The Embraer ERJ145 and Bombardier CRJ200 are not comfortable aircraft to ride in. They however are a necessary evil. Some airports just don’t support enough traffic to have a larger aircraft so the little 50 seat ERJ145 and CRJ200 are used. Both of these planes are perfectly safe. In the US they are usually operated by regional airlines contracted by the major airlines. This means while it may say United or Delta on the side of the plane, it’s actually being flown by Air Wisconsin or ExpressJet. The ERJ145 is currently flying for American Airlines and United, while the CRJ200 is currently flying for American, Delta, and United.
So what one is better, the ERJ145 or the CRJ200? The good news is that you’ll rarely be on one of these aircraft for more than 2 hours. Often you don’t have a choice, you need to ride on the ERJ or CRJ, but sometimes you have an option. There are lots of similarities between the two aircraft but a few differences.
If you’d like to check out a full review of the Delta CRJ200 or United CRJ200 I have several reviews of each.
Anyway, lets get into it.
In This Guide
1 :ERJ145 vs CRJ200: What tiny uncomfortable plane is best?
1.1: ERJ 145 Review
1.2: ERJ Seating
1.3: ERJ Comfort
1.4: ERJ Baggage Storage
1.5: ERJ In flight
1.6: CRJ 200 Review
2.1: CRJ Seating
2.2: CRJ Comfort
2.3: CRJ Baggage Storage
2.4: CRJ In Flight
3: Service on ERJ and CRJ
4: ERJ145 vs CRJ200 Final Thoughts
ERJ 145 Review
The Embraer ERJ145 is built in Brazil by Aerospace giant Embraer. It’s a well established aircraft that has been in service since 1997. There has never been a fatal accident involving the type. Like I said, very safe aircraft.
ERJ Seating
The ERJ 145 has an interesting seating arrangement, in the US, it’s usually an all economy 50 seat aircraft. Because it’s a somewhat narrow plane, seats are arranged in a 1-2 configuration.
The seats on the single seat side of the aircraft are great for single travelers while the seats on the 2 seat side are great for couples.
The exit rows on the ERJ145 do tend to have a little extra legroom and I would recommend it. However, the doors are somewhat thin and those seats can be a little cold.
ERJ Comfort
The leg room in the rest of the cabin is unremarkable. It’s a small plane, the seats are a little narrow. If you’re tall, you might have some issue with the headroom while standing in the aisle.
ERJ Baggage Storage
Because of the 2-1 seating arrangement, there is not an overhead bin on the left side of the aircraft. The one on the right is also not big enough for a standard rolling carry-on bag.
When boarding, you’ll be given a gate check ticket and your bag will be collected and retrieved planeside. Backpacks and smaller bags will fit in the overhead or under-seat storage.
ERJ In flight
The ERJ 145 is a pleasant ride, however because it’s a smaller aircraft, it can be a little bit bumpy. While a larger aircraft might smooth out some of the roughness, the ERJ will feel more floaty. On a nice smooth day it won’t matter, when it gets cloudy and rough, you’ll notice.
CRJ 200 Review
The CRJ 200 is a development from the Canadian company Bombardier. It’s one of the original regional jets. During my travels to State College, I found a great book at the SCE airport that discusses the origins of the aircraft.
The CRJ 200 is more common in the US and is used by several regional airlines for Delta, United, and American Airlines.
CRJ Seating
The CRJ200 seats 50 people in a 2-2 configuration for each row. I can say, I do not like sitting in the exit row or bulkhead. I don’t think there’s any more room in the exit row and the bulk head has less room than a normal seat.
I’d actively avoid the bulk head if you have the opportunity.
CRJ Comfort
The leg room on the CRJ is tight and I’m not a tall person. The other issue is the seats are narrow, so if you’re sitting next to someone else, and you likely are, your shoulders will probably touch.
CRJ Baggage Storage
Much like the ERJ, the CRJ 200 has small overhead bins that cannot fit a regular sized carry on bag. Expect to leave your bag planeside. The good news is that the CRJ has overhead bins on both sides of the plane, the bad news is that they are both very small.
CRJ In Flight
In flight I find the CRJ200 to be a little bit smoother of a ride than the ERJ145. Not sure why, but they seem a little bit more stable.
When riding on one, you will notice more bumps than a larger aircraft, especially during takeoff and landing.
Service on ERJ and CRJ
On both the CRJ200 and ERJ145 don’t expect anything fancy. They are operated by the same regional airlines so they offer the same service on both aircraft types. On Delta this means a cookie and water.
On United, very similar, a water and Stroopwafel.
The ERJ145 and CRJ200 both fly on short routes so don’t expect a full meal, just a snack and drink. Often these flights are so short there will be no service at all.
ERJ145 vs CRJ200 Final Thoughts
Both of these 50 seaters fill a need. If you are going to or coming from a small airport, these little aircraft are the lifeline to a major hub.
I would say the ERJ145 is more comfortable, especially if you sit on the single seat side of the aircraft. It’s great not having a neighbor.
However I also think the CRJ 200 is a little bit smoother of a ride, however that’s very subjective and in no way something that I have measured.
If you have the option to fly on either of these planes bigger cousins, The ERJ175 and CRJ900 I would take that instead.
If you have the option to take a main line aircraft, do that instead. If you don’t, pick your poison, both the ERJ145 and CRJ200 are not the most pleasant aircraft, but welcome to my life.