Private Aviation Guide: Seven Aircraft Categories, Their Ranges, Capacities, and Charter Rates

Private aviation is organized into seven aircraft categories, each matched to different missions, passenger loads, and budgets. Turboprops seat six to nine passengers, can use short unpaved runways, and suit island, mountain, and rural destinations, with charter rates starting around $5,500 per hour. Very light jets like the Phenom 100 carry up to five passengers over roughly 1,071 nautical miles, while light jets such as the Phenom 300, Learjet 75, and Citation CJ series seat about six passengers with ranges of 1,900-2,019 nm and ceilings of 41,000-45,000 feet.

Midsize jets, including the Citation Latitude, Citation XLS, Praetor 500, and Citation Sovereign, seat seven to nine passengers with stand-up cabins and ranges of about 2,000-3,412 nm, priced around $8,000-$9,600 per hour. Super-midsize jets such as the Challenger 350, Gulfstream G280, Praetor 600, and Citation Longitude seat eight to ten passengers with ranges of roughly 3,269-4,040 nm at $9,000-$10,500 per hour. Heavy jets like the Challenger 650, Gulfstream G450, Falcon 8X, and Legacy 650 carry up to 14 passengers over 4,044-6,415 nm, covering routes like New York to London in eight to twelve hours, at $11,600-$15,200 per hour.

Ultra-long-range jets, including the Gulfstream G650ER, Bombardier Global 7500, Global 8000, and Gulfstream G550, carry 14 to 19 passengers over 6,954-8,070 nm, flying nonstop for 13 to 16 hours at speeds up to 528 knots and ceilings up to 51,000 feet. VIP airliners convert widebody aircraft such as the Airbus ACJ319neo, Boeing BBJ MAX, and Embraer Lineage 1000E into private configurations with conference rooms, bedrooms, and full-size showers, offering ranges of 3,965-6,750 nm. Quoted hourly rates include fuel but exclude de-icing, positioning, overnight fees, and other trip-specific costs.