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The ATR 72-600 and Dash 8-400 are large regional turboprops. Current manufacturer sheets show the Dash 8-400 is substantially faster and has a larger standard cabin, while the ATR 72-600 is optimized around short regional missions.
The Dash 8-400 sheet publishes a 360-knot maximum cruise speed versus 270 knots for the ATR 72-600. That gap can matter on longer sectors. Trip cost still depends on fuel price, payload, maintenance, airport fees, and utilization rather than speed alone.
The compared manufacturer sheets show 72 standard seats and 740 nmi at maximum passengers for the ATR, versus 82 standard seats and 862 nmi at full passengers for the Dash 8. Optional layouts can reach 78 and 90 seats respectively.
Both aircraft fit regional airports, short runways, island networks, and thin routes that do not justify jets. The choice usually comes down to sector length, required speed, and local operating cost.
The Dash 8-400 is the faster, higher-capacity reference aircraft; the ATR 72-600 targets short regional efficiency. An operator's sector length, payload, support network, and acquisition terms determine the better fit.