Cessna Grand Caravan EX private jetBeechcraft King Air 200 private jet

Grand Caravan EX vs King Air 200

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

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 →
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 →

SPECIFICATIONS

Side-by-side specifications

METRICGrand Caravan EXKing Air 200
Passengers97
Range964 nm1,580 nm
Cruise speed186 kts292 kts
Cabin height4'6"4'9"
Cabin width5'3"4'6"
Baggage111 cu ft55 cu ft
Runway2,055 ft3,200 ft

Cessna Grand Caravan EX — strengths

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

Beechcraft King Air 200 — strengths

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

CHARTER PRICING

Indicative pricing

CESSNA GRAND CARAVAN EX
Nassau → Exumafrom $3,600
Mahé → Praslinfrom $4,200
BEECHCRAFT KING AIR 200
London → Jerseyfrom £3,800
Phoenix → Sedonafrom $4,800

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 on the metrics that matter to specific buyers.

The Grand Caravan EX pulls ahead on cabin comfort, group capacity and airport access; the King Air 200 answers with range / non-stop reach. 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.

PROS & CONS

Honest assessment

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.

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).

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

Grand Caravan EX vs King Air 200 — frequently asked

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

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

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

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

How many passengers does each aircraft carry?OPEN

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

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

Indicative one-way pricing on a benchmark mission: Cessna Grand Caravan EX from from $3,600, Beechcraft King Air 200 from from £3,800. 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

GRAND CARAVAN EX × KING AIR 200 CLUSTER

Continue researching Grand Caravan EX or King Air 200

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