DASSAULT
Dassault Falcon 50EX
The Dassault Falcon 50EX is the only three-engine business jet in regular charter service — exceptional short-runway performance, 3,200 nm range and the unmistakable Falcon ride quality.
FULL DASSAULT FALCON 50EX PAGE →Falcon 50EX vs Challenger 604
A head-to-head look at two of the most-chartered aircraft in the heavy jet class.
BOMBARDIER
Bombardier Challenger 604
The Bombardier Challenger 604 introduced the wide-body Challenger that became the segment standard — 4,000 nm range, three living zones and the widest cabin floor of any traditional heavy jet.
FULL BOMBARDIER CHALLENGER 604 PAGE →SPECIFICATIONS
Side-by-side specifications
| METRIC | Falcon 50EX | Challenger 604 |
|---|---|---|
| Passengers | 9 | 9–12 |
| Range | 3,200 nm | 4,000 nm |
| Cruise speed | Mach 0.80 | Mach 0.80 |
| Cabin height | 5'9" | 6'1" |
| Cabin width | 6'1" | 8'2" |
| Baggage | 115 cu ft | 115 cu ft |
| Runway | 4,600 ft | 5,840 ft |
Dassault Falcon 50EX — strengths
- —Three-engine redundancy
- —Short-runway capable heavy jet
- —Trademark Falcon cabin quietness
Bombardier Challenger 604 — strengths
- —Widest floor in heavy jet class
- —Proven transatlantic capability
- —Strong used-market availability
CHARTER PRICING
Indicative pricing
DASSAULT FALCON 50EX
| Miami → Aspen | from $32,800 |
| Paris → Athens | from €28,400 |
BOMBARDIER CHALLENGER 604
| Geneva → New York | from CHF 56,000 |
| Miami → São Paulo | from $54,000 |
All-inclusive indicative one-way pricing. Confirmed quote in 10 minutes.
EXPERT VERDICT
The Challenger 604 is the stronger all-rounder, but the Falcon 50EX still wins where it counts for the right mission.
The Falcon 50EX pulls ahead on airport access; the Challenger 604 answers with range / non-stop reach, cabin comfort and group capacity. Both sit in the heavy 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
Challenger 604
4,000 nm of range — the better choice for transcontinental and intercontinental missions.
Cabin comfort
Challenger 604
Taller and/or wider cabin (6'1" × 8'2") — better for long flights and stand-up movement.
Group capacity
Challenger 604
Seats up to 12 — the right pick when the manifest grows.
Airport access
Falcon 50EX
Shorter 4,600 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.
REQUEST A CHARTER QUOTE
Charter the Falcon 50EX or the Challenger 604.
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 Falcon 50EX and Challenger 604: the deciding reasons in this matchup, plus the buyer archetypes each aircraft serves best.
DASSAULT
Top reasons to choose the Falcon 50EX
- ★Lands in 4,600 ft balanced field — accesses short, restricted and city-adjacent airports the Challenger 604 cannot.
- ★Three-engine redundancy
- ★Short-runway capable heavy jet
- ★Trademark Falcon cabin quietness
BEST FOR
Short-field departures
4,600 ft balanced field unlocks airports the Challenger 604 cannot use, putting passengers closer to the door.
Intercontinental sleep flights
Lie-flat berths for overnight Europe–US, Europe–Gulf and Asia legs.
10–14 passenger groups
Real space for a full delegation plus support staff.
Two-zone living
Separate work, dine and rest areas on flights over six hours.
BOMBARDIER
Top reasons to choose the Challenger 604
- ★Reaches 4,000 nm non-stop — 25% more range than the Falcon 50EX, opening city pairs that would otherwise need a tech stop.
- ★Bigger cabin envelope (6'1" tall × 8'2" wide) than the Falcon 50EX — meaningful difference on flights over three hours.
- ★Seats up to 12 passengers vs 9 on the Falcon 50EX — better for full-group charters and family travel.
- ★Widest floor in heavy jet class
- ★Proven transatlantic capability
BEST FOR
Longer non-stop reach
When the mission is on the edge of the Falcon 50EX's envelope, the 4,000 nm legs of the Challenger 604 keep reserves intact.
Larger party charters
Up to 12 seats vs 9 on the Falcon 50EX — the natural pick when the manifest grows last-minute.
Intercontinental sleep flights
Lie-flat berths for overnight Europe–US, Europe–Gulf and Asia legs.
10–14 passenger groups
Real space for a full delegation plus support staff.
PROS & CONS
Honest assessment
DASSAULT
Dassault Falcon 50EX
PROS
- +Three-engine redundancy
- +Short-runway capable heavy jet
- +Trademark Falcon cabin quietness
- +Shorter runway requirement (4,600 ft) unlocks airfields the Challenger 604 cannot use.
CONS
- −Shorter range than the Challenger 604 (3,200 nm vs 4,000 nm) — may require a tech stop on long sectors.
- −Maximum 9-seat layout is tight if you regularly travel with more than 9 — the Challenger 604 adds 3 seats.
- −Lower ceiling than the Challenger 604 (5'9" vs 6'1") — stand-up movement is restricted.
BOMBARDIER
Bombardier Challenger 604
PROS
- +Widest floor in heavy jet class
- +Proven transatlantic capability
- +Strong used-market availability
- +Longer legs than the Falcon 50EX (4,000 nm vs 3,200 nm) — fewer fuel stops on intercontinental missions.
- +Carries up to 12 passengers vs 9 on the Falcon 50EX — better for larger groups.
- +Taller cabin (6'1") than the Falcon 50EX — easier to move around on long flights.
CONS
- −Needs more runway than the Falcon 50EX (5,840 ft vs 4,600 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
Ten-person corporate delegation, London to New York, sleeping westbound
OUR PICKChallenger 604
Larger cabin seats the full group (9–12).
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 02
Multi-day Asia tour with two-stop routing and 14-passenger group
OUR PICKChallenger 604
Larger cabin seats the full group (9–12).
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 03
Family of eight relocating with significant baggage on a 3,500 nm leg
OUR PICKChallenger 604
Longer range (4,000 nm) wins the non-stop reach.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 04
Sports team charter from Europe to the Middle East with kit
OUR PICKChallenger 604
Larger cabin seats the full group (9–12).
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →ROUTE RECOMMENDATIONS
Best pick per route
| ROUTE | DISTANCE | RECOMMENDED | WHY |
|---|---|---|---|
| London → New York | 3,000 nm | Challenger 604 | Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes. |
| Paris → Dubai | 2,950 nm | Challenger 604 | Both reach it, but the longer-legged option keeps more fuel reserves for weather and routing changes. |
| Miami → São Paulo | 3,500 nm | Challenger 604 | Only one reaches non-stop — the other would need a fuel stop (3500 nm > 3,200 nm). |
| Hong Kong → Sydney | 3,950 nm | Either | Both would require a tech stop on this routing — talk to us about positioning. |
Distances are great-circle approximations; actual fuel planning accounts for winds, weather and reserves.
FAQ
Falcon 50EX vs Challenger 604 — frequently asked
Falcon 50EX vs Challenger 604: which has the longer range?OPEN
The Dassault Falcon 50EX has a published range of 3,200 nm; the Bombardier Challenger 604 is rated at 4,000 nm. The longer-range aircraft opens up more non-stop city pairs without a tech stop.
Which is faster — Falcon 50EX or Challenger 604?OPEN
Cruise speeds are Mach 0.80 for the Dassault Falcon 50EX and Mach 0.80 for the Bombardier Challenger 604. On a Miami → Aspen-style mission the faster aircraft typically saves 10–25 minutes block time.
How many passengers does each aircraft carry?OPEN
The Dassault Falcon 50EX seats 9; the Bombardier Challenger 604 seats 9–12. Charter prices below assume a typical executive layout — high-density configurations are available on request.
What does it cost to charter the Dassault Falcon 50EX vs the Bombardier Challenger 604?OPEN
Indicative one-way pricing on a benchmark mission: Dassault Falcon 50EX from from $32,800, Bombardier Challenger 604 from from CHF 56,000. 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 Heavy 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 heavy jets
FALCON 50EX × CHALLENGER 604 CLUSTER
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