6 aircraft6 to 8 seatsup to 2,165 nm
Light Jet Charter
The volume workhorse of North American charter.
The class
What a light jet is for
Light jets cover the majority of domestic charter demand. Six to eight seats, two to three hours of comfortable range, and access to nearly every business airport in the country. Most have an enclosed lavatory, most do not have a flight attendant.
Across the 6 aircraft we track in this class, published range runs from 2,000 to 2,165 nautical miles and typical seating from 6 to 8. That spread matters. Two aircraft sold as the same class can differ by a thousand miles of range, which is the difference between a nonstop and a fuel stop on a transcontinental leg.
The aircraft in this class are Embraer Phenom 300E, Cessna Citation CJ3+, Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen2, Learjet 75 Liberty, Learjet 45XR and Nextant 400XTi.
Charter pricing does not follow the class boundary cleanly either. An older airframe in a larger class sometimes prices below a new one in the class beneath it, and the only way to find out on your date is to make operators bid.
| Aircraft | Seats | Range | Cruise | Cabin H | Runway |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Embraer Phenom 300E | 8 | 2,010 nm | 464 kt | 4.9 ft | 3,699 ft |
| Cessna Citation CJ3+ | 7 | 2,040 nm | 416 kt | 4.75 ft | 3,180 ft |
| Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen2 | 8 | 2,165 nm | 451 kt | 4.75 ft | 3,410 ft |
| Learjet 75 Liberty | 6 | 2,080 nm | 464 kt | 4.9 ft | 4,440 ft |
| Learjet 45XR | 8 | 2,000 nm | 464 kt | 4.9 ft | 4,700 ft |
| Nextant 400XTi | 7 | 2,003 nm | 447 kt | 4.75 ft | 4,100 ft |
Aircraft
Every light jet we quote
Embraer Phenom 300E
For several consecutive years the most delivered light jet in the world. Air stair door, enclosed aft lavatory and a genuinely usable baggage hold.
Cessna Citation CJ3+
Straight wing gives excellent short field numbers, which matters at mountain and island airports.
Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen2
The longest and fastest of the CJ line. Swept wing, and the only CJ that regularly competes with midsize aircraft on time.
Learjet 75 Liberty
Carries midsize class speed in a light jet certification. Needs more runway than the Citation and Phenom competition.
Learjet 45XR
A widely available charter airframe with strong climb performance and a stand up aisle only for the very short.
Nextant 400XTi
A remanufactured Beechjet airframe with new engines and avionics. Frequently the value option in the class.
Questions
Light Jets explained
How many passengers fit in a light jet?
Typical charter seating across the light jet class runs from 6 to 8 passengers. Maximum certificated seating is often higher, but the practical number is lower once baggage and sector length are accounted for, because seats and fuel compete for the same weight allowance.
How far can a light jet fly without stopping?
Manufacturer published range across this class runs from about 2,000 to 2,165 nautical miles. Treat those as the ceiling. Real range falls with a full cabin, hot conditions, high elevation departure fields and headwinds, so a book figure of 2,000 nm is a comfortable 1,600 nm mission.
Does a light jet have a lavatory?
5 of the 6 aircraft we list in this class have a fully enclosed lavatory. The rest use a curtained arrangement. It is worth specifying on the brief, because it is one of the few cabin details that reliably surprises people on the day.
Photography on this site is representative. It does not depict a specific aircraft, operator or tail number offered for charter.