The newest member of the Dash-8 family, the Q400, had its first flight in 1998 and entered commercial service in February 2000.

The Q400 Dash 8 airliner was developed by Bombardier to meet the requirements of regional airlines for larger aircraft on high-density, short-haul routes. The  Q400 airliner is one of the world's quietest turboprop aircraft. The noise and vibration suppression system (NVS) was introduced on the Dash 8 turboprop family in 1996.

The aircraft's speed and 2,519km range provide airlines with the capability to service markets beyond conventional turboprop aircraft distances.

In October 2001, the Q400 airliner was approved by Europe's Joint Airworthiness Authorities for steep-approach operations, in preparation for approval to    operate at London City Airport (LCY), which has a
runway approach angle of 5.5°.