Best seats?
 

I'm flying from MSP to YYZ on a Canadair Regional Jet. Booked the ticket without realizing there is no FC. So what's my best choice in terms of seats? Do the exit rows provide more space or am I better off in one of the first few rows because the seats are essentially the same in terms of size?

IIRC, the exit row seats have a shorter seat cushion and armrest on the window seats. Aisle seat is more comfortable....

The row in front of the exit seats won't recline.....

Other than that, it's probably a wash. I'm normally just happy to be sitting inside the aircraft..... :D

Bulkhead seats are best for knee space although if you are tallish, then there is not much room to stretch out your legs. The exit rows privide no real advantage other than the row in front does not recline into you. The cushions are smaller too.

One version of CRJ has good bulkhead seats 2C and 2D, so I would grab these if they look like bulkhead seats on your flight. Otherwise it's a wash.

I'm 6'4" and don't really like CRJs. However, I've found that the front row aisle seat is usually the best. Some versions have lots of leg room (if the exit door is in front of you). They all have no one in front of you who insists on reclining.

second the front row aisle seat - you can usually angle your legs into the aisle for more leg room

That was the 44 seat CRJ with the closets in the front. I believe these are all gone (or reconfigured). nwa.com no longer shows the 44 seat configuration on the seat map, and I have not seen one in many months in person.

Any way you can get out of flying the CRJ for your comfort? The best seats are those not on this aircraft...

BUT if you absolutely positively have to fly on a CRJ, the argument re: least uncomfortable seat is between 1 C and 2C. The exit row seats are worthless. Some feel that 2C is better than 1C because 2D, the window seat, has a better chance of being unoccupied than 1D and they don't seem to like 1C because there is not significant extra leg room and no storage under the seat. Do not select a window seat - the cabin wall slopes in at too steep an angle and pushes your shoulder into the person seated in the aisle seat. Also the windows are too low to see out without scrunching down. It has been pointed out before that the seats in the exit rows have less padding and get very uncomfortably after a short while as well as having no extra leg room AND they also tend to be cold due to less insulation in the doors than in the cabin walls. Read what SeatGuru.com has to say about seating on the CRJ 200s.

I changed my flight to this one and already put too much in motion to change it....I'll certainly be more careful next time!

Thanks for all the input ... the aisle seats are all gone in the front of the plane, so I went with an aisle seat in the back with no one at the window. Perhaps one of the reserved handicap seats (1A or 1B) will become available up front (are they any good?)

Ahh, I thought they were all gone too, but my re-route today is showing a CR4 on the reservation and seat map is showing no row 13 and only an AB side of rows 1 & 12.

I'm just bummed that I lost two FC seats on a 75 and -9 because of MX and ended up coach on a 320 and CRJ. Lunch sure looked good up front from the back! :) But, at least I'm getting home close to on-time.

EDIT: It was indeed a CR4 and also my first time in the exit row on a CRJ...significantly less padding. We had about a dozen stand-bys who weren't accommodated...here's hoping when the CR9s/EMBs arrive, STL can kiss the CR2 good-bye!

1B is better than 1C. There is a heater box at 1C that takes up some legroom. These seats are usually wide open at 23:59