Hawker Beechcraft Hawker 400XP — Light Jet charter aircraft

Embraer Embraer Phenom 300E — Light Jet charter aircraft

Hawker 400XP vs Phenom 300E

A Hawker Beechcraft vs Embraer showdown in the light jet class. The Hawker 400XP carries 7 passengers with 1,500 nm of range; the Embraer Phenom 300E carries 8 with 2,010 nm. Cabin dimensions land at 4'9" × 4'11" versus 4'11" × 5'2", and runway numbers read 3,950 ft against 3,209 ft. Indicative charter pricing on a representative sector: from $7,400 on the Hawker 400XP, from £5,600 on the Phenom 300E.

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HAWKER BEECHCRAFT

Hawker 400XP

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 →

EMBRAER

Embraer Phenom 300E

The Embraer Phenom 300E has been the world's most-delivered light jet for over a decade. Designed in collaboration with BMW Designworks, it offers the largest cabin, longest range and fastest cruise speed in its class — a genuine alternative to entry-level midsize aircraft at light-jet rates.

FULL EMBRAER PHENOM 300E PAGE →

SPECIFICATIONS

Side-by-side specifications

METRIC	Hawker 400XP	Phenom 300E
Passengers	7	8
Range	1,500 nm	2,010 nm
Cruise speed	Mach 0.78	Mach 0.80
Cabin height	4'9"	4'11"
Cabin width	4'11"	5'2"
Baggage	53 cu ft	84 cu ft
Runway	3,950 ft	3,209 ft

Hawker 400XP — strengths

—One of the fastest light jets in service — Mach 0.78 / ~450 kt high-speed cruise
—Widest square cabin in the light-jet class (double-club with real shoulder room)
—Strong US Part 135 availability — one of the most-flown light jets in charter
—Competitive empty-leg pricing versus newer light jets of similar range
—External baggage hold accepts golf and moderate ski loads (subject to payload)

Embraer Phenom 300E — strengths

—Fastest light jet in production — Mach 0.80
—Most-delivered business jet of the past decade
—Single-pilot certified for direct charter savings

CHARTER PRICING

Indicative pricing

HAWKER 400XP

Los Angeles → Las Vegas	from $7,400
Paris → Nice	from €8,900
Dallas → Chicago	from $12,900

EMBRAER PHENOM 300E

London → Geneva	from £5,600
Munich → Olbia	from €6,400
Teterboro → Aspen	from $15,600

All-inclusive indicative one-way pricing. Confirmed quote in 10 minutes.

EXPERT VERDICT

The Phenom 300E is the stronger all-rounder, but the Hawker 400XP still wins where it counts for the right mission.

the Phenom 300E answers with range / non-stop reach, cabin comfort, group capacity, airport access 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

Phenom 300E

2,010 nm of range — the better choice for transcontinental and intercontinental missions.

Cabin comfort

Phenom 300E

Taller and/or wider cabin (4'11" × 5'2") — better for long flights and stand-up movement.

Group capacity

Phenom 300E

Seats up to 8 — the right pick when the manifest grows.

Airport access

Phenom 300E

Shorter 3,209 ft balanced-field requirement — opens up restricted alpine, island and city-adjacent airfields.

Speed & block time

Phenom 300E

Cruise of Mach 0.80 — shaves meaningful minutes off every long leg.

Verdict based on published manufacturer specifications, charter market data and Limitless Sky brokerage experience.

REQUEST A CHARTER QUOTE

Charter the Hawker 400XP or the Phenom 300E.

Tell us your route — our desk returns a confirmed quote on both aircraft within 10 minutes, so you can compare like-for-like on your exact mission.

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CHOOSE WITH CONFIDENCE

Top reasons to choose — and who each aircraft is best for

A tailored summary for the Hawker 400XP and Phenom 300E: the deciding reasons in this matchup, plus the buyer archetypes each aircraft serves best.

HAWKER BEECHCRAFT

Top reasons to choose the Hawker 400XP

★One of the fastest light jets in service — Mach 0.78 / ~450 kt high-speed cruise
★Widest square cabin in the light-jet class (double-club with real shoulder room)
★Strong US Part 135 availability — one of the most-flown light jets in charter
★Competitive empty-leg pricing versus newer light jets of similar range
★External baggage hold accepts golf and moderate ski loads (subject to payload)

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.

FULL HAWKER 400XP SPECS →LONDON → GENEVA →NEW YORK → MIAMI →

EMBRAER

Top reasons to choose the Phenom 300E

★Reaches 2,010 nm non-stop — 34% more range than the Hawker 400XP, opening city pairs that would otherwise need a tech stop.
★Cruises at Mach 0.80, trimming block time on every leg vs the Hawker 400XP (Mach 0.78).
★Bigger cabin envelope (4'11" tall × 5'2" wide) than the Hawker 400XP — meaningful difference on flights over three hours.
★Seats up to 8 passengers vs 7 on the Hawker 400XP — better for full-group charters and family travel.
★Lands in 3,209 ft balanced field — accesses short, restricted and city-adjacent airports the Hawker 400XP cannot.

BEST FOR

Longer non-stop reach
When the mission is on the edge of the Hawker 400XP's envelope, the 2,010 nm legs of the Phenom 300E keep reserves intact.
Larger party charters
Up to 8 seats vs 7 on the Hawker 400XP — the natural pick when the manifest grows last-minute.
Short-field departures
3,209 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.

FULL PHENOM 300E SPECS →LONDON → CANNES →GENEVA → IBIZA →MILAN → MYKONOS →

BROWSE THE FULL FLEET →REVERSE: PHENOM 300E VS HAWKER 400XP →ALL AIRCRAFT COMPARISONS →CHARTER GUIDES →MARKET INSIGHTS →QUOTE IN 10 MINUTES →

PROS & CONS

Honest assessment

HAWKER BEECHCRAFT

Hawker 400XP

PROS

+One of the fastest light jets in service — Mach 0.78 / ~450 kt high-speed cruise
+Widest square cabin in the light-jet class (double-club with real shoulder room)
+Strong US Part 135 availability — one of the most-flown light jets in charter

CONS

−Shorter range than the Phenom 300E (1,500 nm vs 2,010 nm) — may require a tech stop on long sectors.
−Maximum 7-seat layout is tight if you regularly travel with more than 7 — the Phenom 300E adds 1 seat.
−Slightly slower in cruise than the Phenom 300E (Mach 0.78 vs Mach 0.80).
−Lower ceiling than the Phenom 300E (4'9" vs 4'11") — stand-up movement is restricted.
−Needs more runway than the Phenom 300E (3,950 ft vs 3,209 ft) — fewer short-field options.

EMBRAER

Embraer Phenom 300E

PROS

+Fastest light jet in production — Mach 0.80
+Most-delivered business jet of the past decade
+Single-pilot certified for direct charter savings
+Longer legs than the Hawker 400XP (2,010 nm vs 1,500 nm) — fewer fuel stops on intercontinental missions.
+Carries up to 8 passengers vs 7 on the Hawker 400XP — better for larger groups.
+Faster cruise (Mach 0.80) trims block time on every leg vs the Hawker 400XP.

CONS

−Marginally more expensive per block hour than the Hawker 400XP on typical charter quotes — confirm with a live quote for your route.

REAL-WORLD MISSIONS

Which aircraft for which mission

Four scenarios our charter desk sees regularly — and which of these two we would actually quote.

SCENARIO 01

Two-hour business hop with four executives and overnight bags

OUR PICKHawker 400XP

Curated example: Teterboro → Boston sits in the Hawker 400XP's sweet spot.

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 02

Weekend ski trip — Geneva to Sion with full ski equipment

OUR PICKPhenom 300E

Shorter runway requirement (3,209 ft) opens up the airfield.

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 03

Day-return board meeting between secondary cities

OUR PICKHawker 400XP

Curated example: Teterboro → Boston sits in the Hawker 400XP's sweet spot.

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 04

Family of five to a Mediterranean island for a long weekend

OUR PICKPhenom 300E

Larger cabin seats the full group (8).

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

ROUTE RECOMMENDATIONS

Best pick per route

ROUTE	DISTANCE	RECOMMENDED	WHY
London → Paris	190 nm	Phenom 300E	Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes.
Geneva → Ibiza	560 nm	Phenom 300E	Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes.
Teterboro → Miami	950 nm	Phenom 300E	Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes.
London → Athens	1,500 nm	Phenom 300E	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

Hawker 400XP vs Phenom 300E — frequently asked

Hawker 400XP vs Phenom 300E: which has the longer range?OPEN

The Hawker 400XP has a published range of 1,500 nm; the Embraer Phenom 300E is rated at 2,010 nm. The longer-range aircraft opens up more non-stop city pairs without a tech stop.

Which is faster — Hawker 400XP or Phenom 300E?OPEN

Cruise speeds are Mach 0.78 for the Hawker 400XP and Mach 0.80 for the Embraer Phenom 300E. On a Los Angeles → Las Vegas-style mission the faster aircraft typically saves 10–25 minutes block time.

How many passengers does each aircraft carry?OPEN

The Hawker 400XP seats 7; the Embraer Phenom 300E seats 8. Charter prices below assume a typical executive layout — high-density configurations are available on request.

What does it cost to charter the Hawker 400XP vs the Embraer Phenom 300E?OPEN

Indicative one-way pricing on a benchmark mission: Hawker 400XP from from $7,400, Embraer Phenom 300E from from £5,600. Confirmed quote in 10 minutes — pricing varies with empty-leg availability, season and routing.

Which aircraft is better for transatlantic or long-range missions?OPEN

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.

How much cabin space does the Hawker 400XP have vs the Phenom 300E?OPEN

Cabin comfort is the everyday difference passengers feel most. Both the Hawker 400XP and Embraer Phenom 300E 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.

Which aircraft is safer — Hawker 400XP or Phenom 300E?OPEN

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.

What's the total mission cost — not just the hourly rate?OPEN

Hourly pricing (from $7,400 for the Hawker 400XP, from £5,600 for the Phenom 300E) 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.

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