A Cessna vs Hawker Beechcraft showdown in the light jet class. The Cessna Citation CJ3+ carries 6–7 passengers with 2,040 nm of range; the Hawker 400XP carries 7 with 1,500 nm. Cabin dimensions land at 4'9" × 4'10" versus 4'9" × 4'11", and runway numbers read 3,180 ft against 3,950 ft. Both sit in the same pricing class: an estimated €2,000–€2,700 per flight hour.
CESSNA
The Cessna Citation CJ3+ is the most-flown light jet in private aviation — a perfect short-range workhorse that combines exceptional fuel efficiency with a refined six-seat cabin. Ideal for one-to-two-hour European or US regional missions, the CJ3+ accesses smaller airfields that midsize jets cannot, putting clients closer to their final destination.
FULL CESSNA CITATION CJ3+ PAGE →HAWKER BEECHCRAFT
The Hawker Beechcraft 400XP is a fast, twin-engine light business jet with an unusually square, flat-floor cabin — a direct descendant of the Mitsubishi MU-300 Diamond that Beech later re-engineered into the Beechjet 400A and, after further refinement, the Hawker 400XP. Introduced in the early 2000s, it kept the airframe's signature strengths — high-speed cruise up to about 450 knots, seven-seat double-club layout, external baggage hold — while adding modernised avionics and interior. Today it remains one of the most-flown light jets on the US Part 135 fleet and a competitively priced option for regional business trips, hop-and-go family missions and time-sensitive charters.
FULL HAWKER 400XP PAGE →SPECIFICATIONS
| METRIC | Citation CJ3+ | Hawker 400XP |
|---|---|---|
| Passengers | 6–7 | 7 |
| Range | 2,040 nm | 1,500 nm |
| Cruise speed | Mach 0.737 | Mach 0.78 |
| Cabin height | 4'9" | 4'9" |
| Cabin width | 4'10" | 4'11" |
| Baggage | 65 cu ft | 53 cu ft |
| Runway | 3,180 ft | 3,950 ft |
CHARTER PRICING
| London → Geneva | €3,600–€4,900 |
| Nice → Olbia | €2,800–€3,700 |
| Miami → Nassau | Estimate on request |
| Los Angeles → Las Vegas | €2,800–€3,700 |
| Paris → Nice | €3,500–€4,700 |
| Dallas → Chicago | Estimate on request |
One-way estimates from our pricing engine (standard season), estimated, confirmed quote within 1–2 hours.
EXPERT VERDICT
The Citation CJ3+ pulls ahead on range / non-stop reach and airport access; the Hawker 400XP answers with cabin comfort and speed & block time. Both sit in the light jet class, so charter pricing is broadly aligned — let the use case (range, group size, airport pair) drive the final call.
Range / non-stop reach
Citation CJ3+
2,040 nm of range — the better choice for transcontinental and intercontinental missions.
Cabin comfort
Hawker 400XP
Taller and/or wider cabin (4'9" × 4'11") — better for long flights and stand-up movement.
Group capacity
Even
Matched specifications.
Airport access
Citation CJ3+
Shorter 3,180 ft balanced-field requirement — opens up restricted alpine, island and city-adjacent airfields.
Speed & block time
Hawker 400XP
Cruise of Mach 0.78 — shaves meaningful minutes off every long leg.
Verdict based on published manufacturer specifications, charter market data and Limitless Sky brokerage experience.
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Tell us your route — our desk returns estimated prices on both aircraft straight away and confirmed options within 1–2 hours, so you can compare like-for-like on your exact mission.
CHOOSE WITH CONFIDENCE
A tailored summary for the Citation CJ3+ and Hawker 400XP: the deciding reasons in this matchup, plus the buyer archetypes each aircraft serves best.
CESSNA
BEST FOR
Longer non-stop reach
When the mission is on the edge of the Hawker 400XP's envelope, the 2,040 nm legs of the Citation CJ3+ keep reserves intact.
Short-field departures
3,180 ft balanced field unlocks airports the Hawker 400XP cannot use, putting passengers closer to the door.
Two-hour business hops
Lowest jet-class operating cost for 1–2 hour European or US regional legs.
Short-runway escapes
Unlocks airfields like London City alternatives, Lugano and Aspen.
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT
BEST FOR
Two-hour business hops
Lowest jet-class operating cost for 1–2 hour European or US regional legs.
Short-runway escapes
Unlocks airfields like London City alternatives, Lugano and Aspen.
4–6 passenger weekends
Right-sized for a couple plus friends or a small family weekend break.
Last-minute charter
Largest charter fleet of any jet class — strongest empty-leg availability.
PROS & CONS
CESSNA
PROS
CONS
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT
PROS
CONS
REAL-WORLD MISSIONS
Four scenarios our charter desk sees regularly — and which of these two we would actually quote.
SCENARIO 01
Curated example: London → Paris sits in the Citation CJ3+'s sweet spot.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 02
Shorter runway requirement (3,180 ft) opens up the airfield.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 03
Curated example: London → Paris sits in the Citation CJ3+'s sweet spot.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 04
Larger cabin seats the full group (6–7).
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →ROUTE RECOMMENDATIONS
| ROUTE | DISTANCE | RECOMMENDED | WHY |
|---|---|---|---|
| London → Paris | 190 nm | Citation CJ3+ | Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes. |
| Geneva → Ibiza | 560 nm | Citation CJ3+ | Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes. |
| Teterboro → Miami | 950 nm | Citation CJ3+ | Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes. |
| London → Athens | 1,500 nm | Citation CJ3+ | Only one reaches non-stop — the other would need a fuel stop (1500 nm > 1,500 nm). |
Distances are great-circle approximations; actual fuel planning accounts for winds, weather and reserves.
FAQ
The Cessna Citation CJ3+ has a published range of 2,040 nm; the Hawker 400XP is rated at 1,500 nm. The longer-range aircraft opens up more non-stop city pairs without a tech stop.
Cruise speeds are Mach 0.737 for the Cessna Citation CJ3+ and Mach 0.78 for the Hawker 400XP. The difference in block time grows with trip length; on a London → Paris trip it is usually minutes rather than hours.
The Cessna Citation CJ3+ seats 6–7; the Hawker 400XP seats 7. Charter prices below assume a typical executive layout — high-density configurations are available on request.
From our pricing engine's class rates: the Cessna Citation CJ3+ at an estimated €2,000–€2,700 per flight hour, and the Hawker 400XP at an estimated €2,000–€2,700 per flight hour. These are estimates; the confirmed quote within 1–2 hours depends on positioning, season and airport fees.
The Cessna Citation CJ3+ cabin is 4'9" high and 4'10" wide; the Hawker 400XP is 4'9" high and 4'11" wide. Baggage: 65 cu ft vs 53 cu ft.
For trips within the Hawker 400XP's published 1,500 nm, either aircraft can fly non-stop and the choice comes down to cabin (4'9" vs 4'9" cabin height), seats (6–7 vs 7) and price. Beyond that, the Cessna Citation CJ3+ (2,040 nm) flies non-stop where the Hawker 400XP may need a fuel stop. Real-world range drops with passengers, bags, winds and winter reserves, so we confirm it per trip.
Both belong to the Light Jet category, but range, payload and runway performance differ. See the route-recommendations table on this page for our specific pick per corridor.
Cabin comfort is the everyday difference passengers feel most. Both the Cessna Citation CJ3+ and Hawker 400XP sit in the Light Jet class, so cabin height, width and layout differ subtly — on flights over 3 hours those details matter more than raw range. Ask us for a side-by-side floorplan.
Both aircraft in this comparison are operated under ARG/US, Wyvern or IS-BAO safety programmes when chartered through Limitless Sky. Safety is driven by operator, crew currency and maintenance regime — not the airframe. We only book operators meeting our verified due-diligence checklist.
The hourly class rate is only one input. Total mission cost includes positioning legs, overnight fees, landing/handling, catering, de-icing and FET where applicable. Our confirmed quote itemises every line so there are no surprises.
MORE COMPARISONS
CITATION CJ3+ × HAWKER 400XP CLUSTER
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POPULAR COMPARISONS
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