Aircraft categories

The category you choose sets the hourly rate, and the hourly rate drives most of the quote. Here is what each one offers, with the figures that matter.

Close-up of a turbine engine’s fan blades

Turboprop

Pilatus PC-12, King Air 350

Seats: 6–9
Range: ~1,800 nm
Cabin height: Varies
Per hour: $1,800–3,200

Turbine power with propellers: economical on short legs and comfortable on runways too short for many jets. On a quote, the lower hourly rate shows straight away, and a turboprop based near you can also cut repositioning.

A small business jet on a wet ramp under a heavy sky

Light jet

Phenom 300E, Citation CJ4, Learjet 75

Seats: 6–8
Range: 2,000–2,150 nm
Cabin height: ~4.8–4.9 ft
Per hour: $3,500–5,500

Fast, efficient and the most common choice for trips of up to about three hours. Expect a seated cabin about 4.8 to 4.9 feet high, room for soft bags, and an hourly rate that rewards short, direct legs.

Midsize jet

Citation XLS+

Seats: 7–9
Range: ~2,100 nm
Cabin height: ~5.7 ft
Per hour: $4,500–7,000

A taller cabin (about 5.7 feet), more legroom and a proper baggage hold. Range for most domestic trips without a stop, which keeps both flight time and the number of landing fees down.

A business jet facing the camera on the ramp at dusk

Super-midsize jet

Challenger 350, Citation Longitude, Praetor 600

Seats: 8–10
Range: 3,200–4,000 nm
Cabin height: ~6.0 ft
Per hour: $6,500–9,500

A 6-foot cabin and the range for nonstop coast-to-coast flights. The hourly rate is higher, but on long trips the absence of a fuel stop often makes the total more sensible than it first looks.

Large cabin jet

Gulfstream G450, Challenger 650, Falcon 2000LXS

Seats: 10–16
Range: 4,000–4,300 nm
Cabin height: 6.2 ft+
Per hour: $8,500–13,000

Several seating areas, a cabin of 6.2 feet or more, and transatlantic range. Crew expenses and handling are larger lines on these quotes, so they are worth reading closely.

At a glance

Seven categories, side by side.

Very light jets and ultra long range jets complete the picture. All figures are typical and vary by model, age and load.

Typical figures by category, estimates for US charter before tax and fees
Category	Seats	Typical range	Cabin height	Hourly estimate	Examples
Turboprop	6–9	~1,800 nm	Varies	$1,800–3,200	Pilatus PC-12, King Air 350
Very light jet	4–5	1,400–1,550 nm	Varies	$2,800–4,200	HondaJet, Citation M2
Light jet	6–8	2,000–2,150 nm	~4.8–4.9 ft	$3,500–5,500	Phenom 300E, Citation CJ4, Learjet 75
Midsize jet	7–9	~2,100 nm	~5.7 ft	$4,500–7,000	Citation XLS+
Super-midsize jet	8–10	3,200–4,000 nm	~6.0 ft	$6,500–9,500	Challenger 350, Citation Longitude, Praetor 600
Large cabin jet	10–16	4,000–4,300 nm	6.2 ft+	$8,500–13,000	Gulfstream G450, Challenger 650, Falcon 2000LXS
Ultra long range jet	13–19	7,500–7,700 nm	6.2 ft+	$12,000–20,000+	Gulfstream G650ER, Global 7500

Reading the rate

An hourly rate is not a price.

Multiplying an hourly rate by the flight time gives you one line of a quote, usually the largest, but rarely the total. Repositioning, daily minimums, crew expenses, airport charges and taxes sit on top, and on a one-way trip repositioning alone can match the flight time.

That is why we compare aircraft on their all-in totals rather than their hourly rates. A light jet based two hours away can cost more for your trip than a midsize jet that is already nearby.

See how the lines add up on our annotated sample quote, or read a charter quote, line by line.

Not sure which category fits?

Tell us the passengers, luggage and route. Your advisor will price the categories that make sense, side by side and all-in.

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