Everything You Wanted to Know About Where to Sit on a United ERJ-145.

Yes, it is time for the next two installments in our series of PSAs - Public Seating Announcements.

First up, the Embraer 145 Regional Jet.

Flew this bird between IAD and GSO and then back, and I have to say it's my favorite RJ so far when in Economy.

UA Seat Map - http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,51211,00.html
SeatGuru Seat Map - http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Uni...er_ERJ-145.php

First off, SeatGuru's recommendations are pretty much on the money.

NOTE - UA and SeatGuru label the seats as A, B, and C (going from left to right). On both my planes, the seats were labeled A, D and F as were the Boarding Passes.

I was in 12A on both segments and was quite comfortable. Legroom is around 38" (think UA domestic First) and the smaller armrest on the left side means you have a little more room to adjust your thighs. 12D and 12F have equally good legroom and the center armrest is moveable.

3D and 3F have about 35" of legroom, and are definitely the #4 and #5 picks. 1A has about 33", which makes it better then anything else after Row 12 and 3DF are taken.

The rest of the plane is 31" pitch, though the thinner seatbacks make that actually a little better then on a mainline plane.

Seats are leather and on both my planes (I believe it was the same one), there were no seperate, moveable headrest as SeatGuru claims.

Like most older RJs, the roof is low. The side bins (over the DF seats) actually can take a briefcase and even a backpack, as it is wide at the mouth and tapers back as the fueselage curves, which puts it one up on the CRJ-200 and CRJ-700. The windows are actually pretty comfortable to look out of (especially compared with the CRJ-200).

In the end, this plane has it all over the CRJ-200, especially in Row 12, 3DF, and 1A. But the fact that the leftside seats are a single and the bigger bins still make it a nicer ride then the CRJ-200.

If I have a choice I will take the NO RJ option but thanks for the tips Tigger.
-UFFA

Great to see that UA is diluting the spread of the CRJ200. Anything is better than the CRJ200. Between these Embraers and the CR7's with F and E+, UX is improving. That's right, improving.

Maybe I'm alone in this, but, to me, the best seat re: the ERJ is the one in the boarding lounge watching other people get on it.

I don't think I'm generally claustrophobic but that one could induce a panic attack. I've been on it twice, once in 1A and once in 3A (this was USX), and just looking back that loooong, narrow tube with the low ceiling and high seat backs gave me the cold sweats. I've aggressively avoided it ever since. Give me a CRJ anytime, low windows or no.

I prefer the ERJ-145 over the CRJs for the same reason as SEA_Tigger. Better overhead bins, 1-2 seating and better window placement.

I've sat in 1A and that was a great seat. I've also sat in 3C and that was fine, but 1A is better. Fortunately, one one flight the big guy next to me in 3B found a separate row to occupy on my flight. The seats were leather, but I don't recall having adjustable headrests also.

To those who have flown the ERJ-145: are the pair of seats on the right labelled D/F or B/C on the boarding passes and in the plane?

The seatmaps say B/C, but SEA_Tigger's boarding pass and experience in one of the ERJ-145s had them labelled D/F. Just curious.

"Better overhead bins"? Can you get anything more than a thin portfolio or empty small briefcase in these bins? Are they bigger than the other CRJ's? I don't expect to get a rollerboard on but how about a full briefcase or small overnight bag?

Better in comparison to RJs. They are a bit bigger and better shaped than CRJ overheads. I think I put a moderately stuffed backpack in it at the time.

The bin sizes are bigger than standard RJ's. I am able to put a 22" rollerbag in the bin (sideways). Otherwise you can check the bag plane side upon boarding and retreive the bag plane side upon deboarding.

FrogFlier

You must have flown on different ERJ-145s than me.

You must be thinking of the 170 or the 190.

The overhead bin (over the starboard side - there is no bin over the port side) won't hold any 22 inch rollerbag with which I am familiar. Perhaps a very thin briefcase or non-stuffed backpack.

On AA, FAs nearly always prohibit any rollerbags from boarding - they are valet checked planeside, returned to the pax planeside (or on the jetway) upon landing.

Sorry about that. I did confuse the 145 with the 170. Unfortunately, I have flown too many and they are beginning to look the same.

FrogFlier

A 145 overhead bin can take a fully stuffed laptop backpack as long as you get to the bin first.

It appears that Chautauqua blocks 1A/2A/3A for Premiers before the day of flight. ^ This is in contrast to Trans States which allows them first come first serve.

I'm trying to figure out if row 1 is considered an emergency exit row or just a regular seat. I recently had ankle surgery and I am in a hard cast. I need as much leg room as I can get. But just a little afraid they will try to kick me out of the seat if they view it as an emergency exit.

ERJ-145? Yes, I believe it is. IIRC, there is nothing in front of 1A except the door.