Brazil-based Embraer and Republic Airways, the world’s largest E-Jet operator, have signed a contract for a firm order of 100 E175 jets.

The agreement was announced as a Letter of Intent at the Farnborough Airshow last year.

The order is worth $4.69 billion at current list prices, and it will be included in Embraer’s 2018 fourth-quarter backlog; deliveries will begin in 2020.

The contract also includes purchase rights for another 100 E175s (with conversion rights to the E175-E2), bringing the total potential order up to 200 E-Jets.

With all purchase rights being exercised, the deal has a list price of $9.38 billion.

John Slattery, CEO of Embraer Commercial Aviation, said: “What a great way to finish this very hectic year for us at Embraer.

“As we promised at Farnborough, we are now closing a very important contract with Republic for these additional E175s, continuously growing our long-standing partnership.”

Bryan Bedford, Republic’s CEO, said: “This order represents another significant advance in our partnership with Embraer, and it positions Republic to compete for the more than 300 regional aircraft we anticipate being up for bid during the next five years, as existing flying agreements expire.”

Republic Airways and Embraer (www.embraer.com) established their partnership in 1999, when one of its former subsidiaries — Chautauqua Airlines — took delivery of its first ERJ 145 in the livery of US Airways Express.

Indiana-based Republic Airways currently operates a fleet of nearly 190 Embraer 170/175 aircraft and provides fixed-fee flights operated under its major airline partner brands of American Eagle, Delta Connection and United Express.