There is a plethora of private jets available in the marketplace today. So selecting the right aircraft at the right price for you can sometimes be a daunting challenge especially if you’re flying privately for the first time.
You only need a few basics to start you on your journey! You begin by looking at your planned itinerary, the number of passengers flying with you, your luggage requirements and, of course, your budget. These criteria will give you an indication of the aircraft types that would best suit your flight profile.
Ascent Jet does this for you too! We select the most appropriate aircraft category and type for any given flight profile and then solicit offers from operators nearest your departure airport. When entering your itinerary and requesting an offer, you can also add as much information as you like including a desired aircraft type, even a specific operator or aircraft you’ve flown in previously, and we’ll see what’s available for you.
Here you will find an overview of some of the most popular aircraft that are typically offered for charter. Each aircraft type belongs to a category starting from turbo props and moving up to heavy and ultra long range jets. A description of each category and facilities typically offered in each one are shown in the guide below.
Most light jets and even very light jets will get you from one point in Europe to another. These aircraft typically have a full payload range of between 1000nm and 1400 nm. Very light jets are by far the most cost effective way to fly privately (we’re not including turboprops here) but are limited to four seats and have restricted baggage space. The most popular very light jet today is the Cessna Citation Mustang. This is followed by the Embraer Phenom 100.
A light jet would be the right choice for intra European flights if your party includes more than four and up to seven travelers. Their range is greater and aircraft in this category are more spacious with more luggage room. Popular choices today include the Cessna Citation CJ range as well as the Beechcraft Premier 1A and Learjet 40.
For longer flights or for those who favor more head room and a wider cabin, there are a number of mid-sized jets to choose from. The typical range of a mid-sized jet is 1900nm. They can seat up to 10 passengers. Popular choices in the mid jet category include the Cessna Citation Excel, the Cessna Citation Sovereign, the Learjet 60 and the Hawker 900.
There are several aircraft that fall in the super mid category. These will get you across the Atlantic at a lower price than a heavy jet, but you would probably have to stop en route (typically Iceland) to refuel. You would still be seated in a luxurious cabin with ample head room. Super mid jets will usually seat up to eight travelers comfortably and have a typical range of 3100nm. Popular choices include the Cessna Citation X (the world’s fastest commercial jet), the Bombardier Challenger 300 and the Gulfstream G200 and the Embrear Legacy 600. These aircraft are ideal for the medium to longer range flights.
For the long range intercontinental flights, you would undoubtedly consider a heavy jet. These have the largest variations of ranges and cabin sizes within a given category. A very popular choice for intermediate long range flights is the Bombardier Challenger 600 series. Another is the Dassault Falcon 900EX. Variants of both aircraft have ranges respectively of 4010nm and 4000nm. Both aircraft have large and luxurious cabins and are usually configured to seat up to 12 or even more passengers. Next we come to the ultra long range heavy jets. These include the Gulfstream G 550, the Dassault Falcon 7X and the Bombardier Global Express. All have a range of between 5950nm and 6750nm. Ultra long range business jets are usually configured to seat 12 to 14 travelers. Their seats can typically be converted into beds (berthable), and all will get you from Western Europe to Rio de Janeiro or the west coast of the USA non-stop.
