Bombardier CRJ 550

What is the Bombardier CRJ550?

The CRJ550 is a Bombardier CRJ700 with 50 seats instead of 76 and a lower certified weight. It exists because of one number in a pilot contract.

Bombardier announced it on 6 February 2019 with United Airlines as launch customer. It has its own type certificate, based on the CRJ700, and every CRJ550 built so far is a converted CRJ700.

The first aircraft was delivered on 7 August 2019, and GoJet flew the first ones as United Express.

Is the CRJ550 a CRJ700?

Yes, with a different label. The airframe, wing and tail are the CRJ700’s, and the flight deck is shared, so pilots keep the same type rating.

What changes is the cabin and the paperwork. The seat count drops to 50, and the maximum takeoff weight is certified at 65,000 lb instead of the CRJ700’s roughly 75,000 lb.

The engines are General Electric CF34-8C5B1 turbofans, each rated at 13,790 lbf.

Why is the CRJ550 weight restricted?

United’s pilot contract limits how many larger regional jets its partners can fly. Aircraft with 51 to 76 seats are capped at a fixed fleet number.

Jets with 50 seats or fewer fall outside that cap, but only if their certified maximum takeoff weight is 65,000 lb or less. So Bombardier certified the CRJ550 at exactly that weight.

The lower limit means less fuel and a shorter range than the CRJ700. The full specification table for the aircraft is on this page.

Inside the cabin: three classes on 50 seats

United’s CRJ550 has 10 first class seats, 20 Economy Plus seats and 20 regular economy seats. Delta Connection’s version uses 10 first class, 20 Comfort+ and 20 main cabin seats.

Four large closets on the cabin floor hold carry-on bags, so most passengers keep their roller bags and skip the gate check. A self-serve snack and drink station replaces a full first class service.

With 50 seats or fewer, the jet needs only one flight attendant.

Who flies the CRJ550?

United Express was first. GoJet flew the original aircraft, and SkyWest has since taken on more under the same brand.

In April 2025 SkyWest said United had exercised an option for 10 more, bringing its United Express order to 50. SkyWest planned to have 30 in service by the end of 2025 and 20 more in 2026.

Delta Connection began flying the type with SkyWest in July 2024, in markets once served by single-class CRJ200s. In November 2024 SkyWest ordered 60 kits to convert more CRJ700s.

Fleet counts change as conversions finish, so check the airline for current numbers.

Where it flies

United’s first CRJ550 schedule linked Chicago with 15 cities, from Allentown and Bentonville to Tulsa. Those routes ran from 109 to 693 miles (175 to 1,115 km).

That is the CRJ550’s job: short and medium regional hops where a premium seat can earn a higher fare than a single-class jet.

Explaining the numbers

The specification table on this page lists the CRJ550’s own figures. Two are worth reading against the CRJ700.

The weight limit drives everything else. A 65,000 lb ceiling leaves little room for fuel plus a full load of bags, which is why range is much shorter than a CRJ700’s.

The speed figure is the type’s maximum speed of Mach 0.825. The cabin is the real product, not performance.

Is the CRJ550 safe?

The CRJ550 uses the same airframe, engines and systems as the CRJ700, which has flown for regional airlines since the early 2000s. Its changes are in the interior and the weight limits.

It is certified by the FAA and Transport Canada. EASA has not certified it, since it was built for the U.S. market.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the CRJ550 a CRJ700?

Essentially yes. It is a converted CRJ700 with 50 seats and a 65,000 lb takeoff weight limit, certified as its own model.

Why is the CRJ 550 weight restricted?

United’s pilot scope clause exempts 50-seat jets only if they weigh 65,000 lb or less at takeoff. Bombardier certified the CRJ550 at that limit.

Who builds CRJ jets?

Bombardier designed and built the CRJ family. The program was sold to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in 2020, and CRJ550 conversions are done on existing CRJ700s.

Are CRJ aircraft safe?

The CRJ family has flown for decades with major regional airlines. The CRJ550 shares the CRJ700’s airframe, engines and flight deck.

How many seats does a CRJ550 have?

It has 50 seats: 10 in first class, 20 in an extra-legroom economy cabin and 20 in standard economy.

Which airlines fly the CRJ550?

United Express (GoJet and SkyWest) and Delta Connection (SkyWest) operate it.

Can you bring a carry-on on the CRJ550?

Yes. Four large closets hold roller bags, so most passengers do not need to gate check them.

See also the Bombardier CRJ700 it is converted from.