A head-to-head look at two of the most-chartered aircraft in the light jet class.
PILATUS
The Pilatus PC-24 is the only business jet in the world certified for short, unimproved and gravel runways. With a flat cabin floor, large cargo door and class-leading flexibility, it accesses 21,000 airports — far more than any rival.
FULL PILATUS PC-24 PAGE →CESSNA
The Cessna Citation CJ3+ is the most-flown light jet in private aviation — a perfect short-range workhorse that combines exceptional fuel efficiency with a refined six-seat cabin. Ideal for one-to-two-hour European or US regional missions, the CJ3+ accesses smaller airfields that midsize jets cannot, putting clients closer to their final destination.
FULL CESSNA CITATION CJ3+ PAGE →SPECIFICATIONS
| METRIC | PC-24 | Citation CJ3+ |
|---|---|---|
| Passengers | 8 | 6–7 |
| Range | 2,000 nm | 2,040 nm |
| Cruise speed | Mach 0.74 | Mach 0.737 |
| Cabin height | 5'1" | 4'9" |
| Cabin width | 5'6" | 4'10" |
| Baggage | 90 cu ft | 65 cu ft |
| Runway | 2,930 ft | 3,180 ft |
CHARTER PRICING
| Geneva → St Moritz | from CHF 8,200 |
| Denver → Telluride | from $14,500 |
| London → Geneva | from £8,400 |
| Nice → Olbia | from €5,900 |
| Miami → Nassau | from $7,500 |
All-inclusive indicative one-way pricing. Confirmed quote in 10 minutes.
EXPERT VERDICT
The PC-24 pulls ahead on cabin comfort, group capacity, airport access and speed & block time; the Citation CJ3+ answers with range / non-stop reach. Both sit in the light 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 CJ3+
2,040 nm of range — the better choice for transcontinental and intercontinental missions.
Cabin comfort
PC-24
Taller and/or wider cabin (5'1" × 5'6") — better for long flights and stand-up movement.
Group capacity
PC-24
Seats up to 8 — the right pick when the manifest grows.
Airport access
PC-24
Shorter 2,930 ft balanced-field requirement — opens up restricted alpine, island and city-adjacent airfields.
Speed & block time
PC-24
Cruise of Mach 0.74 — shaves meaningful minutes off every long leg.
Verdict based on published manufacturer specifications, charter market data and Limitless Sky brokerage experience.
PROS & CONS
PILATUS
PROS
CONS
CESSNA
PROS
CONS
REAL-WORLD MISSIONS
Four scenarios our charter desk sees regularly — and which of these two we would actually quote.
SCENARIO 01
Curated example: Zurich → Courchevel sits in the PC-24's sweet spot.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 02
Shorter runway requirement (2,930 ft) opens up the airfield.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 03
Curated example: Zurich → Courchevel sits in the PC-24's sweet spot.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 04
Larger cabin seats the full group (8).
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →ROUTE RECOMMENDATIONS
| ROUTE | DISTANCE | RECOMMENDED | WHY |
|---|---|---|---|
| London → Paris | 190 nm | Either | Both aircraft fly this comfortably non-stop — choose on cabin and price. |
| Geneva → Ibiza | 560 nm | Either | Both aircraft fly this comfortably non-stop — choose on cabin and price. |
| Teterboro → Miami | 950 nm | Either | Both aircraft fly this comfortably non-stop — choose on cabin and price. |
| London → Athens | 1,500 nm | Either | Both 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
The Pilatus PC-24 has a published range of 2,000 nm; the Cessna Citation CJ3+ is rated at 2,040 nm. The longer-range aircraft opens up more non-stop city pairs without a tech stop.
Cruise speeds are Mach 0.74 for the Pilatus PC-24 and Mach 0.737 for the Cessna Citation CJ3+. On a Geneva → St Moritz-style mission the faster aircraft typically saves 10–25 minutes block time.
The Pilatus PC-24 seats 8; the Cessna Citation CJ3+ seats 6–7. Charter prices below assume a typical executive layout — high-density configurations are available on request.
Indicative one-way pricing on a benchmark mission: Pilatus PC-24 from from CHF 8,200, Cessna Citation CJ3+ from from £8,400. Confirmed quote in 10 minutes — pricing varies with empty-leg availability, season and routing.
Both belong to the Light 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
PC-24 × CITATION CJ3+ CLUSTER
CHARTER EITHER AIRCRAFT
WHERE THESE AIRCRAFT FLY
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