Bombardier Dash 8 / Q400 — safety record, routes and airlines

The Bombardier Dash 8 / Q400 has 0 occurrences in our most recent five-year window, which puts its type score at 100 of 100. It has 0 hull losses and 1 recorded occurrence in total. That is a summary of the public safety record, not a prediction about any individual flight — the full arithmetic is on the methodology page.

The cabin is narrower than a jet, with 2-2 seating and overhead bins sized only for small carry-ons. Noise is higher than a jet due to the propellers, though the Q400 uses active noise cancellation and is noticeably quieter than older turboprops. Flight times on typical 300 nautical mile routes are 45 to 60 minutes. Descent and approach can feel more active than a jet.

Production was suspended in the early 2020s after De Havilland Canada moved the program out of Downsview in Toronto. The company has indicated plans to restart Q400 production at a new facility, though timing remains uncertain. The existing fleet continues to operate actively, and backlogs of parts support continued service for years to come.

Fuel burn per seat on sub-400 nautical mile routes is significantly better than any regional jet. Turboprops also handle short runways and some high-elevation or hot-climate airports better than equivalent jets. For very short sectors, their block times are comparable to jets once you include climb and descent. That combination keeps them economical on thin, short regional routes.