Let us take a look at the Private Jet Operating Costs Comparisons and aircraft operating cost comparison. We have estimated hourly operating costs for 45 jets likely to be at the National Business Aviation Association convention in Las Vegas. These are variable costs and include fuel, maintenance (parts and labor), engine reserves, auxiliary power units if applicable, and miscellaneous expenses to include crew travel, catering and cabin supplies, landing and parking fees—all boiled down to a single number. So what is the cheapest private jet for your budget?
As a quick summary, the least expensive to operate is a Cirrus Vision SF50 jet at $661.53 per hour. The most expensive, as you might expect, is a private airliner. The Airbus ACJ320 ultra-long-range, large-cabin business jet comes in at $7,964.69 per hour, while the Boeing BBJ 2 ultra-long-range, large-cabin business aircraft comes in at $7,674.95. A BBJ 3 is less expensive at $7,396.29.
aircraft operating cost comparison
The Eclipse comes in at $888.59, while a Gulfstream G650 is $4,843.16 per hour. Looking at additional manufacturers, an Embraer Lineage 1000E costs $5,827.32 per hour, while a Cessna Citation Mustang is $1,015.37. A Cessna Citation X+ is $4,098.69, while the new Cessna Latitude is $2,935.67. The Nextant 400XTi comes in at $1,623.06, and the SyberJet SJ30 at $1,607.77. A Dassault Falcon 8X costs $3,803.75 per hour while a Learjet 75 is $2,172.31, and a Bombardier Challenger 850 is $3,544.71. The Cessna Citation CJ4 is $1,970.13 per hour. Embraer’s Phenom 300 costs $1,757.53 per hour.
The company estimates that the HondaJet costs $1,134.90 per hour to operate.
See the full list of hourly operating costs for the 45 jets in the table below.
Private Jet Operating Costs Comparisons
| AIRCRAFT NAME | CATEGORY | VARIABLE COST PER HOUR | SEATS – EXECUTIVE | MAXIMUM TAKE-OFF WEIGHT | MAXIMUM RANGE 4 PAX | MAX CRUISE SPEED | NUMBER OF ENGINES | ENGINE MODEL | ENGINE MANUFACTURER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bombardier Challenger 350 | Jet Long Range | $3,152.10 | 8 | 40600 | 0 | 470 | 2 | HTF 7350 | Honeywell Engines |
| Bombardier Challenger 650 | Jet Long Range | $3,384.82 | 10 | 48200 | 4063 | 488 | 2 | CF34-3B MTO | General Electric |
| Bombardier Challenger 850 | Jet Long Range | $3,544.71 | 15 | 53000 | 2946 | 459 | 2 | CF34-3B1 | General Electric |
| Cessna Citation X+ | Jet Long Range | $4,098.69 | 8 | 36600 | 3370 | 527 | 2 | AE 3007C2 | Rolls Royce |
| Dassault Falcon 2000LXS | Jet Long Range | $3,089.71 | 10 | 42800 | 4065 | 482 | 2 | PW308C | Pratt & Whitney Canada |
| Dassault Falcon 2000S | Jet Long Range | $3,149.57 | 10 | 41000 | 3601 | 482 | 2 | PW308C | Pratt & Whitney Canada |
| Dassault Falcon 900LX | Jet Long Range | $3,587.50 | 12 | 49000 | 4750 | 482 | 3 | TFE 731-60 | Honeywell Engines |
| Embraer Legacy 500 | Jet Long Range | $3,179.78 | 8 | 37919 | 3125 | 467 | 2 | HTF7500E | Honeywell Engines |
| Embraer Legacy 600 | Jet Long Range | $3,739.73 | 13 | 49604 | 3429 | 455 | 2 | AE 3007A1E | Rolls Royce |
| Embraer Legacy 650 | Jet Long Range | $3,860.49 | 13 | 53572 | 3919 | 459 | 2 | AE 3007A2 | Rolls Royce |
| Gulfstream G280 | Jet Long Range | $3,162.73 | 8 | 39600 | 3400 | 482 | 2 | HTF 7250G | Honeywell Engines |
| Gulfstream G450 | Jet Long Range | $4,747.16 | 14 | 74600 | 4363 | 500 | 2 | TAY 611-8C | Rolls Royce |
| Bombardier Learjet 70 | Jet Medium | $2,166.11 | 6 | 21500 | 1920 | 465 | 2 | TFE 731-40BR | Honeywell Engines |
| Bombardier Learjet 75 | Jet Medium | $2,172.31 | 8 | 21500 | 1899 | 465 | 2 | TFE 731-40BR | Honeywell Engines |
| Cessna Citation Latitude | Jet Medium | $2,935.67 | 9 | 30800 | 2787 | 429 | 2 | PW306D | Pratt & Whitney Canada |
| Cessna Citation Sovereign+ | Jet Medium | $2,699.38 | 9 | 30755 | 3095 | 459 | 2 | PW306D | Pratt & Whitney Canada |
| Cessna Citation XLS+ | Jet Medium | $2,302.54 | 8 | 20200 | 1896 | 440 | 2 | PW545C | Pratt & Whitney Canada |
| Embraer Legacy 450 | Jet Medium | $2,789.09 | 7 | 35271 | 2575 | 470 | 2 | HTF7500E | Honeywell Engines |
| Gulfstream G150 | Jet Medium | $2,380.09 | 7 | 26100 | 3018 | 470 | 2 | TFE 731-40AR | Honeywell Engines |
| Cessna Citation CJ3+ | Jet Small | $1,680.03 | 6 | 13870 | 1748 | 417 | 2 | FJ44-3A | Williams |
| Cessna Citation CJ4 | Jet Small | $1,970.13 | 7 | 17110 | 2022 | 454 | 2 | FJ44-4A | Williams |
| Cessna Citation M2 | Jet Small | $1,395.31 | 6 | 10700 | 1074 | 404 | 2 | FJ44-1AP | Williams |
| Embraer Phenom 300 | Jet Small | $1,757.53 | 7 | 17968 | 1974 | 444 | 2 | PW535E | Pratt & Whitney Canada |
| Nextant Aerospace 400XTi | Jet Small | $1,623.06 | 7 | 16300 | 1716 | 460 | 2 | FJ44-3AP | Williams |
| SyberJet SJ30 | Jet Small | $1,607.77 | 5 | 13950 | 1876 | 483 | 2 | FJ44-2A | Williams |
| Airbus ACJ318 | Jet Ultra LR & Lrg Cabin | $6,572.96 | 19 | 145504 | 0 | 0 | 2 | CFM56-5B9 | CFM International |
| Airbus ACJ319 | Jet Ultra LR & Lrg Cabin | $6,926.22 | 19 | 168650 | 6360 | 486 | 2 | CFM56-5B7 | CFM International |
| Airbus ACJ320 | Jet Ultra LR & Lrg Cabin | $7,964.69 | 19 | 169785 | 0 | 486 | 2 | CFM56-5B4 | CFM International |
| Airbus ACJ321 | Jet Ultra LR & Lrg Cabin | $7,954.51 | 19 | 196210 | 0 | 467 | 2 | CFM56-5B4 | CFM International |
| Boeing BBJ | Jet Ultra LR & Lrg Cabin | $6,851.39 | 19 | 171000 | 6230 | 486 | 2 | CFM56-7 | CFM International |
| Boeing BBJ 2 | Jet Ultra LR & Lrg Cabin | $7,674.95 | 19 | 174200 | 5722 | 473 | 2 | CFM56-7B | CFM International |
| Boeing BBJ 3 | Jet Ultra LR & Lrg Cabin | $7,396.29 | 19 | 187700 | 5722 | 473 | 2 | CFM56-7B | CFM International |
| Bombardier Global 5000 | Jet Ultra LR & Lrg Cabin | $5,093.92 | 13 | 92500 | 5137 | 511 | 2 | BR 710-A2-20 | Rolls Royce |
| Bombardier Global 6000 | Jet Ultra LR & Lrg Cabin | $5,149.70 | 13 | 99500 | 6390 | 511 | 2 | BR 710-A2-20 | Rolls Royce |
| Dassault Falcon 7X | Jet Ultra LR & Lrg Cabin | $3,849.79 | 12 | 70000 | 5803 | 0 | 3 | PW307A | Pratt & Whitney Canada |
| Dassault Falcon 8X | Jet Ultra LR & Lrg Cabin | $3,803.75 | 12 | 73000 | 6450 | 0 | 3 | PW307D | Pratt & Whitney Canada |
| Embraer Lineage 1000E | Jet Ultra LR & Lrg Cabin | $5,827.32 | 19 | 120152 | 4602 | 471 | 2 | CF34-10E7-B | General Electric |
| Gulfstream G550 | Jet Ultra LR & Lrg Cabin | $4,731.05 | 18 | 91000 | 6820 | 508 | 2 | BR 710-C4-11 | Rolls Royce |
| Gulfstream G650 | Jet Ultra LR & Lrg Cabin | $4,843.16 | 18 | 99600 | 7000 | 516 | 2 | BR 725 A1-12 | Rolls Royce |
| Gulfstream G650ER | Jet Ultra LR & Lrg Cabin | $4,847.91 | 18 | 103600 | 7488 | 516 | 2 | BR 725 A1-12 | Rolls Royce |
| Cessna Citation Mustang | Jets VLJ | $1,015.37 | 4 | 8645 | 800 | 340 | 2 | PW615F | Pratt & Whitney Canada |
| Cirrus Vision SF50 | Jets VLJ | $661.53 | 4 | 6000 | 0 | 300 | 1 | FJ33-5A | Williams |
| Embraer Phenom 100E | Jets VLJ | $1,151.84 | 5 | 10582 | 1045 | 390 | 2 | PW617F-E | Pratt & Whitney Canada |
| Honda Aircraft HA-420 HondaJet | Jets VLJ | $1,134.90 | 5 | 9963 | 0 | 420 | 2 | HF120 | GE Honda |
| One Aviation Eclipse 550 | Jets VLJ | $888.59 | 3 | 6000 | 574 | 371 | 2 | PW610F-A | Pratt & Whitney Canada |
cheapest private jet
Naturally, the most affordable jets to fly will be among the smallest. All five on this list range from very light to light jets, each of which can be flown by a single pilot. The numbers below, provided by Aircraft Cost Calculator, are based on worldwide averages under the assumption that each aircraft is being flown 200,000 miles a year, operating with a single pilot making $74,100 annually, with the cost of fuel at $5 per gallon. Obviously, those numbers won’t hold true for everybody. The purpose of this blog is simply to be used as a reference when comparing your most affordable options.Download Our Sample Buyer’s Guide
Eclipse EA500/EA550 | $441,043.47 – $446,927.17
Passengers – 5
Cruise Speed – 359 knots
FIXED ANNUAL
Crew – $74,100.00
Hangar – $14,135.00
Insurance – $21,200.00
Training – $13,162.50
DIRECT HOURLY
Fuel – $340.00 (68 gal/hr at $5/gal)
Maintenance – $331.49
Total Per Hour – $671.49
Total Fixed Annual – $122,597.50
Total Direct Annual – $324,329.67
Total Annual Cost – $446,927.17
HondaJet HA-420 | $469,335.52
Passengers – 5
Cruise Speed – 420 knots
FIXED ANNUAL
Crew – $74,100.00
Hangar – $22,035.00
Insurance – $18,766.00
Training – $13,845.00
DIRECT HOURLY
Fuel – $540.00 (108 gal/hr at $5/gal)
Maintenance – $282.68
Total Per Hour – $822.68
Total Fixed Annual – $128,746.00
Total Direct Annual – $340,589.52
Total Annual Cost – $469,335.52
Citation Mustang | $522,789.84
Passengers – 5
Cruise Speed – 331 knots
FIXED ANNUAL
Crew – $74,100.00
Hangar – $23,302.50
Insurance – $13,377.00
Training – $13,162.50
DIRECT HOURLY
Fuel – $405.00 (81 gal/hr at $5/gal)
Maintenance – $356.16
Total Per Hour – $761.16
Total Fixed Annual – $123,942.00
Total Direct Annual – $398,847.84
Total Annual Cost – $522,789.84
Embraer Phenom 100 | $527,581.80
Passengers – 5
Cruise Speed – 361 knots
FIXED ANNUAL
Crew – $74,100.00
Hangar – $22,522.50
Insurance – $15,912.00
Training – $13,162.50
DIRECT HOURLY
Fuel – $495.00 (99 gal/hr at $5/gal)
Maintenance – $342.26
Total – $837.26
Total Fixed Annual – $125,697.00
Total Direct Annual – $401,884.80
Total Annual Cost – $527,581.80
Citation M2 | $576,394.26
Passengers – 6
Cruise Speed – 393 knots
FIXED ANNUAL
Crew – $74,100.00
Hangar – $26,715.00
Insurance – $17,140.50
Training – $12,870.00
DIRECT HOURLY
Fuel – 605.00 (121 gal/hr at $5/gal)
Maintenance – $405.36
Total Per Hour – $1,010.36
Total Fixed Annual – $130,825.00
Total Direct Annual – $445,568.76
Total Annual Cost – $576,394.26
The following aircraft barely missed the cut for the top five most affordable jets to fly (total annual cost included):
Citation CJ1/CJ1+ | $604,343.88 – $608,952.66
Citation CJ2/CJ2+ | $606,362.52 – $638,942.60
Premier 1A | $615,121.10
Citation CJ3/CJ3+ | $675,148.56 – $680,367.84
Citation Bravo | $688,981.20
