If you've ever flown on a regional jet or turboprop and noticed it's far bumpier than a 777, you're not imagining it. Small aircraft genuinely experience more turbulence — and it's basic physics.
The key factor is inertia. A turbulence eddy creates a force — say, a 100 Newton upward push. Applied to a 250-tonne Boeing 777, this force produces barely perceptible acceleration. Applied to a 20-tonne Embraer ERJ-145, it produces 12.5 times the acceleration. The aircraft moves more for the same atmospheric disturbance. This is identical to why a large ship barely notices waves that toss a small boat. Additionally, small aircraft have shorter wingspans. A 747's 68-meter wingspan spans multiple turbulence eddies simultaneously, averaging out the forces. A regional jet's 26-meter wingspan fits inside a single eddy, responding fully to its entire displacement. The net result: regional jets and turboprops feel 2–5× bumpier than widebodies in the same atmospheric conditions.
The most common small commercial aircraft are the Embraer E-series (E170, E175, E190), Bombardier CRJ series (CRJ-200, CRJ-700, CRJ-900), ATR turboprops (ATR-42, ATR-72), and Dash 8 series. Of these, the CRJ-200 is the smallest (50 seats, 21.2m wingspan) and most turbulence-sensitive in regular service. Passengers on CRJ-200s frequently describe turbulence that would be light on a 737 as moderate-to-severe. ATR turboprops fly at lower altitudes (12,000–20,000 feet) than jets, which keeps them below the jet stream but exposed to convective turbulence and mechanical turbulence from terrain.
The bumpiest small plane routes combine small aircraft with high turbulence environments. US regional routes in the Rockies — Denver connections to Sun Valley (SUN), Aspen (ASE), Jackson Hole (JAC), Telluride (TEX) — put small aircraft through mountain wave turbulence at low altitude, producing very rough rides. Commuter routes through Appalachia in winter are similarly rough. In Europe, Beech 1900 and ATR services to Scottish islands, Norwegian fjord airports, and Alpine destinations are among the bumpiest regularly scheduled flights in the world. Alaskan bush routes in small aircraft (Cessna 208, Piper PA-31) operate in some of the most challenging turbulence environments in aviation.
Seat selection matters more on small aircraft than large ones — sit as close to the wing as possible. On a CRJ-200 with 50 seats, wing rows are approximately 8–16. Window seats allow you to see the horizon, which helps with vestibular-visual mismatch (motion sickness). Take motion sickness medication (meclizine or dimenhydrinate) before boarding if you are susceptible — once symptoms start, medication is far less effective. Keep your seatbelt fastened throughout — small aircraft turbulence events can be sudden and violent. Avoid eating a large meal before a bumpy regional flight. If you can choose your aircraft, check the aircraft type in the booking — many routes offer both jet and turboprop service. The jet is almost always smoother.
Ranked by historical turbulence score — click any route for details