Cessna Citation Sovereign+ private jetHawker 800XP private jet

Citation Sovereign+ vs Hawker 800XP

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

Cessna Citation Sovereign+

CESSNA

Cessna Citation Sovereign+

The Citation Sovereign+ extends midsize-jet thinking with super-midsize range. Nine passengers cross the US coast-to-coast nonstop or fly London to Dubai with one fuel stop — all at midsize operating costs.

FULL CESSNA CITATION SOVEREIGN+ PAGE →
Hawker 800XP

HAWKER BEECHCRAFT

Hawker 800XP

The Hawker 800XP remains one of the most-chartered midsize jets in the world. Its eight-seat double-club cabin, robust airframe and proven Honeywell engines make it exceptional value for European business missions and transcontinental US travel.

FULL HAWKER 800XP PAGE →

SPECIFICATIONS

Side-by-side specifications

METRICCitation Sovereign+Hawker 800XP
Passengers98
Range3,200 nm2,540 nm
Cruise speedMach 0.80Mach 0.80
Cabin height5'7"5'9"
Cabin width5'6"6'0"
Baggage135 cu ft50 cu ft
Runway3,530 ft5,032 ft

Cessna Citation Sovereign+ — strengths

  • Coast-to-coast US nonstop
  • Largest baggage hold in segment
  • Outstanding short-runway performance

Hawker 800XP — strengths

  • Exceptional charter value
  • Proven airframe — 1,800+ delivered
  • Comfortable stand-up cabin

CHARTER PRICING

Indicative pricing

CESSNA CITATION SOVEREIGN+
Los Angeles → New Yorkfrom $36,000
London → Madridfrom £12,000
HAWKER 800XP
London → Marrakechfrom £21,000
Teterboro → Chicagofrom $14,500

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

EXPERT VERDICT

The Citation Sovereign+ is the stronger all-rounder, but the Hawker 800XP still wins on the metrics that matter to specific buyers.

The Citation Sovereign+ pulls ahead on range / non-stop reach, group capacity and airport access; the Hawker 800XP answers with cabin comfort. 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

Citation Sovereign+

3,200 nm of range — the better choice for transcontinental and intercontinental missions.

Cabin comfort

Hawker 800XP

Taller and/or wider cabin (5'9" × 6'0") — better for long flights and stand-up movement.

Group capacity

Citation Sovereign+

Seats up to 9 — the right pick when the manifest grows.

Airport access

Citation Sovereign+

Shorter 3,530 ft balanced-field requirement — opens up restricted alpine, island and city-adjacent airfields.

Speed & block time

Even

Matched specifications.

Verdict based on published manufacturer specifications, charter market data and Limitless Sky brokerage experience.

PROS & CONS

Honest assessment

CESSNA

Cessna Citation Sovereign+

PROS

  • +Coast-to-coast US nonstop
  • +Largest baggage hold in segment
  • +Outstanding short-runway performance
  • +Longer legs than the Hawker 800XP (3,200 nm vs 2,540 nm) — fewer fuel stops on intercontinental missions.
  • +Carries up to 9 passengers vs 8 on the Hawker 800XP — better for larger groups.
  • +Shorter runway requirement (3,530 ft) unlocks airfields the Hawker 800XP cannot use.

CONS

  • Lower ceiling than the Hawker 800XP (5'7" vs 5'9") — stand-up movement is restricted.

HAWKER BEECHCRAFT

Hawker 800XP

PROS

  • +Exceptional charter value
  • +Proven airframe — 1,800+ delivered
  • +Comfortable stand-up cabin
  • +Taller cabin (5'9") than the Citation Sovereign+ — easier to move around on long flights.
  • +Wider cabin (6'0") makes a meaningful difference at the shoulders vs the Citation Sovereign+.

CONS

  • Shorter range than the Citation Sovereign+ (2,540 nm vs 3,200 nm) — may require a tech stop on long sectors.
  • Maximum 8-seat layout is tight if you regularly travel with more than 8 — the Citation Sovereign+ adds 1 seat.
  • Needs more runway than the Citation Sovereign+ (5,032 ft vs 3,530 ft) — fewer short-field options.
  • Tighter baggage capacity than the Citation Sovereign+ (50 cu ft vs 135 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

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

OUR PICKCitation Sovereign+

Larger cabin seats the full group (9).

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 02

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

OUR PICKCitation Sovereign+

Larger cabin seats the full group (9).

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 03

Coast-to-coast US transcon with full passenger load

OUR PICKCitation Sovereign+

Curated example: Teterboro → San Francisco sits in the Citation Sovereign+'s sweet spot.

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 04

Long-weekend group charter to Marrakech with extra baggage

OUR PICKCitation Sovereign+

Larger cabin seats the full group (9).

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

ROUTE RECOMMENDATIONS

Best pick per route

ROUTEDISTANCERECOMMENDEDWHY
London → Moscow1,500 nmCitation Sovereign+Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes.
Geneva → Marrakech1,250 nmCitation Sovereign+Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes.
Teterboro → Aspen1,580 nmCitation Sovereign+Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes.
Paris → Cairo1,800 nmCitation Sovereign+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

Citation Sovereign+ vs Hawker 800XP — frequently asked

Citation Sovereign+ vs Hawker 800XP: which has the longer range?OPEN

The Cessna Citation Sovereign+ has a published range of 3,200 nm; the Hawker 800XP is rated at 2,540 nm. The longer-range aircraft opens up more non-stop city pairs without a tech stop.

Which is faster — Citation Sovereign+ or Hawker 800XP?OPEN

Cruise speeds are Mach 0.80 for the Cessna Citation Sovereign+ and Mach 0.80 for the Hawker 800XP. On a Los Angeles → New York-style mission the faster aircraft typically saves 10–25 minutes block time.

How many passengers does each aircraft carry?OPEN

The Cessna Citation Sovereign+ seats 9; the Hawker 800XP 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 Sovereign+ vs the Hawker 800XP?OPEN

Indicative one-way pricing on a benchmark mission: Cessna Citation Sovereign+ from from $36,000, Hawker 800XP from from £21,000. 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 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 SOVEREIGN+ × HAWKER 800XP CLUSTER

Continue researching Citation Sovereign+ or Hawker 800XP

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