United Airlines has an unusual cabin trick coming to its smallest regional jets: no overhead bins at all in First Class. Instead, its redesigned Bombardier CRJ450 will carry a full-height luggage closet by the boarding door, with exactly seven slots for rolling cases — one per premium seat.
The aircraft itself is a conversion. SkyWest Airlines, which operates many of United's regional flights, is converting 50-seat CRJ200s into 41-seat CRJ450s. The new layout offers seven United First recliners, 16 Economy Plus seats, 18 standard Economy seats, and Starlink Wi-Fi. Fifty conversions are planned, with the first expected to fly for United in fall 2026 and more than 50 in service by 2028 — though the FAA's Supplemental Type Certificate for the interior had not yet been granted as of September 2026, so the finished cabin is still pending sign-off.
The closet is equal parts marketing and maths. The CRJ200's tiny overhead lockers were never built for modern carry-ons, so gate-checking bags has long been routine on the type. By matching seven closet slots to seven First seats, United guarantees every premium passenger space for a full-size trolley case — and, by deleting the bins entirely, gets a cabin that feels more open and, in the airline's words, closer to a private jet. Bins near the door also mean bags go up before passengers squeeze down the aisle.
Economy gets an improvement too, just not a complete one. The redesigned overhead lockers can finally take full-size roller bags loaded sideways, something the old CRJ200 lockers couldn't manage. But there simply isn't room for all 34 Economy passengers to each bring a wheeled case, so gate-checking will remain a reality in the back on busy flights. It's a deliberate allocation of scarce space: United sacrifices nine seats compared with the original layout, then spends that space where the revenue is — up front.
For travellers, the takeaway depends on where you sit. These jets connect smaller communities to hubs like Denver and Chicago O'Hare, so if you're flying First on a CRJ450, expect guaranteed carry-on storage and Starlink on a plane that feels far less cramped than the CRJ200 it replaces. In Economy, it's still a small regional jet — better bins, same squeeze when everyone boards with a roller bag.
