Launched in 1999 as a super-mid-size business jet offering between the mid-size Learjet 60 and the large cabin Challenger 604, the Bombardier Challenger 300 was a clean-sheet design initially marketed under the Bombardier Continental designation.  

The jet was renamed in September 2002 after much debate about which category (Learjet, Challenger, or Global) the new aircraft fit into. FAA type certification was received on June 4, 2003, with entry into service in January 2004 with launch customer Flexjet, the then fractional ownership division of Bombardier Aerospace.  

The new supercritical wing and wide flat-floor stand-up cabin enabled the new offering to quickly become the most successful jets in the Bombardier portfolio.  

Bombardier introduced the improved Challenger 350 variant in 2014. It featured a more luxurious interior, 20% taller cabin windows, higher-thrust Honeywell HTF7350 engines, and new canted winglets. The Challenger 350 modifications greatly increase the jet design weights and payload capabilities.  

Introduced in 2022, the Challenger 3500 is the third iteration of the model. This edition featured a redesigned interior, including Bombardier exclusive and patented Nuage seats, a lower cabin altitude, and a long-overdue baseline autothrottle system.  

The Challenger 300’s standard configuration accommodates eight passengers in a highly comfortable double club seating configuration. The cabin can also be configured with an optional three-place divan, bringing the total passenger capacity to 10.  

The 2022 edition also benefits from some of the Global 7500’s developed technologies, like highly improved sound insulation. This edition also introduces the industry’s first voice-controlled cabin system to manage lighting, temperature, and entertainment systems.