A head-to-head look at two of the most-chartered aircraft in the turboprop class.
PILATUS
The Pilatus PC-12 NGX is the world's most-delivered single-engine turbine aircraft — exceptional reliability, jet-style cabin appointments and unmatched short-runway access at the most economical operating cost in private aviation.
FULL PILATUS PC-12 NGX PAGE →CESSNA
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
| METRIC | PC-12 NGX | Grand Caravan EX |
|---|---|---|
| Passengers | 6–8 | 9 |
| Range | 1,803 nm | 964 nm |
| Cruise speed | 290 kts | 186 kts |
| Cabin height | 4'10" | 4'6" |
| Cabin width | 5'0" | 5'3" |
| Baggage | 40 cu ft | 111 cu ft |
| Runway | 2,485 ft | 2,055 ft |
CHARTER PRICING
| Zurich → St Moritz | from CHF 4,800 |
| Denver → Aspen | from $4,100 |
| Nassau → Exuma | from $2,200 |
| Mahé → Praslin | from $2,500 |
All-inclusive indicative one-way pricing. Confirmed quote in 10 minutes.
EXPERT VERDICT
The PC-12 NGX pulls ahead on range / non-stop reach and cabin comfort; the Grand Caravan EX answers with 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
PC-12 NGX
1,803 nm of range — the better choice for transcontinental and intercontinental missions.
Cabin comfort
PC-12 NGX
Taller and/or wider cabin (4'10" × 5'0") — 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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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
A tailored summary for the PC-12 NGX and Grand Caravan EX: the deciding reasons in this matchup, plus the buyer archetypes each aircraft serves best.
PILATUS
BEST FOR
Longer non-stop reach
When the mission is on the edge of the Grand Caravan EX's envelope, the 1,803 nm legs of the PC-12 NGX 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
BEST FOR
Larger party charters
Up to 9 seats vs 8 on the PC-12 NGX — the natural pick when the manifest grows last-minute.
Short-field departures
2,055 ft balanced field unlocks airports the PC-12 NGX 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
PILATUS
PROS
CONS
CESSNA
PROS
CONS
REAL-WORLD MISSIONS
Four scenarios our charter desk sees regularly — and which of these two we would actually quote.
SCENARIO 01
Shorter runway requirement (2,055 ft) opens up the airfield.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 02
Shorter runway requirement (2,055 ft) opens up the airfield.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 03
Shorter runway requirement (2,055 ft) opens up the airfield.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 04
Shorter runway requirement (2,055 ft) opens up the airfield.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →ROUTE RECOMMENDATIONS
| ROUTE | DISTANCE | RECOMMENDED | WHY |
|---|---|---|---|
| London → Le Touquet | 120 nm | PC-12 NGX | Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes. |
| Zurich → St Moritz | 95 nm | PC-12 NGX | Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes. |
| Aspen → Telluride | 115 nm | PC-12 NGX | Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes. |
| Nantucket → Teterboro | 180 nm | PC-12 NGX | 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
The Pilatus PC-12 NGX has a published range of 1,803 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.
Cruise speeds are 290 kts for the Pilatus PC-12 NGX and 186 kts for the Cessna Grand Caravan EX. On a Zurich → St Moritz-style mission the faster aircraft typically saves 10–25 minutes block time.
The Pilatus PC-12 NGX seats 6–8; the Cessna Grand Caravan EX seats 9. Charter prices below assume a typical executive layout — high-density configurations are available on request.
Indicative one-way pricing on a benchmark mission: Pilatus PC-12 NGX from from CHF 4,800, Cessna Grand Caravan EX from from $2,200. Confirmed quote in 10 minutes — pricing varies with empty-leg availability, season and routing.
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
PC-12 NGX × GRAND CARAVAN EX CLUSTER
CHARTER EITHER AIRCRAFT
EDITORIAL GUIDES
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