If you are part of a company forking out that much cash for a means of transportation, then you need to know you are getting something good for your money. That’s why we have done some research and compiled a list of the twenty best private jets on the market today. Even if you don’t get to travel in them, there’s something depressingly addictive about gazing at how the other half lives.
Private Jets Are Becoming More Affordable
With legroom decreasing even as ticket prices rise, more people are seeing that flying commercial is (pardon the pun) for the birds. But, unfortunately, even if you get a first-class seat with all the trimmings, it’s still likely to be more expensive and less comfortable than had you chosen a private jet. Going private is rapidly becoming the only way to fly. With the ability to lease a jet for individual trips, it means you can reap the benefits of owning your own private jet without the expense of actually buying one.
What’s the Best Private Jet?
Though private planes might be superior to larger airliners in nearly every way, they are not all created equal. A bad ride on the smaller aircraft could be terrifying and disastrous, which is why you should know which are the best private jets and which are not worth the money. Whether you’re looking to buy, lease, rent, time-share, or charter, each of these will get you from point A to wherever you want in safety and style.
1. Learjet Liberty 75
View in gallery The Last Champion: If there was one name synonymous with providing the best business jets, it was LearJet. The Learjet Liberty 75 is the last name to roll off the Learjet construction line. Entering its final year in production, it stands alone as the brand’s final champion. With a high service ceiling and a range of 2,050 nmi, it is everything you could hope for in a private jet. While it may have a hefty price tag for just six seats, you are getting a lot of luxury for your money. Cost: $9.9 million
2. Hawker 400XP
Cost: $2 Million
3. Nextant G90XT
Many Flavors: With small planes, what you see is often less than what you get. On the G90XT, you get the option of many cabin layouts. It’s is alluring in that it offers so many choices, even with the limited space. Beneath the cockpit sits the Garmin G1000 navigational instruments, making course charting child’s play. This stylish aircraft has a range of 1,000 nmi when carrying a full 3-person passenger load. The two turboprops give this private jet a While it may not be the newest of Cost: $2.8 Million
4. Honda Jet
Small Wonder: You can tell from the comfortable, friendly, inviting sitting arrangement of the Honda Jet that it comes from a car manufacturer. This eight-seater business jet is doesn’t have the longest range at just 1400 nmi, but with a top speed of 780 km/h, you know you will be zipping to and from events in comfort and style. Cost: $4.5 Million
5. Cessna Citation M2
Break from Form: Cessna may be the top of the twin-prop heap, but the M2 is something a little bit different. Launched in 2011, the M2 was the latest addition to the Cessna family. Simplicity is key to this business jet. It carries a hefty price tag, but you’re getting ample space, a quality engine, and a smooth ride. With enough room for four passengers and a single pilot, the M2 has a range of 1150 nmi, making it perfect for those short domestic trips. Cost: $5.5 Million
6. Pilatus PC-12
Hold ’em: The PC-12 is the most popular pressurized single-engine turbine-powered aircraft in the world. If that doesn’t make it one of the best business jets around, I don’t know what is. It has been in production since 1991, and over 2100 have rolled out of the factory in that time. A spunky little dirt devil, the PC-12 handle unpaved runways and jump into the air with a moment’s notice. The huge cargo capacity and comfortable cabin make it ideal for jet-setters who need to carry a lot of wares or luggage with them as they bop from town to town. There are two additional variants for the PC-12, the PC-12NG and the NGX. Cost: $5.4 Million (for the NGX)
7. Beechcraft King Air 350i
Skipper: The Super King has been in active service in one model or another since 1972. It is the longest service active private jet in the world. Not made for anything more than short moves between cities, this business jet is built for the domestic flyer who needs to be doing business in San Antonio on Monday, Denver on Tuesday, and Toronto on Wednesday. Eight passengers can ride in this small but luxurious craft, with plenty of tables and outlets for work on the move. The 350i has a range of 1800 nmi, with a full passenger load. It is a little slower than some jets, but it has a better fuel economy in return. Cost: $7.4 Million
8. Pilatus PC-24
Small Packages: Built for getting on and off of small runways, the PC-24 would be Pablo Escobar’s dream. It’s built like a turboprop but has the cabin space of a medium corporate jet. The interior feels like a penthouse suite, with premium materials on every square inch. With a range of nearly 2000 nmi, you will be traveling in comfort from coast to coast. Cost: $8.9 Million
9. Embraer Phenom 300
Space to Spare: The oval design of the cabin adds a sense of spaciousness to the Phenom 300 that you won’t find in most planes. Beneath the slick exterior is also a wide and deep storage area so that each of the eight passengers can bring along the kitchen sink. The Phenom 300 series now has four active variants, including a medevac model. The aircraft offers a range of nearly 2,000 nmi, and while the $9 million price tag might seem high, it actually represents excellent value for money. Cost: $9 Million
10. Embraer Legacy 500
Untethered: This is all you need to know: Tablet-controlled cabin settings. Yes, there’s also some heated, reclining seats, a nice level floor for easy movement at any time, and a more comfortable, ergonomic design meant to encourage proper posture and health, but really – a tablet-controlled cabin. You will be able to share this luxury with eleven other passengers as you travel up over 3,000 nmi in a single trip. With looks, gadgets, speed, and endurance, the Embraer Legacy 500 rightly earns its place as one of the best private jets in active service today. The price is also several million dollars cheaper than other jets of this type. Cost: $20 Million
11. Bombardier Challenger 350
Wired: Truly private, the Challenger 350 is quite a remarkably private jet. With an eight-passenger capacity and a range of 3,200 nmi, the large, spacious cabin offers extra-sized windows for enhanced luxury. The aircraft is renowned for its space and the quiet nature of its cabin, which is great because when you’re traveling 882km/h, you don’t have much time to relax before you reach your destination. Cost: $26.7 Million
12. Cessna Citation Hemisphere
Go the Distance: Cessna was cursed when it came to their private aircraft. Four thousand nautical miles seemed to be the ceiling of their double-prop design. Unveiled at the 2015 NBAA show, the new Hemisphere breaks new ground for the company by adding 500 nautical miles without losing any comfort or reliability for which Cessna is known. A solid and reliable private jet, you and eleven buddies, can be cruising along at 5,000 ft for longer than ever before. Cost: $35 Million
13. Bombardier Global 8000
Coming Soon: The newest addition to the list of best private jets, the Global 800, entered construction in 2021. It is a jet full of promise, both in terms of style and luxury. A state-of-the-art private jet with specs claiming a top speed of 982km/h and a range of nearly 8,000 nmi! Couches galore and fuel efficiency to boot, the Global 8000 might not be off the ground just yet, but with the expanded galley and the furthest reach of any private plane, it’s going to be the name to beat in upcoming years. Cost: $56 Million
14. Flexjet Global Express
Get There: Meant to go the distance and do it quickly, the Global Express lives up to its moniker by offering nearly 7,000 miles worth of range coupled with a top cruising speed of 561 mph. In addition, semi-circular seating makes conferences, meetings, and high-stakes gambling while aloft easily done. They say you get what you pay for, but with the Global Express, that statement never rang more true—offering the ultimate in long-distance comfort, with a configuration that makes in-transit conferences and discussions simple and almost enjoyable. Cost: $56 Million
15. Dassault Falcon 8X
Redefined: The Falcon 7X changed how private jets are built by using a computerized system to aid in the layout. The result was more efficiency and a more comfortable cabin. With the 8X, the game hasn’t changed much, but with an extended fuselage and an expanded range, it’s the little things that count. Cost: $58 Million
16. Gulfstream G550
Distance Runner: If you don’t have the extra 5 million laying around to get the G650ER, might we humbly recommend the G550. It has an exceptional range of almost 8k miles, and since it’s the middle child of the Gulfstream family, you can get it for less than the competition. Moreover, it’s a safe buy since it will retain a high resale value. Cost: $61.5 Million
17. Gulfstream G650ER
Platinum Standard: Able to go from New York to Hong Kong fully loaded with 18 passengers, there’s very little that can compete with the G650ER in terms of range. Though seating is slightly limited, those you have onboard will have the smoothest, fastest flight of their lives. Cost: $66.5 Million
18. Boeing 757-200
Big ol’ Jet Airliner: A throwback to 1983, the private model of the Boeing 757-200 seats 62 passengers with dual cabins for privacy. Full club seating and a stateroom, it’s Air Force One without the pomposity…or armor plating. Cost: $67 million
19. Boeing Business Jets
VIP: A marvel of modern technology that puts Donald Trump’s little 757 to shame, the BBJ3, as it is known around the company, can seat between 25 and 50 people depending on how you want it arranged. For changes on the fly, it can easily be altered to accommodate whatever needs your business has. (Note: the above gallery also contains the 757, the 777, and the 747 — sheer pleasure) Cost: $75 Million
20. Airbus 319 Corporate Jet
Spy Plane: Beneath the placid, professional exterior beats the heart of a clandestine services mastermind. Removable panels create enhanced security and offer greater options for customizing the interior, while extra, removable fuel tanks give you as much or as little gas as is needed to get the job done. Cost: $80.7 Million
Final Approach For Private Jets
With private jet charters and lease options becoming more common, there is no reason not to give it a try, at least once. They offer everything you wish you could have on a commercial flight for a remarkably reasonable price. If you just need to make a quick trip – in, meet, out – then a business jet is worth its weight in gold. You don’t just need to use them for business either. With a private charter, you could surprise a loved one with a romantic getaway, or fly you and your buddies down to vegas for a weekend of fun beneath the neon lights. So what are you waiting for? Have you been lucky enough to experience traveling on a private jet? Let us know in the comments. What type of aircraft was it? Where did you go? How much fun did you have? We’d love to hear about it, and maybe there is a jet that we missed off this list that you feel deserves addition based on your own experiences.
