Since the introduction of the first private jets, some have been better than others. This begs the question, which are the best private jets on the market today?
There are two main ways we can measure how good these private jets are: the amount built or the amount of hours flown by air charter companies each year. Just because it’s one, doesn’t always mean it’s the other…
15. Gulfstream G650
Following on from the popularity of the G600, Gulfstream introduced the lengthened G650. The G650 was meant to capitalize on the longer range and more luxurious market that the G600 didn’t fully tap into.
The G650 is a re-engineered and lengthened G600. The G650 has new engines which allows the G650 to travel both further and slightly faster than the G600. The G650 can carry 18 passengers as well as two pilots.
Since the introduction of the G650, it has been immensely successful. Whilst air charter companies have made many G650s their flagships, it has been especially used by corporations. 400 G650s have been built since 2008.
Thanks to the success of the G650, in October 2019, Gulftstream announced their G700 – a re-engineered and lengthened G650. Gulfstream hopes that the G700 will capture the same success and popularity the G650 did.
14. Pilatus PC-12
The Pilatus PC-12 is perhaps the most versatile business jet. Not only is it used by many different air charter companies, businessmen and celebrities but it is also used as a regional airliner (although it was meant solely as a private jet).
Pilatus designed the PC-12 to be better than the ageing PC-6 it was already producing. As such, the PC-12 features a longer cabin (with a higher passenger capacity) as well as an extended range and faster speed.
Due to this fact, the PC-12 has become one of the most produced business jets on the planet, with 1,700 having been produced to date. In terms of charter hours, the PC-12 has recently surpassed the 2 million hours mark.
Thanks to both of these facts, many industry analysts agree that the PC-2 is one of the best private jets on the planet! With that being said, Pilatus’s new Pilatus PC-24 jet is selling more copies per year than the PC-12.
13. Dassault Falcon 7X
The Dassault Falcon 900 was one of Dassault’s best selling non-military aircraft. However, Dassault, as with many other aircraft manufacturers noticed that consumer preferences had changed – namely, they wanted less.
As such, Dassault obliged. Using the Falcon 900 as a base, Dassault shortened it, giving it both a decreased range and passenger capacity. However, the new engines also made the 7X more fuel efficient and much faster!
Due to its fuel efficiency being fairly good for a jet in its category, the Falcon 7X is one of the most popular business jets. The 7X has sold almost 350 times in just over a decade, to both private and corporate buyers.
In terms of charter hours, the 7X family has flown just over 1 million of them, surpassing that mark only a few years ago. Due to this, it is also considered by many to be one of the best private jets in the world!
12. Gulfstream G280
In 2009, Gulfstream began to see shorter range jets become what “middle of the market” buyers wanted. As such, they released their answer- an aircraft with all of Gulfstream’s luxury but the economics and range of a Cessna.
Following Gulfstream’s pattern of improving on the basis of previous aircraft, the G280 was an improved G200 (which they bought from IAI). The G280 can carry two more passengers (10, rather an 8) as well as fly both faster and farther.
Since its introduction, the G280 has been very successful, even more so than the G200 was at the same point in time. The G280 has become a favorite of businessmen all over the world, selling over 200 copies!
Many G280s have begun to phase out the original G100s (previously the IAI Astra SPX) for many businessmen and air charter companies. The result has been several G100s on the market in recent years.
11. Nextant 400XTi
Many old business jets are known for being extremely expensive to operate. However, Nextant makes a habit of re-manufacturing old business jets and making them more fuel efficient and cheaper than competing models.
The Nextant XTi is no different. Originally, the XTi was a Hawker 400, however, these are too expensive for many to operate. As such, Nextant has bought old Hawker 400s to re-manufacture them to be more fuel efficient.
Due to them being cheaper and more efficient than most newer models out there, the Nextant XTi has become a favorite of air charter companies in particular.
The XTi has flown just under a million charter hours for air charter companies globally, as well as becoming a staple of the business jet industry. Due to this, the XTi is seen as one of the best private jets in the world.
10. Embraer Legacy 600
Today, Embraer is famous for its Phenom 100 and 300 line of business jets. Prior to this, people loved the ERJ-135 airliner, resulting in Embraer deciding to create a jet derived from the famous airliner.
The result was the ERJ-135 with a VIP configuration. The Legacy 600 as it was dubbed, was given new engines, which increased the range and the speed, as well as cutting down on operating costs.
Due to the Legacy’s large size and lower than average operating costs, it soon became a favorite of many businessmen, celebrities and air charter companies, flying millions of charter hours in only two decades!
Almost 300 Legacy 600s have been built and delivered as of the time of writing, which is fairly impressive for a jet of its size! Due to these factors, the Legacy 600 is often considered one of the best private jets on the planet.
In recent years, Embraer have tried to capitalize on the Legacy 600’s success by releasing the Lineage 1000, a private jet variant of its E190 airliner, which has only had a few takers of its own…
9. Embraer Phenom 300
Following on from the immense success and incredibly popular Phenom 100, Embraer released a lengthened version of the Phenom 100. The Phenom 300.
This jet was not only longer and could carry more people but also had double the range, but also a dramatically increased speed (from 0.70 Mach to 0.80 Mach).
Due to this, the Phenom has become very popular on short to medium haul routes, especially for air charter companies. Thanks to being one of the best private jets, the Phenom 300 has become a favorite of air forces for training ground crew.
In fact, the Phenom 300 isn’t just considered one of the best private jets but also one of the best selling business jets! In the past four years (as of the time of writing), the Phenom 300 has been the most delivered bizjet!
8. Bombardier Global 7000
The Bombardier Global 7000 is one of the most expensive private jets on the planet. Following on from the success that the Global 6000 series had, Bombardier has decided to introduce the lengthened and improved Global 7000.
Bombardier lengthened the aircraft to make it so that the Global 7000 can carry 10-19 people with two pilots (and two optional crew members). They also added new engines that increased both the range and the speed.
Due partly to the increase in range, speed and passengers, the Global 7000 has become a favorite of corporations and air charter companies. Bombardier has doubled their delivery rate between 2018 and 2019 and 2019 and 2020.
Currently, the Global 8000 – the aircraft that will act as the more luxurious variant of the Global 7000, is under development. It is expected to begin service by the end of the 2020’s.
7. Learjet 35
Following on from the success and popularity of the Learjet 23 (the first business jet ever), the Learjet 24 and Learjet 25, Bill Lear decided to introduce the improved Learjet 35.
The Learjet 35 was given new engines, that both made the Learjet 35 faster and gave it a longer range. The Learjet 35 was also able to carry six passengers as well as two pilots.
Since it was introduced, the Learjet 35 has become popular with both air charter companies and businesses worldwide. This is due to the fact that when it was introduced it was one of the most economical private jets on the market.
Up until recently, the Learjet 35 was the most chartered aircraft in the world. The last Learjet 35 was produced in 1994, with many having been retired in recent years for being too expensive to operate.
6. Gulfstream G550
The G550 is the longer range, more luxurious variant of the G500. Following the success of both the G450 and G500, Gulfstream decided to release its best selling private jet yet.
Gulfstream designed the G550 to be a lengthened G500. This extra length not only makes the G550 more luxurious than most other aircraft, but also gave it a longer range. This, coupled with new engines also made the G550 faster than the G500.
Due to this increased speed and range (as well as luxury) many people bought the G550, as did air charter companies. As of the time of writing the G550 has sold over 600 times.
In terms of charter hours, the G550 has surpassed the two million hour mark, being one of only a few to do so. Due to these two factors, the G550 is often considered one of the best private jets by analysts.
5. Cessna Citation Mustang
The Cessna Citation Mustang is arguably the most iconic and famous private jets on the planet. The Cessna Citation Mustang is also arguably one of the best private jets on the planet too!
Cessna designed the Mustang with businessmen and celebrities in particular. It has a range that will suit anyone looking to travel transcontinental, as well as the speed to not get there too slowly either.
They designed the aircraft to fly at around 0.5 Mach per hour, with a range of just over 2,000 miles (1,300 km). Due to this, it has become one of the best selling private jets in history!
The Mustang is favored, not only by celebrities and up-and-coming businessmen but also air charter companies. The Mustang has flown over 1 million charter hours since its introduction in 2006.
4. Beechcraft King Air 350
Following on from how popular the King Air 100, Beechcraft decided to introduce a new generation of King Airs variants. One of these King Airs was the King Air 350.
Beechcraft designed the King Air 350 to be both faster and have a longer range than previous King Airs. The King Air 350 also had an increased passenger capacity too, which helped in he King Air 350’s popularity.
Thanks to these modifications, the King Air 350 became one of the most popular business jets for short haul routes, both by businessmen and air charter companies. In fact, it is the most produced turboprop business jet!
And plus, when the sitting President of the United States uses a proto-King Air 350 as their own Air Force One, it certainly has to be one of the best private jets! (President Johnson used it as Air Force One throughout his presidency!)
3. Bombardier Challenger 600
When it comes to the best private jets in the world, the Challenger 600 often takes the cake! After Bill Lear sold Learjet to Bombardier, he began designing better jets than he’d done at Learjet. The result was the Challenger 600.
The Challenger 600 was unlike any jet Bill Lear had designed before. The Challenger 600 was one of the largest and fastest business jets that anyone was designing at the time.
Due to its unparalleled speed, size and range, the Challenger 600 soon became a symbol of power. As such, it has sold over 1,100 times to businesses, businessmen, celebrities, air forces and air charter companies!
Due to being produced over 1,100 times, it is actually the most produced business jet of all time in terms of net orders. In terms of charter hours, the Challenger 600 has flown almost 5 million of them since 1980!
2. Bombardier Challenger 300
Due in part to the popularity of the Challenger 600, as well as seeing the shift in consumer demand for a smaller range jet at a cheaper price, Bombardier released the all-new Challenger 300.
This jet came with a deliberately shortened range but surprisingly a faster cruising speed. The Challenger 300 was also physically shorter, meaning that the Challenger 300 had a smaller capacity as well.
Despite seeming inferior to the Challenger 600 on paper, the Challenger 300 hit the sweet spot for businessmen, celebrities and air charter companies. In just under two decades, the Challenger 300 has sold almost 800 times (for all variants)!
For many businesses and businessmen, it has the range to cross both the Pacific and Atlantic, as well as a cheap price making it ideal for business use! For air charter companies, its economics per seat are almost unbeatable!
1. Cessna Citation CJ3
The Citation CJ3 is one of the cheapest private jets on the planet. Following the popularity and success of the Cessna Citation II family, Cessna (now owned by Textron) decided to introduce the improved Citation CJ3.
Cessna re-engineered various different aspects of the CJ3. Cessna equipped the CJ3 with new engines that both made the CJ3 cheaper to operate as well as faster.
Cessna also re-engineered the cockpit with the hopes of reducing costs. Where the Citation II needed two pilots, the CJ-3 only needs one pilot. The CJ3 can similarly carry seven passengers.
Since its introduction in 2003, the CJ3 has become a favorite of air charter companies in particular. Since it was first introduced as a charter aircraft, the CJ3 has flown over one million charter hours!
Which are the best private jets you’d like to fly on? Tell me in the comments!