- Passengers
- Usually 6 to 9 midsize, 8 to 10 super-midsize
- Published range
- About 1,600 to 4,000 nm
- Cabin height
- Up to about 1.83 m
- Indicative rate
- About £3,000 to £7,000 per flight hour, indicative
- Best for
- Europe, North Africa, the Gulf
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Midsize and super-midsize, explained
Midsize jets are the point where private flying stops feeling cramped. Most have a cabin tall enough to stand in or nearly so, an enclosed washroom, a galley that can serve a proper meal and baggage space for a group travelling for a week rather than a night. They comfortably cover any city pair in Europe from London.
Super-midsize jets keep a single cabin but make it wider and longer, with a flat floor and range of roughly 3,400 to 4,000 nm. That is the category that puts Dubai, Riyadh and Lagos within nonstop reach of London, and on a favourable day the US East Coast. For a long flight with a small group it is often the most cost-effective choice.
Model ranges move on: Textron's current Citation line-up lists the Citation Ascend rather than the XLS, Gulfstream now presents the G300 as the successor to the G280, and the Challenger 350 has been updated as the Challenger 3500. Older airframes remain common in charter fleets and are capable aircraft; ask for the year of build and of the last refurbishment of any aircraft you are offered.
| Model | Passengers (manufacturer max) | Approx. range | Cabin and baggage notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cessna Citation XLS / XLS+ / XLS Gen2 | 6 to 9 | About 1,600 to 2,100 nm (2,960 to 3,890 km), depending on version and assumptions | Workhorse midsize type; centre aisle about 1.73 m high |
| Cessna Citation Ascend (certified 2025, first delivered 2026) | Up to 12 | 1,940 nm (3,590 km) with 4 passengers | Successor to the XLS line; optional dropped aisle to 1.73 m; 90 cu ft of baggage |
| Cessna Citation Latitude | Up to 9 | 2,700 nm (5,000 km) with 4 passengers | Flat-floor cabin 1.83 m high, 1.96 m wide; 127 cu ft of baggage |
| Embraer Praetor 500 | 7 to 9 | About 3,340 nm (6,190 km) with 4 passengers | Flat-floor cabin 1.83 m high, 2.08 m wide |
| Gulfstream G280 (super-midsize) | Up to 10 | About 3,600 nm (6,670 km) with 4 passengers | Being succeeded by the G300, deliveries targeted for 2027 |
| Bombardier Challenger 3500 (super-midsize) | Up to 10 | 3,400 nm (6,300 km) with 4 passengers | Cabin 1.83 m high, 2.19 m wide, 7.68 m long; updated Challenger 350 |
| Cessna Citation Longitude (super-midsize) | Up to 12 | 3,500 nm (6,480 km) | Cabin 1.83 m high, 1.96 m wide, 7.67 m long; 112 cu ft of baggage, accessible in flight |
| Embraer Praetor 600 (super-midsize) | 8 to 12 | About 4,000 nm (7,440 km) with 4 passengers | Same cross-section as the Praetor 500 with a longer cabin |
What the range means from London
Distances here are straight-line figures from Farnborough. Published range assumes four passengers, standard conditions and reserves; with a full cabin and winter winds you should expect less, so we confirm nonstop capability with the operator for your actual load and date.
A classic midsize jet such as a Citation XLS or Ascend covers anything in western and central Europe nonstop, including Athens and Istanbul at roughly 1,300 to 1,350 nm. A Citation Latitude adds Tel Aviv (about 1,950 nm), Cyprus and Cairo. That is the step most light jet passengers notice first: the eastern Mediterranean without a fuel stop.
Super-midsize jets open the Gulf and West Africa. Dubai is about 2,980 nm, Doha about 2,840 nm, Riyadh about 2,680 nm and Lagos about 2,690 nm, all within the published range of a Challenger 3500, Citation Longitude, G280 or Praetor 600 with a modest load. New York Teterboro is about 2,990 nm, but westbound winds over the Atlantic often make that a tight or one-stop trip in winter; the Praetor 600 and G280 give the most margin.
Cabin and baggage
The difference from a light jet is height and space to move. A Citation Latitude or Longitude cabin is 1.83 m high with a flat floor, so most passengers can stand and walk to the washroom without stooping. Super-midsize cabins typically seat eight to ten in a club of four plus a facing group or divan, and the divan can be made into a bed for one person on an overnight sector.
Baggage holds are large enough for a group travelling for a week. The Latitude carries 127 cu ft and the Longitude 112 cu ft, roughly double a typical light jet. Some, including the Citation Longitude, have a baggage hold that is accessible in flight, which is useful for coats and laptop bags; ask if it matters. Skis, golf bags and dive kit are still worth listing when you enquire.
Midsize, super-midsize or something else?
Choose a midsize jet for six to eight passengers on European sectors of two to four hours, or whenever comfort matters more than the lowest price. Choose a super-midsize jet for flights over about four hours, for the Gulf or West Africa nonstop, or for an Atlantic crossing with a small group.
Step down to a light jet for short hops with four or five people and light bags. Step up to a heavy jet when you need more than about ten seats, a separate area for sleeping or meetings, or nonstop range beyond about 4,000 nm, for example London to Johannesburg or the US West Coast, or Mumbai (about 3,910 nm) with a full cabin.
Indicative midsize jet charter costs
Midsize and super-midsize jets cost about £3,000 to £7,000 per flight hour, indicative; it depends on the aircraft, positioning, season and operator. Classic midsize types usually sit in the lower part of that range and the larger super-midsize types in the upper part. These are market ranges, not quotes, and they exclude taxes, VAT where it applies, airport and handling fees, overnight crew costs and daily minimums.
For longer trips the comparison is not hourly but total: a super-midsize jet that flies London to Dubai nonstop can cost less overall than a cheaper aircraft that needs a fuel stop, extra positioning and an overnight for crew. Our quotes are fixed prices for the trip and say which aircraft is the better value for your route.