AIRBUS
Airbus ACJ TwoTwenty
The Airbus ACJ TwoTwenty is the xtra-large business jet derived from the A220-100 — 786 sq ft of cabin space, six living zones and 5,650 nm of range. The category-defining 'XLBJ' airframe.
FULL AIRBUS ACJ TWOTWENTY PAGE →ACJ TwoTwenty vs BBJ 787
A head-to-head look at two of the most-chartered aircraft in the vip airliner class.
BOEING
Boeing BBJ 787
The Boeing BBJ 787 is the VIP version of the Dreamliner — 9,945 nm of range, composite fuselage with the lowest cabin altitude in commercial aviation (6,000 ft) and the largest passenger windows in any private aircraft.
FULL BOEING BBJ 787 PAGE →SPECIFICATIONS
Side-by-side specifications
| METRIC | ACJ TwoTwenty | BBJ 787 |
|---|---|---|
| Passengers | 18 | 25+ |
| Range | 5,650 nm | 9,945 nm |
| Cruise speed | Mach 0.78 | Mach 0.85 |
| Cabin height | 6'10" | 8'1" |
| Cabin width | 10'9" | 18'0" |
| Baggage | 525 cu ft | 3,000+ cu ft |
| Runway | 4,800 ft | 8,500 ft |
Airbus ACJ TwoTwenty — strengths
- —Six living zones — true flying residence
- —5,650 nm intercontinental range
- —Lowest hourly cost in XLBJ class
Boeing BBJ 787 — strengths
- —Composite Dreamliner airframe
- —Lowest cabin altitude in any commercial aircraft
- —Industry-leading window size and natural light
CHARTER PRICING
Indicative pricing
AIRBUS ACJ TWOTWENTY
| Geneva → New York | from CHF 138,000 |
| Hong Kong → Sydney | from $156,000 |
BOEING BBJ 787
| Dubai → Los Angeles | from $512,000 |
| Riyadh → São Paulo | from $498,000 |
All-inclusive indicative one-way pricing. Confirmed quote in 10 minutes.
EXPERT VERDICT
The BBJ 787 is the stronger all-rounder, but the ACJ TwoTwenty still wins where it counts for the right mission.
The ACJ TwoTwenty pulls ahead on airport access; the BBJ 787 answers with range / non-stop reach, cabin comfort, group capacity and speed & block time. Both sit in the vip airliner class, so charter pricing is broadly aligned — let the use case (range, group size, airport pair) drive the final call.
Range / non-stop reach
BBJ 787
9,945 nm of range — the better choice for transcontinental and intercontinental missions.
Cabin comfort
BBJ 787
Taller and/or wider cabin (8'1" × 18'0") — better for long flights and stand-up movement.
Group capacity
BBJ 787
Seats up to 25 — the right pick when the manifest grows.
Airport access
ACJ TwoTwenty
Shorter 4,800 ft balanced-field requirement — opens up restricted alpine, island and city-adjacent airfields.
Speed & block time
BBJ 787
Cruise of Mach 0.85 — shaves meaningful minutes off every long leg.
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
Top reasons to choose — and who each aircraft is best for
A tailored summary for the ACJ TwoTwenty and BBJ 787: the deciding reasons in this matchup, plus the buyer archetypes each aircraft serves best.
AIRBUS
Top reasons to choose the ACJ TwoTwenty
- ★Lands in 4,800 ft balanced field — accesses short, restricted and city-adjacent airports the BBJ 787 cannot.
- ★Six living zones — true flying residence
- ★5,650 nm intercontinental range
- ★Lowest hourly cost in XLBJ class
BEST FOR
Short-field departures
4,800 ft balanced field unlocks airports the BBJ 787 cannot use, putting passengers closer to the door.
Delegations of 15–30
Onboard meeting room, dining area and shower for large parties.
Private group charters
Wedding, sports franchise and royal-tour scale travel in one cabin.
Multi-bedroom missions
Three-bedroom layouts and staff cabin for week-long roaming itineraries.
BOEING
Top reasons to choose the BBJ 787
- ★Reaches 9,945 nm non-stop — 76% more range than the ACJ TwoTwenty, opening city pairs that would otherwise need a tech stop.
- ★Cruises at Mach 0.85, trimming block time on every leg vs the ACJ TwoTwenty (Mach 0.78).
- ★Bigger cabin envelope (8'1" tall × 18'0" wide) than the ACJ TwoTwenty — meaningful difference on flights over three hours.
- ★Seats up to 25 passengers vs 18 on the ACJ TwoTwenty — better for full-group charters and family travel.
- ★3,000+ cu ft of baggage volume — fits ski, golf and extended-stay luggage that crowds the ACJ TwoTwenty.
BEST FOR
Longer non-stop reach
When the mission is on the edge of the ACJ TwoTwenty's envelope, the 9,945 nm legs of the BBJ 787 keep reserves intact.
Larger party charters
Up to 25 seats vs 18 on the ACJ TwoTwenty — the natural pick when the manifest grows last-minute.
Delegations of 15–30
Onboard meeting room, dining area and shower for large parties.
Private group charters
Wedding, sports franchise and royal-tour scale travel in one cabin.
PROS & CONS
Honest assessment
AIRBUS
Airbus ACJ TwoTwenty
PROS
- +Six living zones — true flying residence
- +5,650 nm intercontinental range
- +Lowest hourly cost in XLBJ class
- +Shorter runway requirement (4,800 ft) unlocks airfields the BBJ 787 cannot use.
CONS
- −Shorter range than the BBJ 787 (5,650 nm vs 9,945 nm) — may require a tech stop on long sectors.
- −Maximum 18-seat layout is tight if you regularly travel with more than 18 — the BBJ 787 adds 7 seats.
- −Slightly slower in cruise than the BBJ 787 (Mach 0.78 vs Mach 0.85).
- −Lower ceiling than the BBJ 787 (6'10" vs 8'1") — stand-up movement is restricted.
- −Tighter baggage capacity than the BBJ 787 (525 cu ft vs 3,000+ cu ft).
BOEING
Boeing BBJ 787
PROS
- +Composite Dreamliner airframe
- +Lowest cabin altitude in any commercial aircraft
- +Industry-leading window size and natural light
- +Longer legs than the ACJ TwoTwenty (9,945 nm vs 5,650 nm) — fewer fuel stops on intercontinental missions.
- +Carries up to 25 passengers vs 18 on the ACJ TwoTwenty — better for larger groups.
- +Faster cruise (Mach 0.85) trims block time on every leg vs the ACJ TwoTwenty.
CONS
- −Needs more runway than the ACJ TwoTwenty (8,500 ft vs 4,800 ft) — fewer short-field options.
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
Head-of-state delegation of 18 with onboard meeting room and shower
OUR PICKBBJ 787
Larger cabin seats the full group (25+).
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 02
Sports franchise charter, 25 passengers plus support staff, intercontinental
OUR PICKBBJ 787
Longer range (9,945 nm) wins the non-stop reach.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 03
Private wedding charter to a remote luxury destination for 30 guests
OUR PICKACJ TwoTwenty
Curated example: London → Los Angeles sits in the ACJ TwoTwenty's sweet spot.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 04
Multi-week royal tour with three-bedroom layout and onboard staff cabin
OUR PICKBBJ 787
Taller cabin (8'1") makes long-haul rest workable.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →ROUTE RECOMMENDATIONS
Best pick per route
| ROUTE | DISTANCE | RECOMMENDED | WHY |
|---|---|---|---|
| London → Tokyo | 5,200 nm | BBJ 787 | Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes. |
| Riyadh → New York | 5,750 nm | BBJ 787 | Only one reaches non-stop — the other would need a fuel stop (5750 nm > 5,650 nm). |
| Dubai → Sydney | 6,400 nm | BBJ 787 | Only one reaches non-stop — the other would need a fuel stop (6400 nm > 5,650 nm). |
| Paris → Cape Town | 4,950 nm | BBJ 787 | 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
ACJ TwoTwenty vs BBJ 787 — frequently asked
ACJ TwoTwenty vs BBJ 787: which has the longer range?OPEN
The Airbus ACJ TwoTwenty has a published range of 5,650 nm; the Boeing BBJ 787 is rated at 9,945 nm. The longer-range aircraft opens up more non-stop city pairs without a tech stop.
Which is faster — ACJ TwoTwenty or BBJ 787?OPEN
Cruise speeds are Mach 0.78 for the Airbus ACJ TwoTwenty and Mach 0.85 for the Boeing BBJ 787. On a Geneva → New York-style mission the faster aircraft typically saves 10–25 minutes block time.
How many passengers does each aircraft carry?OPEN
The Airbus ACJ TwoTwenty seats 18; the Boeing BBJ 787 seats 25+. Charter prices below assume a typical executive layout — high-density configurations are available on request.
What does it cost to charter the Airbus ACJ TwoTwenty vs the Boeing BBJ 787?OPEN
Indicative one-way pricing on a benchmark mission: Airbus ACJ TwoTwenty from from CHF 138,000, Boeing BBJ 787 from from $512,000. 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 VIP Airliner category, but range, payload and runway performance differ. See the route-recommendations table on this page for our specific pick per corridor.
MORE COMPARISONS
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