On March 24, 2026, United unveiled a 41-seat regional jet meant to put a real first class cabin on flights to small cities, and the United CRJ 450 is now weeks away from paying passengers. According to The Points Guy, United and SkyWest say the jet remains on track to start flying out of Chicago O’Hare before the end of 2026.
That matters if your home airport only sees 50-seat regional jets. The old CRJ-200 on many of these routes was all economy. Its replacement gets seven United First seats, a luggage closet and free Starlink Wi-Fi for MileagePlus members.
The short answer on the United CRJ 450
The United CRJ 450 is not a new airplane design. United calls it a reworked version of the CRJ200, flown by SkyWest under the United Express name. It links smaller cities with the Denver and Chicago hubs, and United plans to have more than 50 of them in service by 2028, alongside nearly 120 of the larger CRJ550s.
The official details are in United’s March 2026 fleet announcement, which covered more than 250 new aircraft arriving by 2028.
CRJ 450 seat map and cabin, in plain English
United has not posted a full seat map, but the reported cabin split looks like this:
| Cabin | Seats | What stands out |
|---|---|---|
| United First | 7 | No overhead bins; bags go in a large closet instead |
| Extra-legroom economy | 16 | More pitch than standard rows |
| Economy | 18 | Bins sized to fit rollaboard bags |
| Total | 41 | Starlink Wi-Fi free for MileagePlus members |
The closet is the headline feature. United says no other U.S. commercial airline has swapped first class bins for a closet, and the goal is a cabin that feels closer to a private jet than a commuter plane. Rollaboard-size bins in economy are also unusual on a jet this small, which could mean fewer gate-checked bags at the door.
Where the United CRJ 450 will fly first
Officially, United has only said the jet will connect smaller cities to Denver and Chicago. No route list has been published. The first aircraft is expected to debut at O’Hare, and small markets such as Akron-Canton or Fort Wayne have been floated as likely candidates, but neither has been confirmed.
Timing has slipped a little. United’s March release promised a fall start; the current target is the end of the year. SkyWest’s leadership said in late October that the first two CRJ200s were being modified and certified at a maintenance shop in Utah, and that later conversions should take two to three weeks each.
Why United is putting first class on a 41-seat jet
Premium seats sell, even on short hops. CEO Scott Kirby put it plainly in March:
We have realized that the demand for premium was much higher than we ever knew.
Scott Kirby, United Airlines CEO
United already tested this idea with the CRJ550, a 50-seat two-cabin regional jet it launched in 2019. Delta has since added the same type. The CRJ450 takes the concept down one size, turning older airframes that would otherwise carry only economy passengers into premium-capable planes.
SkyWest is set to fly the first 40 United CRJ 450 jets, and its president has suggested the market could support around 100 over the coming years. That is a forecast, not an order.
What the United CRJ 450 means for your miles and status
For small-city flyers, this is the bigger story. A route that had no first class cabin at all now has one, which opens the door to paid upgrades, award seats up front and elite upgrades on legs where they were impossible before.
The catch is size. With only seven seats up front, the United CRJ 450 offers a tiny pool, so expect stiff competition among Premier members on busy days. United has not said anything about how upgrades or award pricing will work on this aircraft, so treat any early assumptions with caution. If you are weighing how much your status is worth next year, our breakdown of United’s 2027 status changes is a useful companion.
The Wi-Fi perk is the easiest win. Starlink is free on this jet for MileagePlus members, and joining MileagePlus costs nothing.
Common misconceptions about the CRJ 450
- It is a brand-new jet. It is a redesigned CRJ200 with a new interior, not a fresh airframe from a factory line.
- First class means overhead bins. Not here. United First passengers use the closet, so plan on handing over your rollaboard rather than stowing it above your seat.
- It replaces mainline first class. It does not. This is regional flying, closer in spirit to the domestic first products discussed in our look at United Basic First Class, but on much shorter trips.
Frequently asked questions
When is the CRJ 450 first flight?
United has not announced an exact date. The current target is the end of 2026, with the first flights out of Chicago O’Hare.
How many first class seats are on the CRJ 450?
Seven. The rest of the 41-seat cabin is reported as 16 extra-legroom economy seats and 18 standard economy seats.
Who operates the CRJ 450 for United?
SkyWest flies it under the United Express brand and is expected to operate the first 40 aircraft.
Should you book the United CRJ 450 on your next small-city trip?
If you live near a small airport that feeds Chicago or Denver, this jet is worth seeking out once routes load, especially if you have status or miles to spend on a first class seat. Travelers who only fly between big hubs can ignore it. Either way, the United CRJ 450 shows that a seat up front no longer depends on the size of your hometown.
