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 →
Praetor 500 vs Legacy 500
A head-to-head look at two of the most-chartered aircraft in the midsize jet class.
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 →SPECIFICATIONS
Side-by-side specifications
| METRIC | Praetor 500 | Legacy 500 |
|---|---|---|
| Passengers | 7–9 | 8–12 |
| Range | 3,340 nm | 3,125 nm |
| Cruise speed | Mach 0.83 | Mach 0.82 |
| Cabin height | 6'0" | 6'0" |
| Cabin width | 6'10" | 6'10" |
| Baggage | 150 cu ft | 155 cu ft |
| Runway | 4,222 ft | 4,084 ft |
Embraer Praetor 500 — strengths
- —Longest range in midsize class
- —Fly-by-wire flight controls
- —Only flat-floor stand-up midsize cabin
Embraer Legacy 500 — strengths
- —First midsize jet with fly-by-wire
- —6,000 ft cabin altitude — lowest in class
- —Walk-in baggage in flight
CHARTER PRICING
Indicative pricing
EMBRAER PRAETOR 500
| Geneva → Dubai | from CHF 28,400 |
| Miami → Aspen | from $22,800 |
EMBRAER LEGACY 500
| London → Dubai | from £25,200 |
| Miami → New York | from $14,700 |
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 Praetor 500 pulls ahead on range / non-stop reach and speed & block time; the Legacy 500 answers with group capacity and airport access. 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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Charter the Praetor 500 or the Legacy 500.
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 Praetor 500 and Legacy 500: the deciding reasons in this matchup, plus the buyer archetypes each aircraft serves best.
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.
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.
PROS & CONS
Honest assessment
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.
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.
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 PICKPraetor 500
Curated example: Teterboro → Aspen (full fuel) sits in the Praetor 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
| ROUTE | DISTANCE | RECOMMENDED | WHY |
|---|---|---|---|
| London → Moscow | 1,500 nm | Either | Both aircraft fly this comfortably non-stop — choose on cabin and price. |
| Geneva → Marrakech | 1,250 nm | Either | Both aircraft fly this comfortably non-stop — choose on cabin and price. |
| Teterboro → Aspen | 1,580 nm | Either | Both aircraft fly this comfortably non-stop — choose on cabin and price. |
| Paris → Cairo | 1,800 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
Praetor 500 vs Legacy 500 — frequently asked
Praetor 500 vs Legacy 500: which has the longer range?OPEN
The Embraer Praetor 500 has a published range of 3,340 nm; the Embraer Legacy 500 is rated at 3,125 nm. The longer-range aircraft opens up more non-stop city pairs without a tech stop.
Which is faster — Praetor 500 or Legacy 500?OPEN
Cruise speeds are Mach 0.83 for the Embraer Praetor 500 and Mach 0.82 for the Embraer Legacy 500. On a Geneva → Dubai-style mission the faster aircraft typically saves 10–25 minutes block time.
How many passengers does each aircraft carry?OPEN
The Embraer Praetor 500 seats 7–9; the Embraer Legacy 500 seats 8–12. Charter prices below assume a typical executive layout — high-density configurations are available on request.
What does it cost to charter the Embraer Praetor 500 vs the Embraer Legacy 500?OPEN
Indicative one-way pricing on a benchmark mission: Embraer Praetor 500 from from CHF 28,400, Embraer Legacy 500 from from £25,200. 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
PRAETOR 500 × LEGACY 500 CLUSTER
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