Bombardier · Regional jet
Best seats for turbulence on the Bombardier CRJ900
The Bombardier CRJ900 is a regional jet with a 2.55 m cabin and 90-seat capacity. Smaller airframes amplify gusts more than a widebody but cruise high enough to skim above most weather.
Tail-mounted engines mean a quieter front cabin and a noticeably noisier rear.
Smoothest seats
Over the wing — usually rows just forward of the engines
Seats over the wing are still the pivot point. On a tail-mounted-engine jet like the Bombardier CRJ900 the wing is forward of the engines, so look for seats roughly mid-cabin, just behind the over-wing exits.
Most amplified
The very back rows and the nose
On a shorter aircraft like the Bombardier CRJ900 the worst zones are the very last rows and the very front rows — both ends of the lever. The asymmetry isn't as pronounced as on a long jet, but you'll still notice more motion at either end than over the wing.
Why this aircraft feels the way it does
An airliner pivots around its centre of lift, which sits roughly above the wing root. Seats over the wing are at that fulcrum, so they see the smallest amplitude of motion when the aircraft is gusted. Move forward or aft and you're further out on the lever — your vertical motion when the aircraft pitches gets amplified. The Bombardier CRJ900 has a medium-length fuselage (36.4 m) and a narrow cabin (2.55 m). Shorter airframes feel more symmetric — the lever is shorter at both ends. A narrower cabin means even small gusts feel direct — there's less mass to absorb the motion before it reaches you.
Practical seat-selection tips
- →Pick rows in the over-wing exit zone — typically the structural pivot point.
- →Tail-mounted engines mean the rear cabin is louder under power changes, but the actual ride is broadly similar to a wing-engined jet of comparable size.
- →This type cruises at FL410 or higher, above the bulk of mid-latitude weather most of the time.
- →Buckle up the moment you sit down. Most turbulence-related injuries happen to people not wearing their seatbelt during unexpected encounters.
How this ride compares
Bumpier than a widebody on the same gust, but typically smoother than a turboprop because regional jets cruise higher.
Routes commonly flown on the Bombardier CRJ900
Flying on this aircraft soon?
Seat advice gets you the smoothest cabin position — pair it with a live forecast for your exact route to know what to expect.
Entered service: 2003. Specifications above are typical/approximate; minor variant differences (winglet vs sharklet, engine option, IFE configuration) don't materially change the ride characteristics described.