, as a way of introducing a comfortable and economical plane for short, thin, and premium routes.

In that sense, JSX seems like the perfect company to operate this kind of concept. Sure, the turboprops won’t be as fast as JSX’s jets, but this opens up all kinds of shorter routes, where the economics could work out. JSX operates a fleet of nearly 50 jets, so I’m curious how many ATRs we could eventually see in JSX’s fleet.

I have no clue of the economics here. JSX isn’t publicly traded, and JSX’s jets are an average of nearly 25 years old. So I imagine the operating economics on these ATRs will be good, but I also imagine that JSX’s acquisition costs on the Embraer jets are pretty low.

Bottom line

JSX plans to get into turboprop operations. As of late 2025, the carrier will lease two ATR 42-600s, with the new ATR HighLine interior. The planes will feature 30 seats, spread across 15 rows, in a 1-1 configuration. This seems like about as good of a use of the aircraft as you could expect in the United States, and I could see these operations expanding considerably over time.

What do you make of JSX launching turboprop flights?