All about private jet windows

Bringing in light is the most basic requirement of a window in any setting, but the windows in private jets do much more than that. They are one of most important factors in aviation design, providing a sense of space, structure and of course, a bird’s eye view of the world outside.

For manufacturers and designers, there is a very complex balance to be struck here: Maximise pressurisation and minimise drag, while still providing plenty of light. And this is something early aircraft designers learnt the hard way, with aircraft windows back in the early days of commercial aviation often the source of problems in structural integrity and safety.

In fact the world’s first ever commercial airliner, the de Havilland DH 106 Comet, was eventually grounded due to its perfectly square windows, with their 90 degree corners and rivets proving a weakness. Since then, all aircraft windows have been designed rivet-free and with rounded edges – even those which look square or rectangular at first glance – to reduce stress concentration.

How many windows are there in a private jet?

The number of cabin windows in a private jet varies according to size and model. While the smallest light jets, which seat 4-6 people, typically have six or eight windows (three or four along each side), premium light jets such as the Pilatus PC-24 or Phenom 300 (both selected aircraft available with our Light Jet Plus category Jet Card), have 12 or more, and of a larger size to bring more light into the cabin.

As you go up the size spectrum from there, the additional airframe space allows for more windows, with the super-midsize jet Praetor 600 offering 14, and 22 in the heavy jet Legacy 600. The very largest jets have even more, with converted airliners such as the Lineage 1000 and Boeing Business Jet illuminated by as many as to 30 or 40 windows across the length of their multi-zone cabins.