Convair 880/990
The Convair 880 and 990 are a family of American regional and narrowbody, quad-engine jet airliners. The only planes in MFC made by Convair, these aircraft are popular with regional airlines and new startups.
Basic characteristics
The Convair 880 is a medium-range aircraft used mostly by regional and legacy airlines. Its 5636 km range is the longest in the regional category, making it a useful tool for regional airlines to connect more distant city pairs. The relatively low price of $11,681,385 makes the Convair 880 an attractive choice for new airlines stretching their wings on longer routes across continents or oceans. Its prominence as one of the most popular medium-range regional jets is reflected in the 280+ units that are currently in circulation [June 24, 2026].
Convair 990 and 990A "Coronado"
The Convair 990 is a larger variant based on the Convair 880. It has a higher capacity of 121 pax and a longer range of 6116 km. This puts the aircraft in the narrowbody category and only available for non-regional airlines. The Convair 990 also has a higher cruise speed of 990 km/h.
The 990A Variant is a higher capacity and higher quality version of the Convair 990. It can fit up to 149 seats with a Pax. experience of 2.5 stars. It also has some other minor improvements over its smaller siblings, but trades this for a much higher purchase price of $35,550,336.
Specifications
| Model | Convair 880 | Convair 990 | Convair 990A |
| Capacity (maximum) | 110 pax | 121 pax | 149 pax |
| Passenger Experience | 2 stars | 2 stars | 2.5 stars |
| Category | Regional Jet XL | Narrowbody | Narrowbody |
| Turnaround time | 64 min | 67 min | 74 min |
| Runway required | 2670 m | 2875 m | 3002 m |
| Range | 5636 km | 6116 km | 6116 km |
| Ascent fuel burn | 1.94 | 1.81 | 2.21 |
| Cruise fuel burn | 1.81 | 1.72 | 1.52 |
| Speed | 880 km/h | 990 km/h | 1030 km/h |
| Lifespan | 30 years | 30 years | 30 years |
| Manufacturer | Convair | ||
| Country | United States of America | ||
| Price | $11,681,385 | $16,395,446 | $35,550,336 |
| Delivery | 4 weeks | 8 weeks | 12 weeks |
Operational recommendations
Route configuration
The Convair 880 is best suited for routes >2000km which take advantage of its modest cruise fuel burn. It is not recommended to compete on shorter routes where aircraft like the DC-9 or 737 will have a significant fuel cost advantage.
Cabin configuration
The Convair 880 family can perform well in an all-economy or mixed business & economy layout. An all-economy layout is recommended for routes with more discount economy and tourist pax or routes already served with higher quality planes. A mixed business class layout can be more effective on routes to business and elite charms, especially for the 990A with its 2.5 star rating. This appeal across multiple passenger types makes the Convair 880/990 a versatile choice for building out an airline's medium-haul network.