On Board United’s New CRJ450 Regional Jet That Will Fly to Cities Across the Country Soon

United Airlines says that about one-third of its passengers fly on board a regional jet at some point. These small jets are critical to the airline’s network, bringing passengers from smaller cities to one of its hubs and then distributing them to their final destinations.

Historically, the passenger experience on board these small planes hasn’t been great. They’re often afterthoughts, with cramped interiors, small seats, and no entertainment to speak of.

United, however, has invested in its fleet of regional jets, already introducing the CRJ550, which features innovations such as a luggage locker and even a snack bar at the front of the aircraft.

Now, it’s introducing another new regional jet, the CRJ450, which adapts that formula to a smaller aircraft.

We recently got on board the new aircraft to check it out, and we think passengers in the smaller cities it will serve will enjoy the experience, which looks to be a significant upgrade over a typical regional jet. Here’s what the plane is like.

Step Inside United’s New CRJ450

At the United Elevated event earlier this week in Los Angeles, the Chicago-based carrier showcased new planes and elements of its upgraded flying experience that flyers can expect in the coming months and years.

The star of the show was undoubtedly the new Boeing 787-9 Elevated, which debuts the carrier’s latest iteration of Polaris business class and the all-new Polaris Studio concept.

However, United also had another new plane on display: the CRJ450, a regional jet based on the Bombardier CRJ200 that’s been modified to enhance the experience for United Express passengers.

First, United removed 9 seats from the aircraft, leaving it with 41 seats instead of the standard 50. However, the removal of seats has created the space United needed to deliver a unique passenger experience for this aircraft type.

In front of the aircraft, ahead of the first class cabin, there’s a large luggage rack where premium passengers can store their carry-on bags.

This paved the way for 2 big improvements. First, the airplane can accommodate more standard-sized carry-on bags, and second, it allows United to remove the overhead bins in the first class cabin, giving the admittedly small aircraft a more open feel — and passengers a little more headroom, which is certainly at a premium on this plane.

There are 7 first class seats on the aircraft; 3 of them are solo seats across 3 rows.

The remaining 4 are arranged in a 2-2 configuration across 2 rows. If you’re traveling by yourself, one of the solo seats is definitely the way to go, as they feel spacious and very comfortable.

If you’re with a companion, opt for one of the sets of 2 seats on the opposite side of the aircraft.

Behind first class is the economy cabin, which has Economy Plus and standard economy seating available.

Seats are arranged in a 2-2 configuration, which means there are no dreaded middle seats to worry about.

And the economy cabin gets overhead bins large enough to fit roller bags, a big improvement over many regional jets, where the bins are punishingly small.

Finally, CRJ450 passengers will be delighted to learn that these aircraft will be equipped with Starlink inflight Wi-Fi, which allows for a ground-like surfing experience at altitude. This is especially important on small aircraft like this, where there’s no built-in inflight entertainment system available.

United says the CRJ450 will be based primarily at its Chicago (ORD) and Denver (DEN) hubs, where it will serve small markets that aren’t big enough to support larger regional jets or mainline flights.

Final Thoughts

United’s new CRJ450 represents a big improvement in the regional jet experience, and it will start flying between small markets and the carrier’s Chicago and Denver hubs later in 2026.

With an innovative luggage cabinet, the removal of overhead bins in first class, larger bins in economy, and Starlink Wi-Fi, flying on one of United’s smallest planes should no longer be a punishment — and in fact, you might just enjoy it.