The regional jets include first-class seats and enough room for full-size carry-on bags — a rarity on a regional jet.

Compass, which is based in Chantilly, Va., near Dulles airport, currently flies only one jet. But Northwest has been aiming to turn it into a true feeder carrier. Northwest purchased assets of bankrupt FLYi, the parent company of Independence Air, in early 2006 and earned its FAA operating certificate in early 2007, which enabled Compass to begin flying passengers. Compass took its first paying flight in May.

Northwest also bought regional carrier Mesaba Aviation out of bankruptcy. Mesaba, Compass, and independent carrier Pinnacle Airlines all fly under the Northwest Airlink name. The flights are sold and scheduled by Northwest and flown on planes Northwest provides.

With the Embraers, Northwest is buying the planes and leasing them to the subsidiary, Compass President John Bendoraitis said on Wednesday.

Sitting in one of the new Embraer's leather first-class seats, Bendoraitis said nothing in Compass' agreement with Northwest would prevent it from eventually seeking work from other airlines as well, but that won't happen anytime soon.

"It's the kind of thing that I think we're years away from," he said.

Northwest is also adding 36 new 76-seat Bombardier CRJ-900s, to be flown by Mesaba.