HAWKER BEECHCRAFT
Hawker 850XP
The Hawker 850XP added winglets to the proven Hawker 800XP airframe, improving climb performance and range. Stand-up cabin, eight seats and one of the most popular midsize jets in service.
FULL HAWKER 850XP PAGE →Hawker 850XP vs Praetor 500
A Hawker Beechcraft vs Embraer showdown in the midsize jet class. The Hawker 850XP carries 8 passengers with 2,642 nm of range; the Embraer Praetor 500 carries 7–9 with 3,340 nm. Cabin dimensions land at 5'9" × 6'0" versus 6'0" × 6'10", and runway numbers read 5,032 ft against 4,222 ft. Indicative charter pricing on a representative sector: from $26,400 on the Hawker 850XP, from CHF 28,400 on the Praetor 500.
Manufacturer hubs:Embraer charter →
EMBRAER
Embraer Praetor 500
The Embraer Praetor 500 builds on the Legacy 450 with winglets and additional fuel — 3,340 nm range, fly-by-wire controls and the only flat-floor stand-up cabin in the midsize segment.
FULL EMBRAER PRAETOR 500 PAGE →SPECIFICATIONS
Side-by-side specifications
| METRIC | Hawker 850XP | Praetor 500 |
|---|---|---|
| Passengers | 8 | 7–9 |
| Range | 2,642 nm | 3,340 nm |
| Cruise speed | Mach 0.80 | Mach 0.83 |
| Cabin height | 5'9" | 6'0" |
| Cabin width | 6'0" | 6'10" |
| Baggage | 50 cu ft | 150 cu ft |
| Runway | 5,032 ft | 4,222 ft |
Hawker 850XP — strengths
- —Winglet performance upgrade
- —Quiet cabin (Hawker airframe acoustics)
- —Strong US and European availability
Embraer Praetor 500 — strengths
- —Longest range in midsize class
- —Fly-by-wire flight controls
- —Only flat-floor stand-up midsize cabin
CHARTER PRICING
Indicative pricing
HAWKER 850XP
| Miami → Cabo San Lucas | from $26,400 |
| Geneva → Athens | from CHF 21,600 |
EMBRAER PRAETOR 500
| Geneva → Dubai | from CHF 28,400 |
| Miami → Aspen | from $22,800 |
All-inclusive indicative one-way pricing. Confirmed quote in 10 minutes.
EXPERT VERDICT
The Praetor 500 is the stronger all-rounder, but the Hawker 850XP still wins where it counts for the right mission.
the Praetor 500 answers with range / non-stop reach, cabin comfort, group capacity, airport access and speed & block time. Both sit in the midsize 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
Praetor 500
3,340 nm of range — the better choice for transcontinental and intercontinental missions.
Cabin comfort
Praetor 500
Taller and/or wider cabin (6'0" × 6'10") — better for long flights and stand-up movement.
Group capacity
Praetor 500
Seats up to 9 — the right pick when the manifest grows.
Airport access
Praetor 500
Shorter 4,222 ft balanced-field requirement — opens up restricted alpine, island and city-adjacent airfields.
Speed & block time
Praetor 500
Cruise of Mach 0.83 — 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 850XP or the Praetor 500.
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.
CHOOSE WITH CONFIDENCE
Top reasons to choose — and who each aircraft is best for
A tailored summary for the Hawker 850XP and Praetor 500: the deciding reasons in this matchup, plus the buyer archetypes each aircraft serves best.
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT
Top reasons to choose the Hawker 850XP
- ★Winglet performance upgrade
- ★Quiet cabin (Hawker airframe acoustics)
- ★Strong US and European availability
BEST FOR
Stand-up cross-Europe travel
Flat-floor cabin for 3–4 hour legs with full bar and lavatory.
8-seat board offsites
Comfortable double-club layout for executive teams.
US transcontinental
Non-stop east-coast to west-coast missions with full payload.
Sport & ski groups
Cabin volume for extended-stay baggage without payload sacrifice.
EMBRAER
Top reasons to choose the Praetor 500
- ★Reaches 3,340 nm non-stop — 26% more range than the Hawker 850XP, opening city pairs that would otherwise need a tech stop.
- ★Cruises at Mach 0.83, trimming block time on every leg vs the Hawker 850XP (Mach 0.80).
- ★Bigger cabin envelope (6'0" tall × 6'10" wide) than the Hawker 850XP — meaningful difference on flights over three hours.
- ★Seats up to 9 passengers vs 8 on the Hawker 850XP — better for full-group charters and family travel.
- ★Lands in 4,222 ft balanced field — accesses short, restricted and city-adjacent airports the Hawker 850XP cannot.
BEST FOR
Longer non-stop reach
When the mission is on the edge of the Hawker 850XP's envelope, the 3,340 nm legs of the Praetor 500 keep reserves intact.
Larger party charters
Up to 9 seats vs 8 on the Hawker 850XP — the natural pick when the manifest grows last-minute.
Short-field departures
4,222 ft balanced field unlocks airports the Hawker 850XP cannot use, putting passengers closer to the door.
Stand-up cross-Europe travel
Flat-floor cabin for 3–4 hour legs with full bar and lavatory.
PROS & CONS
Honest assessment
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT
Hawker 850XP
PROS
- +Winglet performance upgrade
- +Quiet cabin (Hawker airframe acoustics)
- +Strong US and European availability
CONS
- −Shorter range than the Praetor 500 (2,642 nm vs 3,340 nm) — may require a tech stop on long sectors.
- −Maximum 8-seat layout is tight if you regularly travel with more than 8 — the Praetor 500 adds 1 seat.
- −Slightly slower in cruise than the Praetor 500 (Mach 0.80 vs Mach 0.83).
- −Lower ceiling than the Praetor 500 (5'9" vs 6'0") — stand-up movement is restricted.
- −Needs more runway than the Praetor 500 (5,032 ft vs 4,222 ft) — fewer short-field options.
EMBRAER
Embraer Praetor 500
PROS
- +Longest range in midsize class
- +Fly-by-wire flight controls
- +Only flat-floor stand-up midsize cabin
- +Longer legs than the Hawker 850XP (3,340 nm vs 2,642 nm) — fewer fuel stops on intercontinental missions.
- +Carries up to 9 passengers vs 8 on the Hawker 850XP — better for larger groups.
- +Faster cruise (Mach 0.83) trims block time on every leg vs the Hawker 850XP.
CONS
- −Marginally more expensive per block hour than the Hawker 850XP 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
Eight-person sales roadshow across three European capitals in two days
OUR PICKPraetor 500
Larger cabin seats the full group (7–9).
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 02
Family of six on a 1,500 nm leisure trip with stand-up cabin needs
OUR PICKPraetor 500
Larger cabin seats the full group (7–9).
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 03
Coast-to-coast US transcon with full passenger load
OUR PICKHawker 850XP
Curated example: New York → Aspen sits in the Hawker 850XP's sweet spot.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 04
Long-weekend group charter to Marrakech with extra baggage
OUR PICKPraetor 500
Larger cabin seats the full group (7–9).
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →ROUTE RECOMMENDATIONS
Best pick per route
| ROUTE | DISTANCE | RECOMMENDED | WHY |
|---|---|---|---|
| London → Moscow | 1,500 nm | Praetor 500 | Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes. |
| Geneva → Marrakech | 1,250 nm | Praetor 500 | Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes. |
| Teterboro → Aspen | 1,580 nm | Praetor 500 | Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes. |
| Paris → Cairo | 1,800 nm | Praetor 500 | Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes. |
Distances are great-circle approximations; actual fuel planning accounts for winds, weather and reserves.
FAQ
Hawker 850XP vs Praetor 500 — frequently asked
Hawker 850XP vs Praetor 500: which has the longer range?OPEN
The Hawker 850XP has a published range of 2,642 nm; the Embraer Praetor 500 is rated at 3,340 nm. The longer-range aircraft opens up more non-stop city pairs without a tech stop.
Which is faster — Hawker 850XP or Praetor 500?OPEN
Cruise speeds are Mach 0.80 for the Hawker 850XP and Mach 0.83 for the Embraer Praetor 500. On a Miami → Cabo San Lucas-style mission the faster aircraft typically saves 10–25 minutes block time.
How many passengers does each aircraft carry?OPEN
The Hawker 850XP seats 8; the Embraer Praetor 500 seats 7–9. Charter prices below assume a typical executive layout — high-density configurations are available on request.
What does it cost to charter the Hawker 850XP vs the Embraer Praetor 500?OPEN
Indicative one-way pricing on a benchmark mission: Hawker 850XP from from $26,400, Embraer Praetor 500 from from CHF 28,400. 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 Midsize 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 850XP have vs the Praetor 500?OPEN
Cabin comfort is the everyday difference passengers feel most. Both the Hawker 850XP and Embraer Praetor 500 sit in the Midsize 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 850XP or Praetor 500?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 $26,400 for the Hawker 850XP, from CHF 28,400 for the Praetor 500) 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
Compare more midsize jets
HAWKER 850XP × PRAETOR 500 CLUSTER
Continue researching Hawker 850XP or Praetor 500
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