- Passengers
- Usually 10 to 16 in charter layouts
- Published range
- About 3,400 to 8,200 nm
- Cabin zones
- Two to four separate areas
- Indicative rate
- About £5,000 to £16,000 per flight hour, indicative
- Best for
- Intercontinental nonstop, overnight flights
Last reviewed
Large-cabin and ultra-long-range jets
Heavy jet is the charter industry's term for business jets with a cabin divided into more than one area. In practice it covers two groups. Large-cabin jets such as the Falcon 6X and Gulfstream G500 have a cabin well over two metres wide, separate forward and aft lounges and published range of roughly 5,300 to 5,500 nm; the Challenger 650 and Legacy 650 bring heavy jet comfort to shorter missions with about 3,900 to 4,000 nm. Ultra-long-range jets such as the Global 7500, Gulfstream G700 and G800 add a third or fourth area, often a private bedroom, and range of 7,000 nm or more.
Passenger numbers in the table are the manufacturer maximum, which on the largest types is 19. Charter cabins are usually fitted with fewer seats so that divans and seats can be made into beds; on an overnight sector, the number who can lie flat matters more than the seat count, so ask us for it.
Production changes matter in this class. Gulfstream produced its last G650 in 2025 and the Embraer Legacy 650 was withdrawn from sale in 2020, but both remain widely available for charter. Dassault no longer lists the Falcon 7X among its current models, though it too is common in charter. The Gulfstream G800 (first delivered in 2025), Falcon 6X (in service since 2023) and Global 8000 (in service since December 2025) are the newest types in this class.
| Model | Passengers (manufacturer max) | Approx. range | Cabin notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embraer Legacy 600 / 650 (out of production) | 13 to 14 | About 3,400 nm / 3,900 nm (6,300 / 7,220 km) | Three cabin zones; a common heavy jet in European charter |
| Bombardier Challenger 650 | Up to 12 | About 4,000 nm (7,400 km) with 6 passengers | Wide cabin for its class; well suited to Europe to the Gulf |
| Gulfstream G500 | Up to 19 | 5,300 nm (9,820 km) with 8 passengers | Cabin 12.65 m long, 2.31 m wide; up to three living areas |
| Dassault Falcon 6X | Up to 16 | 5,500 nm (10,190 km) with 8 passengers | Cabin 1.98 m high, 2.58 m wide; Dassault describes it as the tallest and widest cabin in business aviation |
| Dassault Falcon 7X (out of production) | Up to 16 | About 5,950 nm (11,020 km) with 8 passengers | Three-zone cabin; widely chartered tri-jet |
| Dassault Falcon 8X | Up to 16 | 6,450 nm (11,950 km) with 8 passengers | Cabin 13 m long, 1.88 m high, 2.34 m wide |
| Gulfstream G600 | Up to 19 | 6,600 nm (12,220 km) with 8 passengers | Cabin 13.77 m long, 2.31 m wide |
| Bombardier Global 6500 | Up to 17 | 6,600 nm (12,220 km) with 8 passengers | Cabin 13.18 m long, 2.41 m wide |
| Gulfstream G650 / G650ER (out of production) | Up to 19 | About 7,000 nm / 7,500 nm (12,960 / 13,890 km) | Large windows, low cabin altitude; very common for long-haul charter |
| Bombardier Global 7500 | Up to 19 | 7,700 nm (14,260 km) with 8 passengers | Cabin 16.59 m long; four living spaces including a principal suite |
| Gulfstream G700 | Up to 19 | 7,750 nm (14,350 km) with 8 passengers | Cabin 17.35 m long, 2.49 m wide; up to five living areas |
| Bombardier Global 8000 | Up to 19 | 8,000 nm (14,820 km) with 8 passengers | Same cabin dimensions as the Global 7500, longer range, top speed Mach 0.95 |
| Gulfstream G800 | Up to 19 | 8,200 nm (15,190 km) with 8 passengers | Cabin 14.27 m long; up to four living areas; first delivered 2025 |
What the range means from London
The ranges above are manufacturer figures with eight passengers and fuel reserves (six for the Challenger 650), in standard conditions. Winds, the season, the departure runway and a full cabin all cut into them. The distances below are straight-line figures from Farnborough.
A Challenger 650 or Legacy 650 covers Dubai (about 2,980 nm), the US East Coast (New York about 2,990 nm, Washington about 3,180 nm) in principle. Mumbai (about 3,910 nm) is at or beyond the published range of both, so in practice it needs a fuel stop or a longer-range aircraft, and westbound Atlantic crossings in winter need margin. These aircraft are at their best on Europe to the Gulf and transatlantic East Coast flights.
Large-cabin jets with 5,300 to 5,500 nm, such as the G500 and Falcon 6X, add Johannesburg (about 4,900 nm), Los Angeles (about 4,720 nm) and the Maldives (about 4,620 nm). Dassault cites London to Hong Kong (about 5,220 nm) as a nonstop for the 6X, based on its 5,500 nm long-range cruise figure. With 6,450 to 6,600 nm, a Falcon 8X, G600 or Global 6500 reaches Singapore (about 5,890 nm) and Tokyo (about 5,200 nm) with margin.
The ultra-long-range group at 7,500 nm and more connects London with almost anywhere in Asia and the Americas nonstop. Perth, at about 7,850 nm, is on paper within the published range of the G800 and Global 8000, but whether it can be flown nonstop on a given day depends on winds and load. Sydney, at about 9,200 nm, needs a stop in every business jet.
Cabin and baggage
The difference you feel is space. Most of the newer types in the table have cabins 1.88 to 1.98 m high and 2.31 to 2.58 m wide, enough for full-size seats either side of a proper aisle. Large-cabin jets usually have a forward club, a dining or conference area and an aft lounge with a divan; ultra-long-range jets often add a bedroom with a fixed bed and its own washroom. A dedicated crew rest area on some types lets operators carry an extra pilot and plan longer duty days, which matters for 12 to 14 hour flights.
Baggage is rarely the limiting factor. Holds are large and usually accessible in flight. What does matter is payload against fuel on the longest sectors: if you are filling every seat and the hold on a flight near the aircraft's limit, we check with the operator before confirming nonstop.
Heavy jet or something else?
Choose a large-cabin jet for ten or more passengers, for any flight over about six hours, or for overnight sectors where sleep matters. Choose an ultra-long-range jet when the city pair needs it, typically London to East Asia, Southern Africa with a full load, or the US West Coast with margin.
Step down to a super-midsize jet when the group is eight or fewer and the destination is within about 3,500 nm; it is usually cheaper per hour. Step up to a VIP airliner when you need more than about 16 people in genuine comfort, a delegation with separate principal and staff areas, or a large quantity of baggage or equipment.
Indicative heavy jet charter costs
Heavy (large-cabin) jets cost about £5,000 to £11,000 per flight hour and ultra-long-range jets about £7,000 to £16,000 per flight hour, indicative; it depends on the aircraft, positioning, season and operator. The newest ultra-long-range types tend to sit at the top of their range. These are market ranges, not quotes, and they exclude taxes, VAT where it applies, airport, handling, overflight and navigation fees, crew overnights and daily minimums unless stated.
Long-haul charters often involve positioning, crew rest at the destination and, for one-way trips, the cost of returning the aircraft empty. Those can matter as much as the hourly rate. We quote a fixed price for the trip and point out empty legs or one-way availability where they exist.