Cessna Citation Excel private jetGulfstream G150 private jet

Citation Excel vs Gulfstream G150

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

Cessna Citation Excel

CESSNA

Cessna Citation Excel

The Cessna Citation Excel was the original stand-up midsize Citation and remains one of the most-delivered business jets in history. Eight seats, 1,800 nm of range and access to airports the larger XLS+ cannot use.

FULL CESSNA CITATION EXCEL PAGE →
Gulfstream G150

GULFSTREAM / IAI

Gulfstream G150

The Gulfstream G150 brought wide-body comfort to the midsize segment — 3,000 nm range, a cabin wider than the Citation XLS and Hawker 900XP, and Gulfstream's renowned finish quality.

FULL GULFSTREAM G150 PAGE →

SPECIFICATIONS

Side-by-side specifications

METRICCitation ExcelGulfstream G150
Passengers88
Range1,858 nm3,000 nm
Cruise speedMach 0.75Mach 0.85
Cabin height5'7"5'9"
Cabin width5'5"5'9"
Baggage80 cu ft80 cu ft
Runway3,560 ft5,000 ft

Cessna Citation Excel — strengths

  • Short-runway capable midsize
  • Largest installed fleet in midsize class
  • Lower hourly cost than XLS+

Gulfstream G150 — strengths

  • Widest cabin in midsize class
  • Transatlantic-capable on select routes
  • Lower hourly cost than G200

CHARTER PRICING

Indicative pricing

CESSNA CITATION EXCEL
Miami → Nassaufrom $10,400
Paris → Nicefrom €11,800
GULFSTREAM G150
Miami → Cabo San Lucasfrom $26,800
Geneva → Athensfrom CHF 22,400

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

EXPERT VERDICT

The Gulfstream G150 is the stronger all-rounder, but the Citation Excel still wins where it counts for the right mission.

The Citation Excel pulls ahead on airport access; the Gulfstream G150 answers with range / non-stop reach, cabin comfort and speed & block time. Both sit in the midsize 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

Gulfstream G150

3,000 nm of range — the better choice for transcontinental and intercontinental missions.

Cabin comfort

Gulfstream G150

Taller and/or wider cabin (5'9" × 5'9") — better for long flights and stand-up movement.

Group capacity

Even

Matched specifications.

Airport access

Citation Excel

Shorter 3,560 ft balanced-field requirement — opens up restricted alpine, island and city-adjacent airfields.

Speed & block time

Gulfstream G150

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.

REQUEST A CHARTER QUOTE

Charter the Citation Excel or the Gulfstream G150.

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 Citation Excel and Gulfstream G150: the deciding reasons in this matchup, plus the buyer archetypes each aircraft serves best.

CESSNA

Top reasons to choose the Citation Excel

  • Lands in 3,560 ft balanced field — accesses short, restricted and city-adjacent airports the Gulfstream G150 cannot.
  • Short-runway capable midsize
  • Largest installed fleet in midsize class
  • Lower hourly cost than XLS+

BEST FOR

  • Short-field departures

    3,560 ft balanced field unlocks airports the Gulfstream G150 cannot use, putting passengers closer to the door.

  • Stand-up cross-Europe travel

    Flat-floor cabin for 3–4 hour legs with full bar and lavatory.

  • 8-seat board offsites

    Comfortable double-club layout for executive teams.

  • US transcontinental

    Non-stop east-coast to west-coast missions with full payload.

GULFSTREAM / IAI

Top reasons to choose the Gulfstream G150

  • Reaches 3,000 nm non-stop — 61% more range than the Citation Excel, opening city pairs that would otherwise need a tech stop.
  • Cruises at Mach 0.85, trimming block time on every leg vs the Citation Excel (Mach 0.75).
  • Bigger cabin envelope (5'9" tall × 5'9" wide) than the Citation Excel — meaningful difference on flights over three hours.
  • Widest cabin in midsize class
  • Transatlantic-capable on select routes

BEST FOR

  • Longer non-stop reach

    When the mission is on the edge of the Citation Excel's envelope, the 3,000 nm legs of the Gulfstream G150 keep reserves intact.

  • Stand-up cross-Europe travel

    Flat-floor cabin for 3–4 hour legs with full bar and lavatory.

  • 8-seat board offsites

    Comfortable double-club layout for executive teams.

  • US transcontinental

    Non-stop east-coast to west-coast missions with full payload.

PROS & CONS

Honest assessment

CESSNA

Cessna Citation Excel

PROS

  • +Short-runway capable midsize
  • +Largest installed fleet in midsize class
  • +Lower hourly cost than XLS+
  • +Shorter runway requirement (3,560 ft) unlocks airfields the Gulfstream G150 cannot use.

CONS

  • Shorter range than the Gulfstream G150 (1,858 nm vs 3,000 nm) — may require a tech stop on long sectors.
  • Slightly slower in cruise than the Gulfstream G150 (Mach 0.75 vs Mach 0.85).
  • Lower ceiling than the Gulfstream G150 (5'7" vs 5'9") — stand-up movement is restricted.

GULFSTREAM / IAI

Gulfstream G150

PROS

  • +Widest cabin in midsize class
  • +Transatlantic-capable on select routes
  • +Lower hourly cost than G200
  • +Longer legs than the Citation Excel (3,000 nm vs 1,858 nm) — fewer fuel stops on intercontinental missions.
  • +Faster cruise (Mach 0.85) trims block time on every leg vs the Citation Excel.
  • +Taller cabin (5'9") than the Citation Excel — easier to move around on long flights.

CONS

  • Needs more runway than the Citation Excel (5,000 ft vs 3,560 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

Eight-person sales roadshow across three European capitals in two days

OUR PICKCitation Excel

Larger cabin seats the full group (8).

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 02

Family of six on a 1,500 nm leisure trip with stand-up cabin needs

OUR PICKCitation Excel

Larger cabin seats the full group (8).

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 03

Coast-to-coast US transcon with full passenger load

OUR PICKCitation Excel

Curated example: Teterboro → Chicago sits in the Citation Excel's sweet spot.

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 04

Long-weekend group charter to Marrakech with extra baggage

OUR PICKCitation Excel

Larger cabin seats the full group (8).

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

ROUTE RECOMMENDATIONS

Best pick per route

ROUTEDISTANCERECOMMENDEDWHY
London → Moscow1,500 nmGulfstream G150Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes.
Geneva → Marrakech1,250 nmGulfstream G150Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes.
Teterboro → Aspen1,580 nmGulfstream G150Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes.
Paris → Cairo1,800 nmGulfstream G150Only one reaches non-stop — the other would need a fuel stop (1800 nm > 1,858 nm).

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

FAQ

Citation Excel vs Gulfstream G150 — frequently asked

Citation Excel vs Gulfstream G150: which has the longer range?OPEN

The Cessna Citation Excel has a published range of 1,858 nm; the Gulfstream G150 is rated at 3,000 nm. The longer-range aircraft opens up more non-stop city pairs without a tech stop.

Which is faster — Citation Excel or Gulfstream G150?OPEN

Cruise speeds are Mach 0.75 for the Cessna Citation Excel and Mach 0.85 for the Gulfstream G150. On a Miami → Nassau-style mission the faster aircraft typically saves 10–25 minutes block time.

How many passengers does each aircraft carry?OPEN

The Cessna Citation Excel seats 8; the Gulfstream G150 seats 8. Charter prices below assume a typical executive layout — high-density configurations are available on request.

What does it cost to charter the Cessna Citation Excel vs the Gulfstream G150?OPEN

Indicative one-way pricing on a benchmark mission: Cessna Citation Excel from from $10,400, Gulfstream G150 from from $26,800. 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 Midsize 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 midsize jets

CITATION EXCEL × GULFSTREAM G150 CLUSTER

Continue researching Citation Excel or Gulfstream G150

Not sure which to charter?

Tell us your route and party size — we'll recommend the right aircraft and send a confirmed quote in 10 minutes.

REQUEST A QUOTE