The fleet transition will support Billings links to five regional communities with greater passenger, baggage and cargo flexibility.
Cape Air has ordered eight Cessna Grand Caravan EX turboprops for introduction into its Montana network beginning in 2027.
- Cape Air has ordered eight Cessna Grand Caravan EX turboprops for its regional passenger operation in Montana.
- The airline plans to begin introducing the aircraft into its Montana network in 2027.
- Cape Air currently links Billings with Sidney, Glendive, Wolf Point, Glasgow and Havre in Eastern Montana.
- Cape Air says the aircraft’s reliability, performance and cargo capacity will add flexibility for passengers travelling with baggage, sporting equipment and work gear.
(NEWS) BILLINGS, Montana, United States, 2026-Sep-14 — /Travel PR News/ — Regional travellers in Eastern Montana are set to see a significant fleet change from 2027, with Cape Air ordering eight Cessna Grand Caravan EX turboprops for the airline’s Billings-centered network. The investment is aimed at strengthening the practical side of small-community air service, where reliability and the ability to carry passengers alongside baggage, work equipment and other bulky items can be particularly important.
The order was disclosed by Textron Aviation on September 12. Cape Air plans to begin introducing the aircraft into Montana operations in 2027, shifting the regional network to the single-engine turboprop platform. The airline cited reliability, performance and increased cargo capacity among the reasons for selecting the aircraft, according to details released by Textron Aviation.
A fleet change built around Eastern Montana connectivity
Cape Air’s Montana operation uses Billings as its regional hub. The airline currently operates year-round links between Billings Logan International Airport and five Eastern Montana communities: Sidney, Glendive, Wolf Point, Glasgow and Havre. Cape Air’s Montana network information positions those flights as links for both local travel and onward connections through Billings.
That makes the aircraft choice relevant beyond the fleet itself. For communities spread across a large state, scheduled regional flights can reduce lengthy overland journeys for residents travelling for work, medical appointments, shopping, family visits and connecting air travel. Cape Air President and Chief Executive Officer Mike Migliore said the Grand Caravan would give the airline additional flexibility for customers carrying baggage, sporting equipment, work gear and other essential items. He described the aircraft as “a great fit for our Montana operation.”
The eight-aircraft commitment also signals a long-term investment in a network that serves smaller communities rather than a short-term seasonal expansion. Cape Air has not announced new Montana destinations as part of the order; the current plan is to deploy the Grand Caravan EX within the existing regional operation beginning next year.
Why the Grand Caravan EX fits regional flying
The Cessna Grand Caravan EX is designed for utility operations that can combine passenger and cargo requirements. Textron Aviation lists the aircraft with a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-140 engine producing 867 shaft horsepower, a maximum cruise speed of 185 knots and a maximum range of 912 nautical miles. The cockpit uses Garmin G1000 NXi avionics, while the landplane configuration offers a large cargo door and substantial baggage volume.
Those characteristics have made the Caravan family a familiar platform for regional airlines, charter operators, cargo carriers and special-mission users. Textron Aviation says more than 3,100 Caravan and Grand Caravan aircraft have been delivered worldwide, with the type certified in 100 countries and the global fleet accumulating more than 25 million flight hours.
Chris Crow, Textron Aviation’s vice president of Piston & Utility aircraft sales, said operators continue to select the Grand Caravan EX for its operating flexibility and day-to-day dependability. For Cape Air, that versatility is being directed toward a specific passenger-service challenge: moving people and their belongings efficiently across a network of smaller Montana airports while maintaining dependable links through Billings.
Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Hyannis, Massachusetts, Cape Air is an employee-owned regional airline. Textron Aviation says the carrier serves 34 cities across the United States and the Caribbean and operates more than 300 flights per day. The Montana fleet transition will give the airline a new aircraft platform for one of its most geographically dispersed regional markets while keeping the focus on the connectivity its Eastern Montana communities already use.
