Embraer Embraer Legacy 500 — Midsize Jet charter aircraftEmbraer Embraer Praetor 500 — Midsize Jet charter aircraft

Legacy 500 vs Praetor 500

Two Embraer midsize jets from the same stable, compared where it counts. The Embraer Legacy 500 carries 8–12 passengers with 3,125 nm of range; the Embraer Praetor 500 carries 7–9 with 3,340 nm. Cabin dimensions land at 6'0" × 6'10" versus 6'0" × 6'10", and runway numbers read 4,084 ft against 4,222 ft. Indicative charter pricing on a representative sector: from £25,200 on the Legacy 500, from CHF 28,400 on the Praetor 500.

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Embraer Legacy 500

EMBRAER

Embraer Legacy 500

The Embraer Legacy 500 was the first midsize jet with full fly-by-wire flight controls, delivering ride quality previously reserved for the largest business jets. A genuine six-foot cabin, 6,000-foot cabin altitude and 3,125 nm range make it exceptional for transatlantic and Middle-East missions.

FULL EMBRAER LEGACY 500 PAGE →
Embraer Praetor 500

EMBRAER

Embraer Praetor 500

The Embraer Praetor 500 builds on the Legacy 450 with winglets and additional fuel — 3,340 nm range, fly-by-wire controls and the only flat-floor stand-up cabin in the midsize segment.

FULL EMBRAER PRAETOR 500 PAGE →

SPECIFICATIONS

Side-by-side specifications

METRICLegacy 500Praetor 500
Passengers8–127–9
Range3,125 nm3,340 nm
Cruise speedMach 0.82Mach 0.83
Cabin height6'0"6'0"
Cabin width6'10"6'10"
Baggage155 cu ft150 cu ft
Runway4,084 ft4,222 ft

Embraer Legacy 500 — strengths

  • First midsize jet with fly-by-wire
  • 6,000 ft cabin altitude — lowest in class
  • Walk-in baggage in flight

Embraer Praetor 500 — strengths

  • Longest range in midsize class
  • Fly-by-wire flight controls
  • Only flat-floor stand-up midsize cabin

CHARTER PRICING

Indicative pricing

EMBRAER LEGACY 500
London → Dubaifrom £25,200
Miami → New Yorkfrom $14,700
EMBRAER PRAETOR 500
Geneva → Dubaifrom CHF 28,400
Miami → Aspenfrom $22,800

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

EXPERT VERDICT

Two closely-matched midsize jets — the right pick depends entirely on the mission, not the spec sheet.

The Legacy 500 pulls ahead on group capacity and airport access; the Praetor 500 answers with range / non-stop reach 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

Praetor 500

3,340 nm of range — the better choice for transcontinental and intercontinental missions.

Cabin comfort

Even

Matched specifications.

Group capacity

Legacy 500

Seats up to 12 — the right pick when the manifest grows.

Airport access

Legacy 500

Shorter 4,084 ft balanced-field requirement — opens up restricted alpine, island and city-adjacent airfields.

Speed & block time

Praetor 500

Cruise of Mach 0.83 — 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

Top reasons to choose — and who each aircraft is best for

A tailored summary for the Legacy 500 and Praetor 500: the deciding reasons in this matchup, plus the buyer archetypes each aircraft serves best.

EMBRAER

Top reasons to choose the Legacy 500

  • Seats up to 12 passengers vs 9 on the Praetor 500 — better for full-group charters and family travel.
  • First midsize jet with fly-by-wire
  • 6,000 ft cabin altitude — lowest in class
  • Walk-in baggage in flight

BEST FOR

  • Larger party charters

    Up to 12 seats vs 9 on the Praetor 500 — the natural pick when the manifest grows last-minute.

  • 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.

EMBRAER

Top reasons to choose the Praetor 500

  • Reaches 3,340 nm non-stop — 7% more range than the Legacy 500, opening city pairs that would otherwise need a tech stop.
  • Cruises at Mach 0.83, trimming block time on every leg vs the Legacy 500 (Mach 0.82).
  • Longest range in midsize class
  • Fly-by-wire flight controls
  • Only flat-floor stand-up midsize cabin

BEST FOR

  • 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.

  • Sport & ski groups

    Cabin volume for extended-stay baggage without payload sacrifice.

PROS & CONS

Honest assessment

EMBRAER

Embraer Legacy 500

PROS

  • +First midsize jet with fly-by-wire
  • +6,000 ft cabin altitude — lowest in class
  • +Walk-in baggage in flight
  • +Carries up to 12 passengers vs 9 on the Praetor 500 — better for larger groups.

CONS

  • Marginally more expensive per block hour than the Praetor 500 on typical charter quotes — confirm with a live quote for your route.

EMBRAER

Embraer Praetor 500

PROS

  • +Longest range in midsize class
  • +Fly-by-wire flight controls
  • +Only flat-floor stand-up midsize cabin

CONS

  • Maximum 9-seat layout is tight if you regularly travel with more than 9 — the Legacy 500 adds 3 seats.

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 PICKLegacy 500

Larger cabin seats the full group (8–12).

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 02

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

OUR PICKLegacy 500

Larger cabin seats the full group (8–12).

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 03

Coast-to-coast US transcon with full passenger load

OUR PICKLegacy 500

Curated example: Dubai → Maldives sits in the Legacy 500's sweet spot.

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 04

Long-weekend group charter to Marrakech with extra baggage

OUR PICKLegacy 500

Larger cabin seats the full group (8–12).

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

ROUTE RECOMMENDATIONS

Best pick per route

ROUTEDISTANCERECOMMENDEDWHY
London → Moscow1,500 nmEitherBoth aircraft fly this comfortably non-stop — choose on cabin and price.
Geneva → Marrakech1,250 nmEitherBoth aircraft fly this comfortably non-stop — choose on cabin and price.
Teterboro → Aspen1,580 nmEitherBoth aircraft fly this comfortably non-stop — choose on cabin and price.
Paris → Cairo1,800 nmEitherBoth aircraft fly this comfortably non-stop — choose on cabin and price.

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

FAQ

Legacy 500 vs Praetor 500 — frequently asked

Legacy 500 vs Praetor 500: which has the longer range?OPEN

The Embraer Legacy 500 has a published range of 3,125 nm; the Embraer Praetor 500 is rated at 3,340 nm. The longer-range aircraft opens up more non-stop city pairs without a tech stop.

Which is faster — Legacy 500 or Praetor 500?OPEN

Cruise speeds are Mach 0.82 for the Embraer Legacy 500 and Mach 0.83 for the Embraer Praetor 500. On a London → Dubai-style mission the faster aircraft typically saves 10–25 minutes block time.

How many passengers does each aircraft carry?OPEN

The Embraer Legacy 500 seats 8–12; the Embraer Praetor 500 seats 7–9. Charter prices below assume a typical executive layout — high-density configurations are available on request.

What does it cost to charter the Embraer Legacy 500 vs the Embraer Praetor 500?OPEN

Indicative one-way pricing on a benchmark mission: Embraer Legacy 500 from from £25,200, Embraer Praetor 500 from from CHF 28,400. 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

LEGACY 500 × PRAETOR 500 CLUSTER

Continue researching Legacy 500 or Praetor 500

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