A head-to-head look at two of the most-chartered aircraft in the heavy jet class.
GULFSTREAM
The Gulfstream G500 introduced the industry's first active-control sidestick on the Symmetry flight deck and brings 5,300 nm of range to the heavy-jet class. Three living zones, panoramic Gulfstream windows and a 4,850 ft cabin altitude.
FULL GULFSTREAM G500 PAGE →GULFSTREAM
The Gulfstream G550 set the standard for ultra-long-range business aviation. With 6,750 nm of range it connects London to Tokyo, New York to Dubai, or Hong Kong to Los Angeles nonstop — all in a three-zone cabin renowned for the lowest cabin altitude and noise levels in segment.
FULL GULFSTREAM G550 PAGE →SPECIFICATIONS
| METRIC | G500 | G550 |
|---|---|---|
| Passengers | 13–19 | 16 |
| Range | 5,300 nm | 6,750 nm |
| Cruise speed | Mach 0.90 | Mach 0.885 |
| Cabin height | 6'3" | 6'2" |
| Cabin width | 7'7" | 7'4" |
| Baggage | 175 cu ft | 226 cu ft |
| Runway | 5,200 ft | 5,910 ft |
CHARTER PRICING
| Geneva → Beijing | from CHF 128,000 |
| Dubai → London | from $58,000 |
| London → Los Angeles | from £75,000 |
| Dubai → Sydney | from $111,000 |
All-inclusive indicative one-way pricing. Confirmed quote in 10 minutes.
EXPERT VERDICT
The G500 pulls ahead on cabin comfort, group capacity, airport access and speed & block time; the G550 answers with range / non-stop reach. Because the G500 (heavy jet) and G550 (ultra long range) sit in different segments, charter pricing diverges noticeably — match the aircraft to the mission, not the budget.
Range / non-stop reach
G550
6,750 nm of range — the better choice for transcontinental and intercontinental missions.
Cabin comfort
G500
Taller and/or wider cabin (6'3" × 7'7") — better for long flights and stand-up movement.
Group capacity
G500
Seats up to 19 — the right pick when the manifest grows.
Airport access
G500
Shorter 5,200 ft balanced-field requirement — opens up restricted alpine, island and city-adjacent airfields.
Speed & block time
G500
Cruise of Mach 0.90 — 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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CHOOSE WITH CONFIDENCE
A tailored summary for the G500 and G550: the deciding reasons in this matchup, plus the buyer archetypes each aircraft serves best.
GULFSTREAM
BEST FOR
Larger party charters
Up to 19 seats vs 16 on the G550 — the natural pick when the manifest grows last-minute.
Short-field departures
5,200 ft balanced field unlocks airports the G550 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.
GULFSTREAM
BEST FOR
Longer non-stop reach
When the mission is on the edge of the G500's envelope, the 6,750 nm legs of the G550 keep reserves intact.
Non-stop ultra-long city pairs
London → Singapore, Sydney → Los Angeles and Dubai → New York non-stop.
Two-stateroom rest
Dedicated bedrooms for principals on 14-hour duty cycles.
Mission-critical diplomacy
Speed, range and prestige for head-of-state and C-suite missions.
PROS & CONS
GULFSTREAM
PROS
CONS
GULFSTREAM
PROS
CONS
REAL-WORLD MISSIONS
Four scenarios our charter desk sees regularly — and which of these two we would actually quote.
SCENARIO 01
Larger cabin seats the full group (13–19).
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 02
Larger cabin seats the full group (13–19).
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 03
Longer range (6,750 nm) wins the non-stop reach.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 04
Larger cabin seats the full group (13–19).
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →ROUTE RECOMMENDATIONS
| ROUTE | DISTANCE | RECOMMENDED | WHY |
|---|---|---|---|
| London → Singapore | 5,900 nm | G550 | Only one reaches non-stop — the other would need a fuel stop (5900 nm > 5,300 nm). |
| New York → Tokyo | 5,850 nm | G550 | Only one reaches non-stop — the other would need a fuel stop (5850 nm > 5,300 nm). |
| Dubai → Los Angeles | 7,250 nm | Either | Both would require a tech stop on this routing — talk to us about positioning. |
| Hong Kong → New York | 7,000 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
The Gulfstream G500 has a published range of 5,300 nm; the Gulfstream G550 is rated at 6,750 nm. The longer-range aircraft opens up more non-stop city pairs without a tech stop.
Cruise speeds are Mach 0.90 for the Gulfstream G500 and Mach 0.885 for the Gulfstream G550. On a Geneva → Beijing-style mission the faster aircraft typically saves 10–25 minutes block time.
The Gulfstream G500 seats 13–19; the Gulfstream G550 seats 16. Charter prices below assume a typical executive layout — high-density configurations are available on request.
Indicative one-way pricing on a benchmark mission: Gulfstream G500 from from CHF 128,000, Gulfstream G550 from from £75,000. Confirmed quote in 10 minutes — pricing varies with empty-leg availability, season and routing.
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
G500 × G550 CLUSTER
CHARTER EITHER AIRCRAFT
WHERE THESE AIRCRAFT FLY
EDITORIAL GUIDES
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