A head-to-head look at two of the most-chartered aircraft in the light jet class.
CESSNA
The Cessna Citation CJ3+ is the most-flown light jet in private aviation — a perfect short-range workhorse that combines exceptional fuel efficiency with a refined six-seat cabin. Ideal for one-to-two-hour European or US regional missions, the CJ3+ accesses smaller airfields that midsize jets cannot, putting clients closer to their final destination.
FULL CESSNA CITATION CJ3+ PAGE →HAWKER BEECHCRAFT
The Beechcraft Premier IA is a single-pilot light jet with a composite fuselage that yields the widest cabin in the entry-level segment. Six seats and a cruise speed comparable to larger light jets.
FULL HAWKER / BEECHCRAFT PREMIER IA PAGE →SPECIFICATIONS
| METRIC | Citation CJ3+ | Hawker / Beechcraft Premier IA |
|---|---|---|
| Passengers | 6–7 | 6 |
| Range | 2,040 nm | 1,500 nm |
| Cruise speed | Mach 0.737 | Mach 0.80 |
| Cabin height | 4'9" | 5'5" |
| Cabin width | 4'10" | 5'5" |
| Baggage | 65 cu ft | 77 cu ft |
| Runway | 3,180 ft | 3,792 ft |
CHARTER PRICING
| London → Geneva | from £5,000 |
| Nice → Olbia | from €3,500 |
| Miami → Nassau | from $4,500 |
| Miami → Nassau | from $6,900 |
| Zurich → Munich | from CHF 6,400 |
All-inclusive indicative one-way pricing. Confirmed quote in 10 minutes.
EXPERT VERDICT
The Citation CJ3+ pulls ahead on range / non-stop reach, group capacity and airport access; the Hawker / Beechcraft Premier IA answers with cabin comfort and 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
Citation CJ3+
2,040 nm of range — the better choice for transcontinental and intercontinental missions.
Cabin comfort
Hawker / Beechcraft Premier IA
Taller and/or wider cabin (5'5" × 5'5") — better for long flights and stand-up movement.
Group capacity
Citation CJ3+
Seats up to 7 — the right pick when the manifest grows.
Airport access
Citation CJ3+
Shorter 3,180 ft balanced-field requirement — opens up restricted alpine, island and city-adjacent airfields.
Speed & block time
Hawker / Beechcraft Premier IA
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.
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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 Citation CJ3+ and Hawker / Beechcraft Premier IA: the deciding reasons in this matchup, plus the buyer archetypes each aircraft serves best.
CESSNA
BEST FOR
Longer non-stop reach
When the mission is on the edge of the Hawker / Beechcraft Premier IA's envelope, the 2,040 nm legs of the Citation CJ3+ keep reserves intact.
Larger party charters
Up to 7 seats vs 6 on the Hawker / Beechcraft Premier IA — the natural pick when the manifest grows last-minute.
Short-field departures
3,180 ft balanced field unlocks airports the Hawker / Beechcraft Premier IA 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.
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT
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
CESSNA
PROS
CONS
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT
PROS
CONS
REAL-WORLD MISSIONS
Four scenarios our charter desk sees regularly — and which of these two we would actually quote.
SCENARIO 01
Curated example: London → Paris sits in the Citation CJ3+'s sweet spot.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 02
Shorter runway requirement (3,180 ft) opens up the airfield.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 03
Curated example: London → Paris sits in the Citation CJ3+'s sweet spot.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 04
Larger cabin seats the full group (6–7).
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →ROUTE RECOMMENDATIONS
| ROUTE | DISTANCE | RECOMMENDED | WHY |
|---|---|---|---|
| London → Paris | 190 nm | Citation CJ3+ | Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes. |
| Geneva → Ibiza | 560 nm | Citation CJ3+ | Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes. |
| Teterboro → Miami | 950 nm | Citation CJ3+ | Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes. |
| London → Athens | 1,500 nm | Citation CJ3+ | Only one reaches non-stop — the other would need a fuel stop (1500 nm > 1,500 nm). |
Distances are great-circle approximations; actual fuel planning accounts for winds, weather and reserves.
FAQ
The Cessna Citation CJ3+ has a published range of 2,040 nm; the Hawker / Beechcraft Premier IA is rated at 1,500 nm. The longer-range aircraft opens up more non-stop city pairs without a tech stop.
Cruise speeds are Mach 0.737 for the Cessna Citation CJ3+ and Mach 0.80 for the Hawker / Beechcraft Premier IA. On a London → Geneva-style mission the faster aircraft typically saves 10–25 minutes block time.
The Cessna Citation CJ3+ seats 6–7; the Hawker / Beechcraft Premier IA seats 6. Charter prices below assume a typical executive layout — high-density configurations are available on request.
Indicative one-way pricing on a benchmark mission: Cessna Citation CJ3+ from from £5,000, Hawker / Beechcraft Premier IA from from $6,900. Confirmed quote in 10 minutes — pricing varies with empty-leg availability, season and routing.
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
CITATION CJ3+ × HAWKER / BEECHCRAFT PREMIER IA CLUSTER
CHARTER EITHER AIRCRAFT
EDITORIAL GUIDES
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