We may earn commission as an affiliate from qualifying purchase made through any of the link in this post thank you so much.
What private jet can fly the highest, one of the questions we get all the time is: What’s the highest altitude a private jet can fly? For most people and businesses, you only have to be concerned with regulatory restrictions which I’ll discuss below.
But as a thought experiment, I’m going to look at it from a more philosophical perspective what altitude could you fly if you could. Read on if you want to know more.
Private jets are big, luxurious, and fast. But how high can they fly? The altitude at which a private jet flies is determined by multiple factors:
the aircraft type, certification, flight plan filed and the pilot in command’s decision to increase or decrease altitude. Here’s what you need to know about how high a private jet can fly.
When considering the different features of a private plane, one of the most important decisions to make is deciding what type of plane will best suit your needs. In this article, we list some of the biggest and best private jets on the market today.
Private jets like the Cessna Citation X can respond to the needs of business and corporate aviation by offering fast flight times and competitive pricing without sacrificing quality.
A description of nine private jet aircraft and their ability to fly the highest with passengers. The post highlights nine of the most famous private jet aircrafts and outlines the specifications that make them unique.
Points to keep in mind
- What private jet can fly the highest
- The Eclipse 550
- The Citation X
- The Cirrus Vision Jet
- The Honda Jet
- The Gulfstream G650, G650ER
- The Bombardier Global 6000
- Dassault Falcon 7X
- Embraer Legacy 500
- Cessna Citation M2
What private jet can fly the highest
The highest altitude a private jet can fly is the same as any other aircraft, but it depends on the model. A Boeing 737, for example, is certified to fly at 41,000 feet (12,500 meters). But some business jets can go higher than that.
To get an idea of what your particular aircraft can do, check its flight manual or talk to your pilot. The pilot will be able to tell you how high he flew during his last flight and whether or not there were any issues with the aircraft at higher altitudes.
The altitude at which an aircraft can fly depends on many factors, including its weight and center of gravity. It also depends on whether or not the aircraft has been modified in any way.
For example, if an aircraft has been modified so that it can carry more fuel or if it has been equipped with oxygen systems for passengers, those things may affect its ability to fly at certain altitudes.
It’s important to note that even if an airplane is certified to fly up to 41,000 feet (12,500 meters), it doesn’t mean that the crew will have enough oxygen masks for everyone onboard if they need them at that altitude!
Read more articles: Do Private Jets have Seat Belts
The Eclipse 550
The Eclipse 550 is a very capable private jet that can fly up to 51,000 feet (15,500 meters), which is the maximum altitude allowed by the FAA. The aircraft can also operate at Mach 0.80 and cruise at Mach 0.82. The Eclipse 550 has a range of 1,850 nautical miles (2,260 miles).
The Eclipse 550 is built by Eclipse Aviation Corporation in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The company was founded in 1999 by former Microsoft executive Vern Raburn and other investors. Eclipse Aviation Corporation ceased operations in 2008 after it failed to secure additional funding.
However, an investor group led by General Electric (GE) acquired all assets from EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin for $5 million in 2009 and restarted production at Paine Field Airport in Everett, Washington under the name Eclipse Aerospace Corp.
The Eclipse 550 is a light-jet aircraft with a pressurised cabin and a maximum cruising speed of Mach 0.80 (500 knots, 574 mph). The aircraft has a range of 1,200 nautical miles (2,222 kilometres), which is sufficient for transcontinental flights.
The Eclipse 500 is a two-seat composite aircraft with a maximum cruising speed of Mach 0.83 (540 knots, 600 mph) and an approximate range of 1,000 nautical miles (1,852 kilometres).
The Eclipse series jet was first introduced in 1999 by Eclipse Aviation Corporation as a replacement for piston engine business jets like the Cessna CitationJet 100. The first flight took place in April 2003.
Read more articles: How Much Is It To Hire a Private Helicopter?
The Citation X
The Citation X can fly to a maximum altitude of 51,000 feet. At that altitude, the cabin pressure is equivalent to 8,000 feet above sea level.
The Citation X can also fly higher than any other private jet in production today. The next closest is the Falcon 7X from Gulfstream Aerospace, which has a maximum operating altitude of 49,000 ft.
The Citation X’s high performance allows it to reach its cruising speed of Mach 0.85 (835 mph) quickly and efficiently.
You can expect to cover 2,400 nm at Mach 0.85, or 2,900 nm at Mach 0.80 (820 mph). The plane’s range at these speeds allows you to fly nonstop from New York City to San Francisco or Los Angeles.
The Citation X’s ability to cruise at high speeds means that it burns more fuel than other jets in its class. For example, a Gulfstream G650ER has a range of 3,740 nautical miles when flying at Mach 0.80 (820 mph) and burns 5 gallons of jet fuel per nautical mile flown.
The Citation X burns 6 gallons per nautical mile flown at this speed and will therefore use 30% more fuel than the G650ER on the same flight distance.
However, the Citation X also has a much larger fuel capacity than other jets in its class: 1,200 gallons versus 500-600 gallons for most jets in this category.
This means that while there may be fewer flights available between two destinations using the Citation X compared to other jets in its category due to increased fuel burn rates, those flights will likely be able to fly longer distances without refueling.
In addition to its size and speed capabilities, the Citation X has another unique feature that sets it apart from other aircraft: the ability to fly at high altitudes. The aircraft is certified for flight up to 51,000 feet above sea level over 30% higher than any other private jet on the market today!
Read more articles: How Often do Private Helicopters Crash?
The Cirrus Vision Jet
Cirrus has released a new video showing the company’s Vision Jet flying to its maximum operating altitude at 41,000 feet. The aircraft is capable of reaching this height in about 10 minutes and can fly at that altitude for six hours before needing to descend for fuel.
The jet has an all-glass cockpit with four displays arrayed in front of the pilot. The video shows Cirrus Chief Pilot Steve Larkins demonstrating how easy it is to use the system by using voice commands to navigate through menus on one display while keeping his eyes on another screen showing airspeed and altitude information.
The Vision Jet is powered by a single Williams International FJ33-4A turbofan engine rated at 1,600 pounds of thrust.
The Cirrus Vision Jet is equipped with a Garmin G600 avionics suite and five 12.1″ display screens that include forward-looking terrain avoidance, synthetic vision, and weather radar. The aircraft has a maximum altitude of 45,000 feet and can travel up to 530 mph (320 knots).
Others said the Cirrus Vision Jet has a maximum certified altitude of 49,000 feet, which is the same as most commercial airliners. Most small jets can fly at an altitude high enough to avoid all but the worst weather, but they are not designed to fly higher than this.
The high altitude ceiling of the Cirrus Vision Jet is due in part to its pressurized cabin and dual flight controls.
The cabin is pressurized to 13,500 feet, which keeps passengers comfortable even when flying at over 30,000 feet. The dual flight controls provide redundancy in case one system fails during flight.
The Cirrus Vision Jet has a cruise speed of Mach 0.80 (about 460 knots), which means it can fly approximately 1,200 miles at sea level with reserves.
This range is slightly less than other small jets like the Cessna Citation XLS+ or Embraer Phenom 300 because it uses more fuel per mile flown than those aircraft due to its higher weight and drag from its larger size.
Read more articles: What Private Jet Can Cross the Atlantic?
The Honda Jet
The answer is, it depends on the model. For example, the HondaJet Elite has a ceiling of 41,000 feet. That’s about as high as an airliner goes although most commercial aircraft don’t climb that high because they have to descend in order to land at an airport.
But the jet is still capable of flying higher than your typical private jet. Many business jets fly at 35,000 feet or lower because they need more oxygen and pressurization inside the cabin to make passengers more comfortable at those altitudes.
In addition, there are some regulatory restrictions on how high some jets can fly. For example, if you’re planning to use a jet for commercial purposes such as chartering flights or operating an air taxi service (known as scheduled air transportation).
Then you’ll need to comply with Federal Aviation Administration rules regarding altitude restrictions on private aircraft operations.
The FAA has established two different sets of rules regarding flight operations one for private pilots who operate small aircraft without passengers and another for commercial operators who carry paying passengers in larger airplanes.
Both types of pilots must follow regulations concerning altitudes over congested areas or densely populated areas near airports where they might interfere with other aircraft traffic.
Read more articles: How Much are Private Helicopter Rides?
The Gulfstream G650, G650ER
The Gulfstream G650 private jet is capable of flying at an altitude of 51,000 feet. The Gulfstream G650 private jet can fly at a cruising speed of Mach 0.925, which is 925 nautical miles per hour. The aircraft has a range of 7,000 nautical miles and a maximum payload capacity of 12,500 pounds.
The Gulfstream G650 private jet is equipped with two Honeywell HTF7000E turbofan engines which power the aircraft to a maximum speed of 0.925 Mach. The aircraft has a range of 7,000 miles at 0.80 Mach and 6,400 miles at 0.85 Mach (with auxiliary fuel).
The Gulfstream G650 is a private jet built by Gulfstream Aerospace. It was introduced at the 2008 NBAA Convention and Exhibition in Las Vegas, Nevada. The G650 was designed to replace the aging Boeing Business Jet (BBJ), which was developed from the Boeing 707-320B airframe.
The G650 has a maximum range of 7,000 nautical miles (8,100 mi; 13,000 km), at Mach 0.85-0.90, or 6,300 nmi (7,200 mi; 11,500 km) at Mach 0.85 with two pilots and three passengers onboard.
The aircraft can fly between Los Angeles and New York in under six hours. In 2011 Gulfstream announced that it would begin offering an increased takeoff weight (ITOW) version of the G650 featuring a strengthened wing box for increased takeoff weights up to 126,000 lb (57,480 kg).
This option has not yet been certified by the FAA and is not offered on production aircraft.
Read more articles: Private Jet Ownership and Maintenance
The Bombardier Global 6000
The Bombardier Global 6000 private jet is capable of flying at an altitude of 45,000 feet, which is 16,400 meters. The aircraft is powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney PW610F turbofan engines and has a maximum range of 8,000 nautical miles, or 15,748 kilometers.
The Global 6000 was introduced in 2008 as the first member of Bombardier’s Global series and as a replacement for the Challenger 604. It can accommodate 12 passengers in a standard configuration and up to 18 passengers in an executive layout.
The Bombardier Global 6000 is a large-cabin, long-range business jet manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace. The Global 6000 is the largest member of the Global series, which also includes the smaller Global 5000 and the larger Global XRS.
It was officially launched at the NBAA convention in 2008, first flew on 14 October 2009 and entered service in 2010.
The Global 6000 has a range of 6,000 nmi (11,100 km) with an optional fuel tank and a maximum cruise speed of Mach 0.85 (520 kn; 848 km/h). The aircraft can accommodate eight passengers in its cabin and has an MTOW of 16,000 lb (7,300 kg).
Read more articles: Which is Better Private Jet or Helicopter?
Dassault Falcon 7X
Dassault Falcon 7X private jet can go up to 51,000 feet in the air. This is the maximum altitude that a private jet can fly. If you want to fly higher than that, then you need to be on an airliner or a military aircraft.
The Dassault Falcon 7X has a range of 5300 miles, which means it can cover almost any destination in the world with relative ease. The plane is also capable of carrying up to 19 passengers with great comfort and luxury.
The Dassault Falcon 7X is a long-range business jet manufactured by Dassault Aviation. It was first announced at the November 2002 NBAA convention in Orlando, Florida, and entered service in 2006.
In March 2007, the Falcon 7X received certification from both Transport Canada and the Federal Aviation Administration.
Its range allows it to fly directly from any major European airport to any other European airport, including Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport and London’s Heathrow Airport.
The aircraft’s maximum cruise speed is Mach 0.87 (857 km/h) at 41000 feet (12,500 m). It has a range of 6300 km (3900 mi) with eight passengers and baggage or 9200 km (5600 mi) with one crew member and no passengers or cargo.
Read more articles: Is Turbulence Worse on a Private Jet
Embraer Legacy 500
Embraer Legacy 500 private jet can go up to 49,000 feet. This is the maximum altitude that it can fly at. The Embraer Legacy 500 private jet has a maximum range of 3,500 nautical miles. This means that it can fly from New York to London non-stop.
The Embraer Legacy 500 private jet has a cruising speed of 507mph. It is powered by two Rolls Royce AE3007C1 engines which provide a total of 18,000lbs of thrust on each engine.
The Embraer Legacy 500 private jet has seating capacity for up to eight passengers in its luxurious cabin with executive leather seats and an entertainment system complete with LCD screens and satellite TV.
The Legacy 500 is a very high performance jet and has a maximum operating altitude of 45,000 feet. This is about the same operating altitude as most large commercial airliners, so even though it is a private jet, it can go to the same places that commercial jets go.
The Embraer Legacy 500 is capable of cruising at speeds up to Mach 0.82, which is about 564 mph or 899 kph at 49,000 feet. The aircraft has a range of 6,500 nautical miles (7,150 statute miles) at this speed and altitude and can fly 8-9 hours non-stop with a full fuel load.
Read more articles: How Much Does a Private Helicopter Pilot License Cost?
Cessna Citation M2
The Cessna Citation M2 private jet can fly up to 43,000 feet (13,100 meters). Maximum cruise speed for the aircraft is 475 mph (766 km/h). Typical cruise speed is 425 mph (684 km/h).
The Citation M2 has a range of 3,450 nautical miles (6,315 km). This means that the aircraft can fly from Los Angeles to New York City without having to refuel.
Cessna Citation M2 is a midsize business jet, developed from Cessna Citation XLS and based on the Bombardier Challenger 300 platform. First flight was in 2006. The first customer delivery was in 2007.
The aircraft is available in two versions: Cessna Citation M2 and Cessna Citation Mustang.
Cessna Citation M2 has a maximum take-off weight of 11,600 kg / 26,700 lb (MTOW) and can carry up to 6 passengers + 2 crew members at a maximum speed of Mach 0.80 with range up to 4000 nm.
Citation Mustang has a maximum take-off weight of 9,500 kg / 20,950 lb (MTOW) and can carry up to 5 passengers + 2 crew members at a maximum speed of Mach 0.78 with range up to 3000 nm.
Read more articles: What is the Fastest Private Helicopter
Final thought
There are various factors that play a key role in how high a private jet can fly. The specific model of the jet is one such deciding factor, while the configuration of the client’s needs and preferences also plays a crucial role.
It is estimated that many private jets can reach altitudes of over 30,000 feet. The average cruising altitude for executive jets is around 41,000 feet.
Whether you’re seeking a straightforward charter flight or want to enjoy the highest degree of luxury possible, remember to be well informed about the available amenities and technical specifications of your desired private jet.
While there isn’t a private jet that can fly higher than 74,560 feet or 22.8 miles, there are a few that come very close.
The Dassault Falcon 7X and the Embraer Lineage 1000 ER can fly at around 22.8 miles, and the Falcon 900 EX takes it just a little bit higher at 24 miles. That’s because these jets have to unpressurize their cabins at this height so that passengers don’t black out from lack of oxygen.
Read more articles: Do Private Jets have Seat Belts
Buy Cheap Private Jet on Private Jet Finder
Other related articles
- Cheap Model Airplane Stand (Where To Get It)
- Model Airplanes Scale Sizes (Get It Cheap Here)
- Large Model Airplane Stand (Truly Worth It)
- Airplane Model Stand (Right Place To Get It)
- Aircraft Model Stand (Click Here Now)
- Airplane Model Metal Stand (Get It Cheap)
Joseph Benson
Hi, I am Joseph Benson the CEO of Trullyreview, welcome to your number one source for all things aircraft. I am the designer of Benson B1 Helicopter.
