Why Choose a Midsize Jet?
Midsize jets occupy the sweet spot in private aviation — offering significantly more cabin space and range than light jets while maintaining reasonable operating costs. With stand-up cabins typically 1.72–1.75 m in height, enclosed lavatories, and seating for up to 9 passengers, these aircraft are ideal for cross-continental business travel and medium-haul leisure flights.
Midsize jets can comfortably cover routes like London to Istanbul, Paris to Dubai, or New York to Miami nonstop. They combine the performance of larger aircraft with the ability to operate from smaller airports that heavy jets cannot access.
Advantages of Midsize Jets
Stand-Up Cabins
Full stand-up headroom (1.72–1.80 m) throughout the cabin. Move freely, stretch during flight, and arrive refreshed after multi-hour journeys.
Transcontinental Range
Cover up to 5,500 km nonstop — sufficient for most intra-European, transatlantic, and Middle Eastern routes without fuel stops.
Productive Workspace
Wider cabins accommodate conference-style seating, fold-out worktables, in-flight Wi-Fi, and power outlets at every seat. Hold meetings at 43,000 feet.
Balanced Economics
30-40% lower hourly rates than heavy jets while delivering 80% of the cabin experience. The most popular charter category for corporate travel.
Available Midsize Jet Models
Cessna Citation XLS+
Passengers: 9
Range: 3,630 km
Speed: 816 km/h
Charter: from €5,000/h
The world's best-selling midsize business jet. Proven reliability and excellent short-field performance.
Cessna Citation Latitude
Passengers: 9
Range: 5,278 km
Speed: 833 km/h
Charter: from €5,500/h
Flat-floor, stand-up cabin with the widest cross-section in its class. Garmin G5000 avionics.
Cessna Citation Sovereign+
Passengers: 9
Range: 5,463 km
Speed: 848 km/h
Charter: from €5,800/h
Extended range variant bridging midsize and super-midsize categories. Excellent transcontinental capability.
Hawker 800XP
Passengers: 8
Range: 4,815 km
Speed: 828 km/h
Charter: from €4,800/h
Classic British-designed midsize jet. Generous baggage capacity and proven Honeywell TFE731 engines.
Hawker 900XP
Passengers: 9
Range: 5,149 km
Speed: 835 km/h
Charter: from €5,200/h
Updated Hawker with winglets and Honeywell TFE731-50R engines for improved performance and range.
Learjet 60XR
Passengers: 7
Range: 4,313 km
Speed: 859 km/h
Charter: from €5,000/h
Fastest midsize jet in the market. Legendary Learjet climb performance and speed.
Gulfstream G150
Passengers: 8
Range: 5,463 km
Speed: 848 km/h
Charter: from €5,200/h
Built on the Astra/Galaxy platform. Outstanding range for a midsize jet with Gulfstream quality.
Embraer Legacy 450
Passengers: 8
Range: 4,260 km
Speed: 833 km/h
Charter: from €5,000/h
Fly-by-wire midsize jet with a flat-floor cabin and modern avionics suite.
Typical Midsize Jet Routes
Midsize jets excel on medium-haul routes that would require fuel stops in light jets:
- London — Istanbul: 3h 30min
- Paris — Marrakech: 3h 10min
- Geneva — Tel Aviv: 4h 00min
- Milan — Reykjavik: 4h 15min
- Munich — Cairo: 3h 45min
- Madrid — Helsinki: 4h 00min
- Zurich — Canary Islands: 4h 10min
- Vienna — Baku: 3h 50min
Midsize Jet Comparison Table
| Model | Passengers | Range (km) | Speed (km/h) | Cabin Height (m) | Charter/h |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citation XLS+ | 9 | 3,630 | 816 | 1.73 | €5,000 |
| Hawker 800XP | 8 | 4,815 | 828 | 1.75 | €4,800 |
| Legacy 450 | 8 | 4,260 | 833 | 1.83 | €5,000 |
| Learjet 60XR | 7 | 4,313 | 859 | 1.73 | €5,000 |
| Hawker 900XP | 9 | 5,149 | 835 | 1.75 | €5,200 |
| G150 | 8 | 5,463 | 848 | 1.75 | €5,200 |
| Citation Latitude | 9 | 5,278 | 833 | 1.83 | €5,500 |
| Citation Sovereign+ | 9 | 5,463 | 848 | 1.73 | €5,800 |
Charter Pricing Guide
Midsize jet charter rates typically range from €4,800 to €5,800 per flight hour. This category offers excellent value for groups of 6-9 passengers traveling 3-5 hours:
- Per-seat economics: For a full cabin of 8 passengers, effective per-seat cost is comparable to business class on many routes
- Empty legs: One-way repositioning flights available at 30-75% discount
- Jet card programs: Prepaid flight hours offer 5-15% savings over on-demand rates
- Annual contracts: Dedicated aircraft arrangements for frequent flyers with guaranteed availability
Charter or Purchase — Expert Advisory
Plane Selection by Plane Selection offers full-service midsize jet solutions — from on-demand charter to aircraft acquisition, management, and resale. Our team of aviation consultants analyzes your travel patterns and recommends the most cost-effective solution, whether that's charter, jet card, fractional ownership, or full ownership.
