I flew on United's regional jet with more premium seats than regular economy and was impressed with the amenities but found the tight seats disappointing

Taylor RainsMar 20, 2022, 18:43 IST

I found the seating and tray space to be cramped.Taylor Rains/Insider

United Airlines' operates the world's only two-cabin 50-seater regional jet — the converted CRJ550.
I flew the premium-heavy plane from New York to Washington DC in economy and was disappointed by the lack of seat space.

United's Bombardier CRJ550 was first introduced into the airline's fleet in 2019 and is a converted CRJ700, but with only 50 seats and a swanky new interior.

GoJet Airlines

The small jet is operated by United's partner, GoJet Airlines, and is the world's only two-cabin 50-seater regional plane, featuring economy and United First. The premium-heavy product targets business and leisure travelers who want "true-first-class seating."

Taylor Rains/Insider

The small jet is operated by United's partner, GoJet Airlines, and is the world's only two-cabin 50-seater regional plane, featuring economy and United First. The premium-heavy product targets business and leisure travelers who want "true-first-class seating."

The plane is configured with 10 large first class seats …

Taylor Rains/Insider

… 20 economy plus seats that offer extra legroom …

Taylor Rains/Insider

… and 20 regular economy seats.

Taylor Rains/Insider

According to United, the company removed seats from the 70-seater CRJ700 to create the CRJ550 for labor reasons.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Pilot contracts limited how many larger regional jets, like the CRJ900 or Embraer 175, that United can have in its fleet, but it does not restrict planes with less than 51 seats.

United Airlines pilots walk through Newark Liberty International AirportNiall Carson - PA Images/Getty Images

Pilot contracts limited how many larger regional jets, like the CRJ900 or Embraer 175, that United can have in its fleet, but it does not restrict planes with less than 51 seats.

So, creating more CRJ550s skirts the contract and allows United to offer more regional flying without sacrificing comfort or premium amenities.

OntheRunPhoto/Getty Images

Most other 50-seater jets, like the aging CRJ200, are configured in all economy.

Robert Alexander/Getty Images

Meanwhile, because there are only 50 passengers, the plane only needs one flight attendant, per FAA regulations.

Solo flight attendant on United's CRJ550.Taylor Rains/Insider

Ankit Gupta, United's vice president of network planning and scheduling, told the Business Traveller that the jet is a niche product meant to create a "seamless" experience for deep-pocket customers, particularly those flying internationally in the company's luxury Polaris cabin.

United's Polaris onboard a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.EQRoy/Shutterstock

Ankit Gupta, United's vice president of network planning and scheduling, told the Business Traveller that the jet is a niche product meant to create a "seamless" experience for deep-pocket customers, particularly those flying internationally in the company's luxury Polaris cabin.

While the company has put a lot of focus on the first class section, United has emphasized that the entire cabin boasts more legroom per seat than any other 50-seater plane flown by a US carrier.

Taylor Rains/Insider

While the company has put a lot of focus on the first class section, United has emphasized that the entire cabin boasts more legroom per seat than any other 50-seater plane flown by a US carrier.

On my most recent trip to Washington, DC, I booked a nonstop flight from New York's LaGuardia Airport on United's CRJ550 in economy to see if the plane lived up to the hype.

Taylor Rains/Insider

On my most recent trip to Washington, DC, I booked a nonstop flight from New York's LaGuardia Airport on United's CRJ550 in economy to see if the plane lived up to the hype.

I started my journey to DC at LaGuardia's Terminal B. It was my first time back to the airport since the renovations and I was impressed with the sleek new look.

Taylor Rains/Insider

United's ticket counter is located at section F, where there are plenty of kiosks and agents to help passengers. I used the kiosk to get my boarding pass, which only took about a minute.

Taylor Rains/Insider

United's ticket counter is located at section F, where there are plenty of kiosks and agents to help passengers. I used the kiosk to get my boarding pass, which only took about a minute.

After an easy check-in, I made my way to TSA PreCheck, where a screen showed a six-minute wait, which was accurate after passing through.

Taylor Rains/Insider

From security, I made my way to Gate 45. The process was not much different than previous flights I'd taken before, though boarding did go quicker due to the jet's small size, which I liked.

Taylor Rains/Insider

From security, I made my way to Gate 45. The process was not much different than previous flights I'd taken before, though boarding did go quicker due to the jet's small size, which I liked.

Onboard, I was immediately impressed by the size of first class. The seats were in a 1x1 layout, giving plenty of room to travelers.

Taylor Rains/Insider

I also noticed a "throne" seat in the last row, offering ultimate privacy. This would be my choice of seat if I ever fly in the fancy cabin.

Lone "throne" seat.Taylor Rains/Insider

Also in first class is a unique snack bar near the forward galley. I'm sure the self-serve station makes things easier for the flight attendant who has to manage 50 passengers solo.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Also in first class is a unique snack bar near the forward galley. I'm sure the self-serve station makes things easier for the flight attendant who has to manage 50 passengers solo.

The best part about the jet lies between the first and economy cabins — luggage shelves.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Because United wants the CRJ550 to cater to business travelers, it doesn't want customers to have to gate-check their carry-on bag, which is common on other regional jets due to the small overhead bins.

The small overhead bins on the CRJ550 cannot fit a regular-sized carry-on, especially roller bags.Taylor Rains/Insider

Because United wants the CRJ550 to cater to business travelers, it doesn't want customers to have to gate-check their carry-on bag, which is common on other regional jets due to the small overhead bins.

The solution is luggage compartments. From what I could tell, it appears each shelf can hold three or four roller bags.

Taylor Rains/Insider

I did not have a large carry-on, so I was able to fit mine in the overhead above my seat, which was 15B toward the back of the plane.

I was seated in the aisle.Taylor Rains/Insider

Fortunately, I was not assigned row 17 or 10 because those seats do not recline.

Row 10 does not recline because of the exit row behind, while row 17 doesn't recline due to the wall directly behind.Taylor Rains/Insider

However, despite my seat offering recline, I didn't use it. That was because the seats had very little room and I did not want to impede on the person behind me.

Taylor Rains/Insider

This was my overall biggest disappointment in the CRJ550. While United says the regional plane offers the most legroom per seat compared to competing airlines' 50-seaters, I find that hard to believe.

Taylor Rains/Insider

This was my overall biggest disappointment in the CRJ550. While United says the regional plane offers the most legroom per seat compared to competing airlines' 50-seaters, I find that hard to believe.

Looking at the seat pitch and width outlined on SeatGuru, the 20 regular economy seats only offer 30 inches of pitch and 17 inches of width.

Taylor Rains/Insider

I'm not a large person, standing at only 5'4", but I felt cramped. It was not necessarily the legroom that was inadequate — though it was snug — it was the overall minimal space that bothered me.

Taylor Rains/Insider

I'm not a large person, standing at only 5'4", but I felt cramped. It was not necessarily the legroom that was inadequate — though it was snug — it was the overall minimal space that bothered me.

If I were to compare the seat to Delta's CRJ700, which the CRJ550 is just a different version of, I'm shocked at how United's economy section is so small.

Delta CRJ700.Digital Media Pro/Shutterstock

According to SeatGuru, Delta offers 31 regular economy seats with 31 inches of pitch and 17.3 inches of width.

Delta CRJ700 cabin.Taylor Rains/Insider

Meanwhile, American offers 30-31 regular economy seats with 31 inches of pitch and up to 18 inches of width, depending on the version.

American CRJ700.Markus Mainka/Shutterstock

While neither is significantly more than United's CRJ550 product, the little bit of extra room can make a huge difference to larger travelers.

American CRJ700 interior.Cory W. Watts

Its possible United focused too much on creating a premium first class, which offers 42 inches of pitch compared to Delta's 36 inches and American's 37-38 inches. As a result, the company may have crammed in too many economy seats or didn't leave enough space to offer the room I expected.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Its possible United focused too much on creating a premium first class, which offers 42 inches of pitch compared to Delta's 36 inches and American's 37-38 inches. As a result, the company may have crammed in too many economy seats or didn't leave enough space to offer the room I expected.

Personally, I felt just as cramped in the CRJ550 economy section as I did on any other 50-seater jet that I've flown on in the past.

Taylor Rains/Insider

This was disappointing because United markets the plane as being more comfortable and customer-focused regardless of the cabin. But, based on my experience, I think you'll only find this to be true if you sit in first class or economy plus, which offer 42 inches and 34-36 inches of pitch, respectively.

GoJet Airlines

This was disappointing because United markets the plane as being more comfortable and customer-focused regardless of the cabin. But, based on my experience, I think you'll only find this to be true if you sit in first class or economy plus, which offer 42 inches and 34-36 inches of pitch, respectively.

Aside from the space, I also felt the seat padding was hard and didn't add much comfort to the journey. I found the cushioning on Delta's Embraer 170 and JetBlue's Embraer 190 seats to be better, personally.

JetBlue's Embraer 190 economy seats.Taylor Rains/Insider

Aside from the space, I also felt the seat padding was hard and didn't add much comfort to the journey. I found the cushioning on Delta's Embraer 170 and JetBlue's Embraer 190 seats to be better, personally.

While my biggest gripe was the seats, I was happy with the inflight amenities, including entertainment on my phone and WiFi.

Taylor Rains/Insider

The WiFi was $8, which is more than Delta's $5, but it was speedy and did the job. Meanwhile, there were plenty of TV shows and movies to choose from.

Taylor Rains/Insider

I worked from my laptop on the flight, which fit on the tray table in front of me, but I didn't have room for much else. This was another thing I found slightly inconvenient.

Taylor Rains/Insider

I worked from my laptop on the flight, which fit on the tray table in front of me, but I didn't have room for much else. This was another thing I found slightly inconvenient.

The tray table folded down low, so my laptop was basically sitting on my lap rather than being elevated closer to my mid-section. This made typing a little awkward, but it wasn't a huge deal on the one-hour flight.

I found the seating and tray space to be cramped.Taylor Rains/Insider

The tray table folded down low, so my laptop was basically sitting on my lap rather than being elevated closer to my mid-section. This made typing a little awkward, but it wasn't a huge deal on the one-hour flight.

En route, there was no inflight service due to the short duration and having only one flight attendant. But, she did bring me a water bottle when I asked, and first class had open access to the snack bar.

Taylor Rains/Insider

En route, there was no inflight service due to the short duration and having only one flight attendant. But, she did bring me a water bottle when I asked, and first class had open access to the snack bar.

While I felt cramped in my seat, I was happy to find a spacious lavatory, which was located in the back of the plane.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Honestly, it's probably one of the biggest washrooms I've seen in economy on any size jet. There was a large area between the toilet and the far wall, giving me room to stretch a bit.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Honestly, it's probably one of the biggest washrooms I've seen in economy on any size jet. There was a large area between the toilet and the far wall, giving me room to stretch a bit.

Also in the bathroom was a big changing table for families traveling with babies.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Similar to boarding, the deplaning process went quickly. Although I was seated at the back of the plane, I was off the jet in just a few minutes and on my way to the city.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Similar to boarding, the deplaning process went quickly. Although I was seated at the back of the plane, I was off the jet in just a few minutes and on my way to the city.

Overall, I was disappointed with the seats offered in economy. I'm sure that if I upgraded to economy plus that it would have been a treat, and I may just do that next time.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Overall, I was disappointed with the seats offered in economy. I'm sure that if I upgraded to economy plus that it would have been a treat, and I may just do that next time.

Despite my distaste for the economy product, I do think the premium touches — like the snack bar and luggage compartments — are necessary for business travelers and make the experience for them much more enjoyable.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Despite my distaste for the economy product, I do think the premium touches — like the snack bar and luggage compartments — are necessary for business travelers and make the experience for them much more enjoyable.

I tried meals prepared by the world's largest provider of airplane food, and here's why I'll never look at inflight meals the same way — but for good reasons

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

I flew on United's regional jet with more premium seats than regular economy and was impressed with the amenities but found the tight seats disappointing

United's Bombardier CRJ550 was first introduced into the airline's fleet in 2019 and is a converted CRJ700, but with only 50 seats and a swanky new interior.

The small jet is operated by United's partner, GoJet Airlines, and is the world's only two-cabin 50-seater regional plane, featuring economy and United First. The premium-heavy product targets business and leisure travelers who want "true-first-class seating."

The plane is configured with 10 large first class seats …

… 20 economy plus seats that offer extra legroom …

… and 20 regular economy seats.

According to United, the company removed seats from the 70-seater CRJ700 to create the CRJ550 for labor reasons.

Pilot contracts limited how many larger regional jets, like the CRJ900 or Embraer 175, that United can have in its fleet, but it does not restrict planes with less than 51 seats.

So, creating more CRJ550s skirts the contract and allows United to offer more regional flying without sacrificing comfort or premium amenities.

Most other 50-seater jets, like the aging CRJ200, are configured in all economy.

Meanwhile, because there are only 50 passengers, the plane only needs one flight attendant, per FAA regulations.

Ankit Gupta, United's vice president of network planning and scheduling, told the Business Traveller that the jet is a niche product meant to create a "seamless" experience for deep-pocket customers, particularly those flying internationally in the company's luxury Polaris cabin.

While the company has put a lot of focus on the first class section, United has emphasized that the entire cabin boasts more legroom per seat than any other 50-seater plane flown by a US carrier.

On my most recent trip to Washington, DC, I booked a nonstop flight from New York's LaGuardia Airport on United's CRJ550 in economy to see if the plane lived up to the hype.

I started my journey to DC at LaGuardia's Terminal B. It was my first time back to the airport since the renovations and I was impressed with the sleek new look.

United's ticket counter is located at section F, where there are plenty of kiosks and agents to help passengers. I used the kiosk to get my boarding pass, which only took about a minute.

After an easy check-in, I made my way to TSA PreCheck, where a screen showed a six-minute wait, which was accurate after passing through.

From security, I made my way to Gate 45. The process was not much different than previous flights I'd taken before, though boarding did go quicker due to the jet's small size, which I liked.

Onboard, I was immediately impressed by the size of first class. The seats were in a 1x1 layout, giving plenty of room to travelers.

I also noticed a "throne" seat in the last row, offering ultimate privacy. This would be my choice of seat if I ever fly in the fancy cabin.

Also in first class is a unique snack bar near the forward galley. I'm sure the self-serve station makes things easier for the flight attendant who has to manage 50 passengers solo.

The best part about the jet lies between the first and economy cabins — luggage shelves.

Because United wants the CRJ550 to cater to business travelers, it doesn't want customers to have to gate-check their carry-on bag, which is common on other regional jets due to the small overhead bins.

The solution is luggage compartments. From what I could tell, it appears each shelf can hold three or four roller bags.

I did not have a large carry-on, so I was able to fit mine in the overhead above my seat, which was 15B toward the back of the plane.

Fortunately, I was not assigned row 17 or 10 because those seats do not recline.

However, despite my seat offering recline, I didn't use it. That was because the seats had very little room and I did not want to impede on the person behind me.

This was my overall biggest disappointment in the CRJ550. While United says the regional plane offers the most legroom per seat compared to competing airlines' 50-seaters, I find that hard to believe.

Looking at the seat pitch and width outlined on SeatGuru, the 20 regular economy seats only offer 30 inches of pitch and 17 inches of width.

I'm not a large person, standing at only 5'4", but I felt cramped. It was not necessarily the legroom that was inadequate — though it was snug — it was the overall minimal space that bothered me.

If I were to compare the seat to Delta's CRJ700, which the CRJ550 is just a different version of, I'm shocked at how United's economy section is so small.

According to SeatGuru, Delta offers 31 regular economy seats with 31 inches of pitch and 17.3 inches of width.

Meanwhile, American offers 30-31 regular economy seats with 31 inches of pitch and up to 18 inches of width, depending on the version.

While neither is significantly more than United's CRJ550 product, the little bit of extra room can make a huge difference to larger travelers.

Its possible United focused too much on creating a premium first class, which offers 42 inches of pitch compared to Delta's 36 inches and American's 37-38 inches. As a result, the company may have crammed in too many economy seats or didn't leave enough space to offer the room I expected.

Personally, I felt just as cramped in the CRJ550 economy section as I did on any other 50-seater jet that I've flown on in the past.

Aside from the space, I also felt the seat padding was hard and didn't add much comfort to the journey. I found the cushioning on Delta's Embraer 170 and JetBlue's Embraer 190 seats to be better, personally.

While my biggest gripe was the seats, I was happy with the inflight amenities, including entertainment on my phone and WiFi.

The WiFi was $8, which is more than Delta's $5, but it was speedy and did the job. Meanwhile, there were plenty of TV shows and movies to choose from.

I worked from my laptop on the flight, which fit on the tray table in front of me, but I didn't have room for much else. This was another thing I found slightly inconvenient.

The tray table folded down low, so my laptop was basically sitting on my lap rather than being elevated closer to my mid-section. This made typing a little awkward, but it wasn't a huge deal on the one-hour flight.

En route, there was no inflight service due to the short duration and having only one flight attendant. But, she did bring me a water bottle when I asked, and first class had open access to the snack bar.

While I felt cramped in my seat, I was happy to find a spacious lavatory, which was located in the back of the plane.

Honestly, it's probably one of the biggest washrooms I've seen in economy on any size jet. There was a large area between the toilet and the far wall, giving me room to stretch a bit.

Also in the bathroom was a big changing table for families traveling with babies.

Similar to boarding, the deplaning process went quickly. Although I was seated at the back of the plane, I was off the jet in just a few minutes and on my way to the city.

Overall, I was disappointed with the seats offered in economy. I'm sure that if I upgraded to economy plus that it would have been a treat, and I may just do that next time.

Despite my distaste for the economy product, I do think the premium touches — like the snack bar and luggage compartments — are necessary for business travelers and make the experience for them much more enjoyable.