December 5, 2024
Gulfstream Aerospace had the most popular large cabin and super long-range private jets in 2020, according to just-released data from Argus TRAQPak.
At the same time, Textron Aviation saw three of its business aircraft take the top spot in three of the eight categories. Its Beechcraft King Air 200 was the most flown multi-engine turboprop. The Cessna Citation Mustang was the most popular very light jet. Its Citation Excel/XLS/XLS+ won the midsize private jet category.
Gulfstream’s G-V, G500, and G550 were the most flown super long-range private jets in 2020, according to Argus TRAQPak, with 32,246 flights in North America. The Georgia-based OEM was a repeat, although the number of flights for the types dropped from 49,354 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
OneFlight International and Qatar Executive offer dedicated jet cards for this year’s winner.
Hourly one-way jet card price with guaranteed availability starts from $15,571, including FET.
Gulfstream’s Gulfstream GIV/400/450/300/350 series bumped Bombardier’s Challenger 600/601/604/605 series in the large cabin private jet category with 57,842 flights. Again, there was a big fall-off from 2019 when the Canadian OEM took the top spot with 80,313 flights in the category.
Clay Lacy, Magellan Jets, NetJets, OneFlight International, and Star Jets International offer dedicated jet cards for the types.
Hourly one-way jet card price with guaranteed availability starts from $12,535, including FET.
In the super-midsize private jet category, Bombardier held service with its Challenger 350, replacing the Challenger 300 as the most popular aircraft in the category. Flights dropped from 95,644 to 67,393.
Clay Lacy, Flexjet, Magellan Jets, NetJets, OneFlight International, VistaJet, and XO all offer the Challenger 300/350 in dedicated jet cards.
Challenger 350 hourly one-way price with guaranteed availability starts from $10,140, including FET.
Textron Aviation’s Cessna Citation Excel/XLS/XLS+ series again was the most flown midsize private jet in North America, according to TRAQPak. Flights dropped from 161,323 to 113,115.
Clay Lacy, NetJets, OneFlight International, Silverhawk Aviation, and Wheels Up each offer Citation Excel/XLS series options. While FlyExclusive sells by category, the repeat winner is the only midsize jet in its fleet.
Citation Excel/XLS hourly one-way price with guaranteed availability starts from $7,119, including FET.
Embraer’s Phenom 300 continues as the most flown light jet in North America, according to Argus. They clocked 99,118 flights, down from 117,339 in 2019.
The Phenom 300 also continues as the most popular aircraft to be featured in dedicated jet card programs. Airshare, Elite Jets Charters, Flexjet, GrandView Aviation, Magellan Jets, NetJets, Nicholas Air, and OneFlight International all offer options for the Embraer best-selling Embraer jet.
Phenom 300 hourly one-way price with guaranteed availability starts from $5,644.
Textron’s Citation Mustang took over the top spot in 2020. It bumped Embraer’s Phenom 100 as the most popular very light jet in North America. Mustangs took off 22,941 times last year, down from 32,582 flights for the Phenom in 2019.
OneFlight International and GlobeAir offer the Mustang in their jet card program. Airshare, Nicholas Air, and OneFlight feature the Phenom 100.
Citation Mustang hourly one-way price with guaranteed availability starts from $4,401, including FET.
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Textron’s Beechcraft King Air 200 repeated as the most popular multi-engine turboprop with 138,487 flights. Activity was down from 180,219 flights in 2019.
OneFlight and Silverhawk Aviation offer the King Air 200 while Wheels Up offers the King Air 350i.
King Air 200 hourly one-way price with guaranteed availability starts from $4,191, including FET.
The Pilatus PC-12 held its position as most flown single-engine turboprop with 209,170 flights, down from 244,217.
You can buy the PC-12 in jet card format from Nicholas Air, OneFlight International, and Tradewind Aviation. PlaneSense offers the type in its fractional program.
Pilatus PC-12 hourly one-way price with guaranteed availability starts from $3,772, including FET.
In terms of cabin category, light jets were the best performers. Across Parts 91, 91k, and 135, light jet flight hours dipped by 13.9%. By contrast, turboprops saw a 19% decline, and midsize jets clocked 22.2% fewer flight hours. With international travel restrictions, large cabin private jets saw flight hours drop 36% in 2020 compared to 2019, according to Argus. Total flight hours for all business aviation activity were down 22.5%.
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