Beechcraft King Air 200 private jetCessna Grand Caravan EX private jet

King Air 200 vs Grand Caravan EX

A head-to-head look at two of the most-chartered aircraft in the turboprop class.

Beechcraft King Air 200

BEECHCRAFT

Beechcraft King Air 200

The Beechcraft King Air 200 is the original executive turboprop — over 50 years in service and still one of the most-chartered regional aircraft. Seven seats, short-runway access and outstanding charter value.

FULL BEECHCRAFT KING AIR 200 PAGE →
Cessna Grand Caravan EX

CESSNA

Cessna Grand Caravan EX

The Cessna Grand Caravan EX is the world's most popular utility turboprop. Nine passengers, rugged short-strip capability and proven Pratt & Whitney power make it the default choice for Caribbean, Greek and Indian Ocean island hopping.

FULL CESSNA GRAND CARAVAN EX PAGE →

SPECIFICATIONS

Side-by-side specifications

METRICKing Air 200Grand Caravan EX
Passengers79
Range1,580 nm964 nm
Cruise speed292 kts186 kts
Cabin height4'9"4'6"
Cabin width4'6"5'3"
Baggage55 cu ft111 cu ft
Runway3,200 ft2,055 ft

Beechcraft King Air 200 — strengths

  • Most-produced business turboprop in history
  • Exceptional charter value
  • Short-runway capability

Cessna Grand Caravan EX — strengths

  • Most popular island-hopper in service
  • Short and unpaved runway capability
  • Proven Pratt & Whitney PT6 engines

CHARTER PRICING

Indicative pricing

BEECHCRAFT KING AIR 200
London → Jerseyfrom £2,300
Phoenix → Sedonafrom $2,900
CESSNA GRAND CARAVAN EX
Nassau → Exumafrom $2,200
Mahé → Praslinfrom $2,500

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

EXPERT VERDICT

The Grand Caravan EX is the stronger all-rounder, but the King Air 200 still wins where it counts for the right mission.

The King Air 200 pulls ahead on range / non-stop reach; the Grand Caravan EX answers with cabin comfort, group capacity and airport access. Both sit in the turboprop class, so charter pricing is broadly aligned — let the use case (range, group size, airport pair) drive the final call.

Range / non-stop reach

King Air 200

1,580 nm of range — the better choice for transcontinental and intercontinental missions.

Cabin comfort

Grand Caravan EX

Taller and/or wider cabin (4'6" × 5'3") — better for long flights and stand-up movement.

Group capacity

Grand Caravan EX

Seats up to 9 — the right pick when the manifest grows.

Airport access

Grand Caravan EX

Shorter 2,055 ft balanced-field requirement — opens up restricted alpine, island and city-adjacent airfields.

Speed & block time

Even

Comparable on this dimension.

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

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CHOOSE WITH CONFIDENCE

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

A tailored summary for the King Air 200 and Grand Caravan EX: the deciding reasons in this matchup, plus the buyer archetypes each aircraft serves best.

BEECHCRAFT

Top reasons to choose the King Air 200

  • Reaches 1,580 nm non-stop — 64% more range than the Grand Caravan EX, opening city pairs that would otherwise need a tech stop.
  • Most-produced business turboprop in history
  • Exceptional charter value
  • Short-runway capability

BEST FOR

  • Longer non-stop reach

    When the mission is on the edge of the Grand Caravan EX's envelope, the 1,580 nm legs of the King Air 200 keep reserves intact.

  • Island & alpine access

    Short, unpaved or high-altitude strips that jets simply cannot use.

  • Sub-500 nm hops

    Operating cost per seat-mile beats every jet on quick regional legs.

  • Cargo-heavy missions

    Large cabin door and floor loading for ski, dive and field-kit travel.

CESSNA

Top reasons to choose the Grand Caravan EX

  • Bigger cabin envelope (4'6" tall × 5'3" wide) than the King Air 200 — meaningful difference on flights over three hours.
  • Seats up to 9 passengers vs 7 on the King Air 200 — better for full-group charters and family travel.
  • Lands in 2,055 ft balanced field — accesses short, restricted and city-adjacent airports the King Air 200 cannot.
  • 111 cu ft of baggage volume — fits ski, golf and extended-stay luggage that crowds the King Air 200.
  • Most popular island-hopper in service

BEST FOR

  • Larger party charters

    Up to 9 seats vs 7 on the King Air 200 — the natural pick when the manifest grows last-minute.

  • Short-field departures

    2,055 ft balanced field unlocks airports the King Air 200 cannot use, putting passengers closer to the door.

  • Island & alpine access

    Short, unpaved or high-altitude strips that jets simply cannot use.

  • Sub-500 nm hops

    Operating cost per seat-mile beats every jet on quick regional legs.

PROS & CONS

Honest assessment

BEECHCRAFT

Beechcraft King Air 200

PROS

  • +Most-produced business turboprop in history
  • +Exceptional charter value
  • +Short-runway capability
  • +Longer legs than the Grand Caravan EX (1,580 nm vs 964 nm) — fewer fuel stops on intercontinental missions.
  • +Taller cabin (4'9") than the Grand Caravan EX — easier to move around on long flights.

CONS

  • Maximum 7-seat layout is tight if you regularly travel with more than 7 — the Grand Caravan EX adds 2 seats.
  • Needs more runway than the Grand Caravan EX (3,200 ft vs 2,055 ft) — fewer short-field options.
  • Tighter baggage capacity than the Grand Caravan EX (55 cu ft vs 111 cu ft).

CESSNA

Cessna Grand Caravan EX

PROS

  • +Most popular island-hopper in service
  • +Short and unpaved runway capability
  • +Proven Pratt & Whitney PT6 engines
  • +Carries up to 9 passengers vs 7 on the King Air 200 — better for larger groups.
  • +Wider cabin (5'3") makes a meaningful difference at the shoulders vs the King Air 200.
  • +Shorter runway requirement (2,055 ft) unlocks airfields the King Air 200 cannot use.

CONS

  • Shorter range than the King Air 200 (964 nm vs 1,580 nm) — may require a tech stop on long sectors.
  • Lower ceiling than the King Air 200 (4'6" vs 4'9") — stand-up movement is restricted.

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

Ski-week shuttle into a short alpine strip

OUR PICKGrand Caravan EX

Shorter runway requirement (2,055 ft) opens up the airfield.

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 02

Coastal island hop with bicycles and dive gear

OUR PICKGrand Caravan EX

Shorter runway requirement (2,055 ft) opens up the airfield.

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 03

Regional medevac repositioning with stretcher kit

OUR PICKGrand Caravan EX

Shorter runway requirement (2,055 ft) opens up the airfield.

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 04

Field-visit tour across three regional airports in one day

OUR PICKGrand Caravan EX

Shorter runway requirement (2,055 ft) opens up the airfield.

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

ROUTE RECOMMENDATIONS

Best pick per route

ROUTEDISTANCERECOMMENDEDWHY
London → Le Touquet120 nmKing Air 200Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes.
Zurich → St Moritz95 nmKing Air 200Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes.
Aspen → Telluride115 nmKing Air 200Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes.
Nantucket → Teterboro180 nmKing Air 200Both 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

King Air 200 vs Grand Caravan EX — frequently asked

King Air 200 vs Grand Caravan EX: which has the longer range?OPEN

The Beechcraft King Air 200 has a published range of 1,580 nm; the Cessna Grand Caravan EX is rated at 964 nm. The longer-range aircraft opens up more non-stop city pairs without a tech stop.

Which is faster — King Air 200 or Grand Caravan EX?OPEN

Cruise speeds are 292 kts for the Beechcraft King Air 200 and 186 kts for the Cessna Grand Caravan EX. On a London → Jersey-style mission the faster aircraft typically saves 10–25 minutes block time.

How many passengers does each aircraft carry?OPEN

The Beechcraft King Air 200 seats 7; the Cessna Grand Caravan EX seats 9. Charter prices below assume a typical executive layout — high-density configurations are available on request.

What does it cost to charter the Beechcraft King Air 200 vs the Cessna Grand Caravan EX?OPEN

Indicative one-way pricing on a benchmark mission: Beechcraft King Air 200 from from £2,300, Cessna Grand Caravan EX from from $2,200. 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 Turboprop category, but range, payload and runway performance differ. See the route-recommendations table on this page for our specific pick per corridor.

MORE COMPARISONS

Compare more turboprops

KING AIR 200 × GRAND CARAVAN EX CLUSTER

Continue researching King Air 200 or Grand Caravan EX

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