Embraer Embraer Phenom 300E — Light Jet charter aircraftEclipse Aerospace Eclipse 550 — Light Jet charter aircraft

Phenom 300E vs Eclipse 550

A Embraer vs Eclipse Aerospace showdown in the light jet class. The Embraer Phenom 300E carries 8 passengers with 2,010 nm of range; the Eclipse 550 carries 4 with 1,125 nm. Cabin dimensions land at 4'11" × 5'2" versus 4'2" × 4'8", and runway numbers read 3,209 ft against 2,342 ft. Indicative charter pricing on a representative sector: from £5,600 on the Phenom 300E, from $4,400 on the Eclipse 550.

Manufacturer hubs:Embraer charter →
Embraer Phenom 300E

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 →
Eclipse 550

ECLIPSE AEROSPACE

Eclipse 550

The Eclipse 550 is the definitive very light jet — a four-seat, twin-Pratt & Whitney PW610F powered aircraft with autothrottles, Avio IFMS avionics and by far the lowest fuel burn of any jet in charter service (roughly 59 US gal/hr). A niche but genuinely useful tool for short regional missions on tight budgets.

FULL ECLIPSE 550 PAGE →

SPECIFICATIONS

Side-by-side specifications

METRICPhenom 300EEclipse 550
Passengers84
Range2,010 nm1,125 nm
Cruise speedMach 0.80Mach 0.64
Cabin height4'11"4'2"
Cabin width5'2"4'8"
Baggage84 cu ft16 cu ft
Runway3,209 ft2,342 ft

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

Eclipse 550 — strengths

  • Lowest fuel burn of any charter jet
  • Sub-2,400 ft take-off distance
  • Autothrottles standard

CHARTER PRICING

Indicative pricing

EMBRAER PHENOM 300E
London → Genevafrom £5,600
Munich → Olbiafrom €6,400
Teterboro → Aspenfrom $15,600
ECLIPSE 550
Chicago → Detroitfrom $4,400
Dallas → Austinfrom $3,900

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

EXPERT VERDICT

The Phenom 300E is the stronger all-rounder, but the Eclipse 550 still wins on the metrics that matter to specific buyers.

The Phenom 300E pulls ahead on range / non-stop reach, cabin comfort, group capacity and speed & block time; the Eclipse 550 answers with airport access. 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

Eclipse 550

Shorter 2,342 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 Phenom 300E or the Eclipse 550.

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 Phenom 300E and Eclipse 550: the deciding reasons in this matchup, plus the buyer archetypes each aircraft serves best.

EMBRAER

Top reasons to choose the Phenom 300E

  • Reaches 2,010 nm non-stop — 79% more range than the Eclipse 550, opening city pairs that would otherwise need a tech stop.
  • Cruises at Mach 0.80, trimming block time on every leg vs the Eclipse 550 (Mach 0.64).
  • Bigger cabin envelope (4'11" tall × 5'2" wide) than the Eclipse 550 — meaningful difference on flights over three hours.
  • Seats up to 8 passengers vs 4 on the Eclipse 550 — better for full-group charters and family travel.
  • 84 cu ft of baggage volume — fits ski, golf and extended-stay luggage that crowds the Eclipse 550.

BEST FOR

  • Longer non-stop reach

    When the mission is on the edge of the Eclipse 550's envelope, the 2,010 nm legs of the Phenom 300E keep reserves intact.

  • Larger party charters

    Up to 8 seats vs 4 on the Eclipse 550 — the natural pick when the manifest grows last-minute.

  • 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.

ECLIPSE AEROSPACE

Top reasons to choose the Eclipse 550

  • Lands in 2,342 ft balanced field — accesses short, restricted and city-adjacent airports the Phenom 300E cannot.
  • Lowest fuel burn of any charter jet
  • Sub-2,400 ft take-off distance
  • Autothrottles standard

BEST FOR

  • Short-field departures

    2,342 ft balanced field unlocks airports the Phenom 300E 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.

  • 4–6 passenger weekends

    Right-sized for a couple plus friends or a small family weekend break.

PROS & CONS

Honest assessment

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 Eclipse 550 (2,010 nm vs 1,125 nm) — fewer fuel stops on intercontinental missions.
  • +Carries up to 8 passengers vs 4 on the Eclipse 550 — better for larger groups.
  • +Faster cruise (Mach 0.80) trims block time on every leg vs the Eclipse 550.

CONS

  • Needs more runway than the Eclipse 550 (3,209 ft vs 2,342 ft) — fewer short-field options.

ECLIPSE AEROSPACE

Eclipse 550

PROS

  • +Lowest fuel burn of any charter jet
  • +Sub-2,400 ft take-off distance
  • +Autothrottles standard
  • +Shorter runway requirement (2,342 ft) unlocks airfields the Phenom 300E cannot use.

CONS

  • Shorter range than the Phenom 300E (1,125 nm vs 2,010 nm) — may require a tech stop on long sectors.
  • Maximum 4-seat layout is tight if you regularly travel with more than 4 — the Phenom 300E adds 4 seats.
  • Slightly slower in cruise than the Phenom 300E (Mach 0.64 vs Mach 0.80).
  • Lower ceiling than the Phenom 300E (4'2" vs 4'11") — stand-up movement is restricted.
  • Tighter baggage capacity than the Phenom 300E (16 cu ft vs 84 cu ft).

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 PICKPhenom 300E

Curated example: London → Cannes sits in the Phenom 300E's sweet spot.

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 02

Weekend ski trip — Geneva to Sion with full ski equipment

OUR PICKEclipse 550

Shorter runway requirement (2,342 ft) opens up the airfield.

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 03

Day-return board meeting between secondary cities

OUR PICKPhenom 300E

Curated example: London → Cannes sits in the Phenom 300E'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

ROUTEDISTANCERECOMMENDEDWHY
London → Paris190 nmPhenom 300EBoth reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes.
Geneva → Ibiza560 nmPhenom 300EBoth reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes.
Teterboro → Miami950 nmPhenom 300EBoth reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes.
London → Athens1,500 nmPhenom 300EOnly one reaches non-stop — the other would need a fuel stop (1500 nm > 1,125 nm).

Distances are great-circle approximations; actual fuel planning accounts for winds, weather and reserves.

FAQ

Phenom 300E vs Eclipse 550 — frequently asked

Phenom 300E vs Eclipse 550: which has the longer range?OPEN

The Embraer Phenom 300E has a published range of 2,010 nm; the Eclipse 550 is rated at 1,125 nm. The longer-range aircraft opens up more non-stop city pairs without a tech stop.

Which is faster — Phenom 300E or Eclipse 550?OPEN

Cruise speeds are Mach 0.80 for the Embraer Phenom 300E and Mach 0.64 for the Eclipse 550. On a London → Geneva-style mission the faster aircraft typically saves 10–25 minutes block time.

How many passengers does each aircraft carry?OPEN

The Embraer Phenom 300E seats 8; the Eclipse 550 seats 4. Charter prices below assume a typical executive layout — high-density configurations are available on request.

What does it cost to charter the Embraer Phenom 300E vs the Eclipse 550?OPEN

Indicative one-way pricing on a benchmark mission: Embraer Phenom 300E from from £5,600, Eclipse 550 from from $4,400. 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 Light Jet category, but range, payload and runway performance differ. See the route-recommendations table on this page for our specific pick per corridor.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Side-by-side, inside and out

MORE COMPARISONS

Compare more light jets

PHENOM 300E × ECLIPSE 550 CLUSTER

Continue researching Phenom 300E or Eclipse 550

Not sure which to charter?

Tell us your route and party size — we'll recommend the right aircraft and send a confirmed quote in 10 minutes.

REQUEST A QUOTE
Enquire now