Could this be the fanciest regional jet in America?

United Airlines may be about to one-up itself with a fancier regional jet.

Back in 2019, the Chicago-based carrier debuted the Mitsubishi CRJ-550, a 50-seat regional jet with a first-class cabin and lockers instead of overhead bins, so everyone — in theory — could store their bags onboard. Fast forward seven years, and United is about to do it again with the CRJ-450.

The CRJ-450 is a modified version of the existing CRJ-200, with just 41 seats instead of the standard 50. The layout is split between seven first-class and 34 economy seats rather than the current all-economy layout.

The overhead bins in first class on the CRJ-450 will be removed in favor of lockers for carry-on bags, and the fleet will be equipped with high-speed Starlink inflight connectivity. Unfortunately, there will not be a snack bar, unlike on the larger CRJ-550 (depicted in the photo below).

The first CRJ-450 is set to enter service from United's hubs at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and Denver International Airport (DEN) before the end of 2026, said Andrew Nocella, chief commercial officer of United.

"What we've done here, with the 450 and the 550, is to bring a consistent level of service across all of our aircraft and a very premium experience no matter where you're sitting," he said.

The CRJ-450 is the latest in United's premium push. The airline is set to debut its first Boeing 787-9 Elevated with the new first class-light Polaris Studio suites on flights between San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Singapore's Changi Airport (SIN) on April 22. And, later this year, it will unveil its first Airbus A321neo "Coastliner" and A321XLRs, both with Polaris business class suites, on transcontinental and transatlantic routes.

The investments are part of a larger effort under CEO Scott Kirby to position the carrier as the second premium U.S. carrier, alongside Delta Air Lines. The move is both beneficial to customers who enjoy the additional amenities and nicer offerings — at least those who can pay — and pushes United further into what rival Delta has proven is a more profitable segment of the market.

In 2025, Delta generated a 9.2% operating margin, and United an 8% operating margin.

The business case for the CRJ-450

The case for the CRJ-450 is unique to United. The number of regional jets flown by affiliate airlines under banners like "American Eagle" or "United Express" is tightly controlled by what are known as "scope clauses" in major airlines' pilot contracts. These clauses limit everything from the number of small jets to the number of seats they can have and their maximum takeoff weight.

United has the tightest scope clause restrictions among the major airlines. Its current agreements allow it fewer of the larger 76-seat regional jets than either American Airlines or Delta. However, United can contract as many of the less-popular 50-seat regional jets as it wants. That was the initial reason United, working with GoJet Airlines, developed the CRJ-550 — a plane that has since been adopted by Delta as well.

"United is doing their best to copy us, and I don't blame them," Ed Bastian, the CEO of Delta, said in December. "I would copy Delta, too, if I was them."

What remains unclear is the economics of the CRJ-450. The CRJ-200 airframe it uses is among the costlier and least fuel-efficient for airlines to operate.

As of March 20, the price of jet fuel had risen to $4.56 a gallon, an 82% jump from Feb. 27 — the day before the U.S. and Israel began their attack on Iran — the latest data from trade group Airlines for America shows.

The CRJ-550 proved a success, with the additional revenue from adding first-class and extra-legroom economy seats to a 50-seat regional jet outweighing the costs of removing 20 seats from the CRJ-700, which was modified to create the CRJ-550.

Where will United fly the CRJ-450?

The CRJ-450, which is smaller than the 550, will "connect primarily from smaller cities" to DEN and ORD, United said in a statement.

While the airline is mum on exactly what "smaller cities" will see the CRJ-450, the airline currently flies CRJ-200s to places like Four Corners Regional Airport (FMN) in Farmington, New Mexico; Prescott Regional Airport (PRC) in Arizona; and Sioux Gateway Airport (SUX) on the Iowa-Nebraska border, schedule data from aviation analytics firm Cirium shows.

For comparison, United flies CRJ-550s to more medium-sized markets, including Colorado Springs Airport (COS), Des Moines International Airport (DSM) in Iowa and Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA), Cirium schedules show.

United, like all major airlines, varies the type of plane it flies on a route by the time of day. In other words, a route with a mainline Airbus A320 at a peak time could see a CRJ-200 in an off-peak time slot.

The airline plans to have 50 CRJ-450s operated by affiliate SkyWest Airlines flying by 2028, and eventually 70 aircraft total, Nocella said. They will replace a fleet of 30 CRJ-200s that are also flown by SkyWest.

"We hope these will be a game-changer in the smallest communities we fly," Nocella said.

United will continue to fly the Embraer ERJ-145, configured in an all-economy 50-seat layout, Nocella added when asked if the CRJ-450s will replace those planes as well. There are currently 88 ERJ-145s in United's regional fleet, including 29 listed as "temporarily grounded," flown by CommuteAir.

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