Before you buy a jet card, compare over 150 of the private jets you will be flying on
Jet cards eliminate the hassles and time it takes to plan on-demand charter flights, and even more, they provide service guarantees and the opportunity to lock in fixed rates and eliminate ferry fees. Still, figuring out which aircraft fit your flying needs can be tricky.
The Pilatus PC-24 is new and the most spacious aircraft in the light jet category
Light jets provide an affordable way to access private aviation. With prices for on-demand and jet card charter of a light jet often starting at under $5,000, depending on where you are going and with how many people, light jets, including its category subset very light jets, are a good way to get the most value when flying privately. Light jets are defined as having a maximum take-off weight of under 20,000 pounds with very light jets typically referred to as those aircraft with a maximum take-off weight under 10,000 pounds.
Of course, when choosing light jets size can be an issue. both cabin height can impact how much you have to duck when moving around while width and length impact how spacious it feels once you are flying. Cabin volume combines all three, and according to research by Conklin & de Decker Associates, the new Pilatus PC-24 is the champion when it comes to light jets with its cabin measuring 501 cubic feet followed by the Embraer 300/300E at 324 cubic feet. Next from Cessna are the Citation Encore (310 ), Citation Encore + (310), Citation V ( 310) and Citation Ultra (310).
Of course, if you are taller, height may an issue. From that perspective, the Beechcraft Premier I and IA at a height of 5.4 inches will give you the most headroom in the category followed by the Pilatus PC-24 at 5.08 feet and then Embraer’s Phenom 100 and 300 at nearly five feet in cabin height (4.92 and 4.94). Other light jets that will give you more head space include the Dassault Falcon 10 (4.9), Dassault Falcon 100 (4.9), HondaJet HA-420 (4.8), Cessna Citation V (4.8), Cessna Citation Ultra (4.8), Beechcraft Beechjet 400A (4.8), and Beechcraft Diamond 1A (4.8). At a cabin height of 4.75 feet are the Citation CJ3+, CJ2, C2+, CJ1, CJ1+ and M2.
In terms of width, the Pilatus PC-24 is again the leader at 5.58 feet followed by Beechcraft’s Premier 1/1A at 5.5 feet. While the Sabreliner Sabre 40A offers a cabin 5.25 feet wide, it hasn’t been manufactured since the 1970s so you are unlikely to find many on the charter market or featured in jet card programs. However, the Phenom 100 and 300 series, both with cabins at 5.08 feet wide are highly popular, and a number of jet card providers, including Executive AirShare, Flexjet, JetSuite and Nicholas Air offer programs featuring them. The narrowest private jet is the Cessna Citation Mustang at 4.58 feet.
For cabin length, the PC-24 at 23 feet is longest. Cessna’s Citation V, Ultra, Encore, Encore +, CJ4 and Embraer’s Phenom 300 and 300E all have cabins over 17 feet long. On the compact side, the Mustang, Learjet 24D/24E and Eclipse 500/550 and Total Eclipse 500 each have cabins under 10 feet in length.
When choosing a light jet you need to make sure to verify how many seats on the aircraft as the same airplane types can be configured with a different number of seats. With light jets, you will also want to check to see if there is an enclosed toilet and if it is separated by a hard door or just a curtain.
Which is the roomiest light jet? The most spacious light jets measured by cubic volume, cabin height, cabin length and cabin volume:
Aircraft Name
Maximum Take-off Weight (lbs.)
Cabin Height (feet)
Cabin Width (feet)
Cabin Length (feet)
Cabin Volume (cu. ft.)
Pilatus PC-24
17,968
5.08
5.58
23.00
501.0
Embraer Phenom 300
17,968
4.92
5.08
17.17
324.0
Embraer Phenom 300E
17,968
4.92
5.08
17.17
324.0
Cessna Citation Encore+
16,830
4.75
4.83
17.33
314.0
Cessna Citation Encore
16,630
4.75
4.83
17.33
314.0
Cessna Citation Ultra
16,300
4.80
4.83
17.33
310.0
Cessna Citation V
15,900
4.80
4.83
17.33
310.0
Beechcraft Hawker 400XPR
16,300
4.75
4.92
15.50
305.0
Beechcraft Beechjet 400A
16,100
4.80
4.90
15.60
305.0
Beechcraft Hawker 400XP
16,300
4.75
4.92
15.50
305.0
Nextant Aerospace 400XTi
16,300
4.75
4.92
15.50
305.0
Nextant Aerospace 400XT
16,300
4.75
4.92
15.50
305.0
Sabreliner Sabre 40A
19,612
4.60
5.25
15.80
294.0
Beechcraft Beechjet 400
15,780
4.80
4.90
14.40
293.0
Cessna Citation CJ4
17,110
4.75
4.83
17.30
293.0
Beechcraft Diamond 1A
14,630
4.80
4.90
15.00
293.0
Sierra Industries FJ44 Super SII S550
15,100
4.70
4.80
15.75
292.0
Sierra Industries FJ44 Super II 550
14,100
4.70
4.80
15.75
292.0
Cessna Citation Bravo
14,800
4.70
4.80
15.75
292.0
Cessna Citation II/IISP
14,100
4.70
4.80
15.75
292.0
Cessna Citation S/II
15,100
4.70
4.80
15.75
292.0
Bombardier Learjet 35A
18,300
4.30
4.90
12.90
289.0
Cessna Citation CJ3
13,870
4.75
4.83
15.67
286.0
Cessna Citation CJ3+
13,870
4.75
4.83
15.67
286.0
Beechcraft Premier I
12,500
5.40
5.50
13.60
285.0
Beechcraft Premier IA
12,500
5.40
5.50
13.60
285.0
Bombardier Learjet 31A
17,200
4.35
4.95
12.90
281.0
Bombardier Learjet 31ER
16,500
4.35
4.95
12.90
281.0
Bombardier Learjet 31A/ER
17,700
4.35
4.95
12.90
281.0
Bombardier Learjet 31
15,500
4.35
4.95
12.90
281.0
Bombardier Learjet 25D
15,000
4.30
4.90
12.00
258.0
Cessna Citation CJ2+
12,500
4.75
4.83
13.58
248.0
Cessna Citation CJ2
12,375
4.75
4.83
13.58
248.0
Sierra Industries FJ44 Eagle II 501SP
12,500
4.30
4.90
12.70
230.0
Sierra Industries FJ44 Stallion 501SP
12,500
4.30
4.90
12.70
230.0
Cessna Citation I/ISP
11,850
4.30
4.90
12.70
230.0
Cessna Citation 500
11,500
4.30
4.90
12.70
230.0
Bombardier Learjet 36A
18,300
4.30
4.90
10.50
228.0
Dassault Falcon 10
18,740
4.90
4.80
12.70
224.0
Dassault Falcon 100
18,740
4.90
4.80
12.70
224.0
Honda Aircraft HA-420 HondaJet
10,600
4.80
5.00
12.10
222.0
Bombardier Learjet 24D
13,500
4.30
4.90
9.00
220.0
Bombardier Learjet 24E
13,500
4.30
4.90
9.00
220.0
Embraer Phenom 100E
10,582
4.94
5.08
11.00
212.0
Embraer Phenom 100
10,472
4.92
5.08
11.00
212.0
Embraer Phenom 100EV
10,582
4.94
5.08
11.00
212.0
SyberJet SJ30
13,950
4.30
4.70
12.50
210.0
Cessna Citation Jet
10,400
4.80
4.83
11.00
205.0
Cessna Citation M2
10,700
4.75
4.83
11.00
201.0
Cessna Citation CJ1
10,600
4.75
4.83
11.00
201.0
Cessna Citation CJ1+
10,700
4.75
4.83
11.00
201.0
Cirrus Vision SF50
6,000
4.07
5.08
11.48
170.0
Cessna Citation Mustang
8,645
4.50
4.58
9.80
163.0
One Aviation Eclipse 500
6,000
4.16
4.66
7.60
109.0
One Aviation Eclipse 550
6,000
4.16
4.66
7.60
109.0
One Aviation Total Eclipse 500
6,000
4.16
4.66
7.60
109.0
Source: Conklin & de Decker Associates, Inc. Note: Seating is standard configuration, provided for guidance only, and may vary by owner.
Conklin & de Decker, a JSSI Company, is a leader in aviation research, consulting and education with offices in Massachusetts, Texas and Arizona. The mission of Conklin & de Decker is to enable the general aviation industry to make more informed decisions when dealing with the purchase, operation and disposition of aircraft by furnishing objective and impartial information. Founded in 1984, Conklin & de Decker focuses on fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft operating cost, performance and specification databases, maintenance management software, financial management, fleet planning, market research, aviation tax issues, and financial, tax and management seminars. Conklin & de Decker consults with numerous individuals, corporations, and government agencies worldwide. More information on their products and services, copies of articles published, and a unique “Members Only” section can be found on their website.