ATR and MHI RJ clash over whether turboprops or regional jets will define America’s short-haul future as airlines face a 50-seat dilemma.

In short, the market is waiting for a credible next step. Will fleets migrate to modern turboprops (as ATR advocates), shift to larger regional jets, or await a bespoke 50-seat jet revival? Because none of those scenarios is fully delivered today, operators must balance renewal decisions with operational risk, cost pressures and contract constraints.

For now, the contest between propeller and jet is less about speed and more about survival. ATR is right that economics favour the turboprop, but MHI RJ may ultimately be right that the US market isn’t ready to embrace them again.