Back to feedOct 29, 2026, 7:29 PM
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Anonymous2h ago
Aviation

Question

Why do commercial airplanes typically cruise at around 35,000 feet instead of higher or lower?

Claude response

It's a sweet spot between several competing factors. Air is thin enough up there to create much less drag than lower altitudes, which saves a significant amount of fuel, and it's above almost all weather and turbulence from clouds and storms. Going meaningfully higher runs into engine and aerodynamic limits — the air becomes too thin for efficient jet engine combustion and wing lift — while commercial airspace rules also stack different routes at different altitude bands to keep traffic safely separated.

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