Following years of development and testing on various demonstrators, the program officially launched in 2008 with the PW1200G destined for the Mitsubishi SpaceJet (a project that was later canceled).

Unlike traditional turbofan engines where a single shaft connects all components, forcing them to operate at the same speed, the PW1000G has a gearbox between the fan and the low-pressure core.

Pratt & Whitney claims the PW1000G delivers a 16% improvement in fuel efficiency compared to previous generation engines, while also achieving a 75% reduction in noise.

The Pratt & Whitney PW1000G engine family initially garnered significant interest from airlines due to its touted fuel efficiency advantages.

In summer 1993, Pratt & Whitney started to test its 53,000 lbf (240 kN) Advanced Ducted Propulsor (ADP) demonstrator at the NASA Ames wind tunnel, using a 4:1, 40,000 hp (30,000 kW) gearbox.

It aimed to cut fuel consumption by 6–7%, emissions by 15%, and generate less noise due to lower fan tip speed of 950 ft/s (290 m/s), down from 1,400 ft/s (430 m/s) in conventional 5:1 bypass turbofans.

[citation needed] This led to the Geared Turbofan (GTF) program, which was based around a newly designed core jointly developed with German MTU Aero Engines.

[citation needed] After the budget of NASA on aeronautics research was severely cut at the start of 2006, Pratt & Whitney committed to spend $100 million a year on the geared turbofan (GTF) development for the next generation of single-aisle airliners, focused on the 25,000–35,000 lbf (110–160 kN) thrust range.

[11] In March 2008, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries launched the MRJ with an order for 25 aircraft from All Nippon Airways, then targeting a 2013 entry into service.

[16] In addition to the geared turbofan, the initial designs included a variable-area fan nozzle (VAFN), which allows improvements in propulsive efficiency across a range of the flight envelope.

[28] In November 2016, Pratt had fixed the issue of engine start time and wanted to deliver 150 powerplants by the year-end, 50 fewer than originally planned.

This was because of low yield of fan blades when less than one-third were passing inspection at the start of the year compared to 75% success for the latest.

[34] In 2010, Pratt & Whitney launched the development of an ultra high-bypass version, with a ratio significantly higher than the PW1100G's 12.2:1 for the A320neo, to improve fuel consumption by 20% compared to a CFM56-7 and reduced noise relative to the FAA's Stage 4 by 25 dB.

It could power the Boeing New Midsize Airplane in the mid-2020s and Airbus' response, and would compete against the Rolls-Royce UltraFan and a CFM LEAP higher-thrust version.

[35] In December 2021, Pratt & Whitney announced an updated GTF Advantage version of the A320neo's PW1100G available from 2024, after over a year of ground and flight testing.

[36] This is achieved through more flow into the core; a tweaked active clearance control between the turbine and seals, a reduction of temperature in the high-pressure compressor; improved, more durable coatings and more damage-resistant blisk rotors.

[49] The fan drive gear system (FDGS) is expected to stay on wing for 30,000 flight hours or more before it needs its first overhaul.

[58] In an earnings briefing on 26 July the CEO of Pratt & Whitney's parent company United Technologies Gregory Hayes stated when asked about the start up issues on the PW1100G-JM; "On the technical stuff, I would tell you it is in the rearview mirror.

Pratt & Whitney continued to improve start up times, with fuel-nozzle modifications and oil filling procedure changes expected to save another minute when introduced by the end of 2017.

28 engine removals were due to an air seal leakage in the third bearing, which allowed metal particles to enter the oil system, triggering detectors.

[68] In February 2018, after in-flight failures of PW1100G with its high pressure compressor aft hub modified – apparently problems of its knife edge seal, the EASA and Airbus grounded some A320neo family aircraft until they are fitted with spares.

[71] To solve the issue, a revised configuration with a mature and approved design will be released from early March engine deliveries.

In 2018 some engines were reported as emitting "a strange howling noise" as heard by people below the aircraft as it made its landing approach.

[84] P&W says the inspections take 250 to 300 days to complete, and the company said it expected an average of 350 airplanes to be on the ground through 2026 with the highest number coming in early 2024.

[86] Indian airline IndiGo reported four incidents involving in-flight engine stall during climb followed by shutdown, which occurred on the 24th, 25th and 26 October 2019.

[87] On 1 November 2019 the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) asked IndiGo to replace engines on all of the 98 A320neo airplanes it currently operates by January 31, 2020 and suggested to defer future deliveries until the existing fleet is re-engined.

[91] The low-pressure compressor of one its PW1500G engines disintegrated while climbing through 32,000 ft.[92] On 16 September 2019, a similar accident happened just before reaching 35,000 ft and the crew returned to Geneva.

[97] After those engine failures, Transport Canada issued an emergency airworthiness directive limiting the power to 94% of N1 (low pressure spool) above 29,000 ft (8,800 m), disengaging the autothrottle for the climb over this altitude before engaging it again in cruise.

[103] On 12 February 2020 another PW1500G suffered an uncontained engine failure on an A220-300 belonging to Air Baltic during flight BT-677 from Riga, Latvia to Malaga, Spain.

On 23 December 2024, an Airbus A220-300, operating as Swiss International Air Lines Flight 1885 experienced an engine failure at FL400, leading to smoke entering the cabin and forcing the aircraft to divert to Graz Airport.