High erbium doped fluoroaluminate, fluorozirconate and phosphate glasses were melt for waveguide amplifiers at 1.5 μm. The spectroscopic properties, concentration quenching and its mechanism were investigated and compared in these glasses with excitation of laser diode operating at 0.80 μm and 0.98 μm. The experimental results indicate that the quantum efficiency for the emission at 1.5 μm is higher upon excitation at 0.98 μm than that at 0.80 μm, owing to the much weaker excited state absorption (ESA) compared with those of excitation at 0.80 μm. In addition to the solvency of high rare earth concentration, Er 3+ doped fluoroaluminate glass has a much higher quantum efficiency and stronger fluorescence for the  4I 13/2 → 4I 15/2  emission at 1.54 μm than Er 3+ doped ZBLAN and PE glasses, and also has the smallest concentration quenching in these glasses. It can be considered to be an excellent host for waveguide amplifiers at 1.5 μm.