Cirrus Cirrus Vision Jet SF50 — Light Jet charter aircraftEclipse Aerospace Eclipse 550 — Light Jet charter aircraft

Vision Jet SF50 vs Eclipse 550

A Cirrus vs Eclipse Aerospace showdown in the light jet class. The Cirrus Vision Jet SF50 carries 5 passengers with 1,275 nm of range; the Eclipse 550 carries 4 with 1,125 nm. Cabin dimensions land at 4'1" × 5'1" versus 4'2" × 4'8", and runway numbers read 2,036 ft against 2,342 ft. Indicative charter pricing on a representative sector: from £2,800 on the Jet SF50, from $4,400 on the Eclipse 550.

Cirrus Vision Jet SF50

CIRRUS

Cirrus Vision Jet SF50

The Cirrus Vision Jet SF50 is the world's only single-engine personal jet, with a unique CAPS whole-airframe parachute system. Five passengers, panoramic windows and a pressurised cabin make it ideal for short owner-pilot or charter missions.

FULL CIRRUS VISION JET SF50 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

METRICVision Jet SF50Eclipse 550
Passengers54
Range1,275 nm1,125 nm
Cruise speedMach 0.53Mach 0.64
Cabin height4'1"4'2"
Cabin width5'1"4'8"
Baggage30 cu ft16 cu ft
Runway2,036 ft2,342 ft

Cirrus Vision Jet SF50 — strengths

  • CAPS whole-airframe parachute system
  • Single-engine economy
  • Short-runway access

Eclipse 550 — strengths

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

CHARTER PRICING

Indicative pricing

CIRRUS VISION JET SF50
London → Manchesterfrom £2,800
Phoenix → Las Vegasfrom $3,500
ECLIPSE 550
Chicago → Detroitfrom $4,400
Dallas → Austinfrom $3,900

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

EXPERT VERDICT

The Vision Jet SF50 is the stronger all-rounder, but the Eclipse 550 still wins on the metrics that matter to specific buyers.

The Vision Jet SF50 pulls ahead on range / non-stop reach, cabin comfort, group capacity and airport access; the Eclipse 550 answers with 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

Vision Jet SF50

1,275 nm of range — the better choice for transcontinental and intercontinental missions.

Cabin comfort

Vision Jet SF50

Taller and/or wider cabin (4'1" × 5'1") — better for long flights and stand-up movement.

Group capacity

Vision Jet SF50

Seats up to 5 — the right pick when the manifest grows.

Airport access

Vision Jet SF50

Shorter 2,036 ft balanced-field requirement — opens up restricted alpine, island and city-adjacent airfields.

Speed & block time

Eclipse 550

Cruise of Mach 0.64 — 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 Vision Jet SF50 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 Vision Jet SF50 and Eclipse 550: the deciding reasons in this matchup, plus the buyer archetypes each aircraft serves best.

CIRRUS

Top reasons to choose the Vision Jet SF50

  • Reaches 1,275 nm non-stop — 13% more range than the Eclipse 550, opening city pairs that would otherwise need a tech stop.
  • Bigger cabin envelope (4'1" tall × 5'1" wide) than the Eclipse 550 — meaningful difference on flights over three hours.
  • Seats up to 5 passengers vs 4 on the Eclipse 550 — better for full-group charters and family travel.
  • Lands in 2,036 ft balanced field — accesses short, restricted and city-adjacent airports the Eclipse 550 cannot.
  • 30 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 1,275 nm legs of the Vision Jet SF50 keep reserves intact.

  • Larger party charters

    Up to 5 seats vs 4 on the Eclipse 550 — the natural pick when the manifest grows last-minute.

  • Short-field departures

    2,036 ft balanced field unlocks airports the Eclipse 550 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.

ECLIPSE AEROSPACE

Top reasons to choose the Eclipse 550

  • Cruises at Mach 0.64, trimming block time on every leg vs the Vision Jet SF50 (Mach 0.53).
  • Lowest fuel burn of any charter jet
  • Sub-2,400 ft take-off distance
  • Autothrottles standard

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.

PROS & CONS

Honest assessment

CIRRUS

Cirrus Vision Jet SF50

PROS

  • +CAPS whole-airframe parachute system
  • +Single-engine economy
  • +Short-runway access
  • +Longer legs than the Eclipse 550 (1,275 nm vs 1,125 nm) — fewer fuel stops on intercontinental missions.
  • +Carries up to 5 passengers vs 4 on the Eclipse 550 — better for larger groups.
  • +Wider cabin (5'1") makes a meaningful difference at the shoulders vs the Eclipse 550.

CONS

  • Slightly slower in cruise than the Eclipse 550 (Mach 0.53 vs Mach 0.64).

ECLIPSE AEROSPACE

Eclipse 550

PROS

  • +Lowest fuel burn of any charter jet
  • +Sub-2,400 ft take-off distance
  • +Autothrottles standard
  • +Faster cruise (Mach 0.64) trims block time on every leg vs the Vision Jet SF50.

CONS

  • Shorter range than the Vision Jet SF50 (1,125 nm vs 1,275 nm) — may require a tech stop on long sectors.
  • Maximum 4-seat layout is tight if you regularly travel with more than 4 — the Vision Jet SF50 adds 1 seat.
  • Tighter baggage capacity than the Vision Jet SF50 (16 cu ft vs 30 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 PICKVision Jet SF50

Curated example: London → Edinburgh sits in the Vision Jet SF50's sweet spot.

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 02

Weekend ski trip — Geneva to Sion with full ski equipment

OUR PICKVision Jet SF50

Shorter runway requirement (2,036 ft) opens up the airfield.

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 03

Day-return board meeting between secondary cities

OUR PICKVision Jet SF50

Curated example: London → Edinburgh sits in the Vision Jet SF50's sweet spot.

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 04

Family of five to a Mediterranean island for a long weekend

OUR PICKVision Jet SF50

Larger cabin seats the full group (5).

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

ROUTE RECOMMENDATIONS

Best pick per route

ROUTEDISTANCERECOMMENDEDWHY
London → Paris190 nmVision Jet SF50Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes.
Geneva → Ibiza560 nmVision Jet SF50Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes.
Teterboro → Miami950 nmVision Jet SF50Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes.
London → Athens1,500 nmEitherBoth would require a tech stop on this routing — talk to us about positioning.

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

FAQ

Vision Jet SF50 vs Eclipse 550 — frequently asked

Vision Jet SF50 vs Eclipse 550: which has the longer range?OPEN

The Cirrus Vision Jet SF50 has a published range of 1,275 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 — Vision Jet SF50 or Eclipse 550?OPEN

Cruise speeds are Mach 0.53 for the Cirrus Vision Jet SF50 and Mach 0.64 for the Eclipse 550. On a London → Manchester-style mission the faster aircraft typically saves 10–25 minutes block time.

How many passengers does each aircraft carry?OPEN

The Cirrus Vision Jet SF50 seats 5; 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 Cirrus Vision Jet SF50 vs the Eclipse 550?OPEN

Indicative one-way pricing on a benchmark mission: Cirrus Vision Jet SF50 from from £2,800, 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.

MORE COMPARISONS

Compare more light jets

VISION JET SF50 × ECLIPSE 550 CLUSTER

Continue researching Vision Jet SF50 or Eclipse 550

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