The Learjet 40 entered service in 2004 as Bombardier's mid-cycle refresh of the Learjet 45 platform, a lighter, shorter-cabin variant designed to fill the gap between the compact Learjet 31A and the full-size Learjet 45. By shortening the fuselage by 3'4" relative to the Learjet 45, Bombardier created an aircraft with lower empty weight, improved fuel efficiency, and comparable performance, all with the same powerful AlliedSignal TFE731-20AR engines and Honeywell Primus 1000 avionics.
As a Bombardier product the Learjet 40 brings a respected name and a worldwide support network, reassurance that matters as much to charter clients as the cabin itself. Decades of service have wrung the surprises out of the design. Choosing this midsize jet is choosing a known, trusted quantity.
The Learjet 40 puts usable space first, seating up to 7 in a cabin quiet enough for conversation, with a galley, a private lavatory and room to spread out on a long midsize jet charter flight. Cabin measuring 5 ft 1 in wide by 12 ft 3 in long, it is trimmed and insulated so engine noise fades into the background. Repeat clients tend to book the aircraft again precisely because the hours on board feel like time gained, not lost.
The Learjet 40 cruises around 464 knots near Mach 0.81, and on a busy midsize jet charter that pace routinely saves an hour or more against slower types, time returned at both ends of the day. High cruise also lets the crew climb above weather and airline traffic for a smoother ride. Speed is the one luxury nobody can refund once a day is spent, and the aircraft protects it.
The part enthusiasts single out: The Learjet 40 is a shortened Learjet 45, and that dense, muscular airframe gives it a rate of climb and top-of-descent speed that still startle first-time passengers. Knowing the story tends to make the flight more enjoyable.
With about 2002 nautical miles in hand the Learjet 40 turns a two-stop itinerary into a single hop, comfortably flying London to Athens, nonstop and handing back the hours a fuel stop would cost. Crews plan a little under the book figure, since headwinds and a full cabin trim usable range, but on the sectors clients fly most this midsize jet reaches its destination without pause. On a midsize jet charter that reach is what buys back a whole half-day.
The Learjet 40 was built to work hard, its 2× AlliedSignal TFE731-20AR (3,500 lbf each) and redundant systems giving the dispatch reliability that keeps a charter day on the rails. Mature types carry a known maintenance rhythm, which means fewer last-minute swaps and cleaner scheduling. That predictability is worth as much to a client as any cabin feature on it.
Disadvantages of the Learjet 40 as a charter aircraft, and how we weigh them:
The Learjet 40 cabin is generous for midsize jet work, though it will not pretend to the walk-about width of a heavy jet. For most trips that is the right trade, and where a client truly needs a stateroom we point them up a class.
No single aircraft wins on every count, and the Learjet 40 trades a little of one virtue for a lot of another; the trick is matching that trade to your actual route and party, which is exactly what we do.
As alternatives to the Learjet 40, it is worth weighing the Learjet 40XR and the Learjet 45, both able aircraft in the same bracket. Broadly the Learjet 40XR offers the newer cabin, while the Learjet 40 holds the lower operating cost per hour, so the right pick comes down to your exact route, party and budget, which our advisors are glad to lay out side by side.
The bottom line is that the Learjet 40 is a superb choice for transcontinental and medium-haul charter, pairing a comfortable cabin with dependable performance for travellers who value their time. Fly with Andreea arranges the whole journey around you, with a firm all-in price and a reply within 30 minutes.
Tell me your route, dates and party size and I will send a firm, all-in price on the Learjet 40. No commitment, no obligation.