DAHER
Daher TBM 960
The Daher TBM 960 is the fastest single-engine turboprop in production — 330 kts cruise, fully-digital Garmin G3000 deck and Pratt & Whitney PT6E-66XT engine with autothrottle.
FULL DAHER TBM 960 PAGE →TBM 960 vs King Air 260
A head-to-head look at two of the most-chartered aircraft in the turboprop class.
BEECHCRAFT
Beechcraft King Air 260
The Beechcraft King Air 260 is the next-generation King Air 250 — modernised Collins Pro Line Fusion flight deck, refreshed cabin and the proven short-runway capability of the King Air family.
FULL BEECHCRAFT KING AIR 260 PAGE →SPECIFICATIONS
Side-by-side specifications
| METRIC | TBM 960 | King Air 260 |
|---|---|---|
| Passengers | 5 | 8 |
| Range | 1,730 nm | 1,720 nm |
| Cruise speed | 330 kts | 310 kts |
| Cabin height | 4'0" | 4'9" |
| Cabin width | 3'11" | 4'6" |
| Baggage | 16 cu ft | 55 cu ft |
| Runway | 2,380 ft | 2,950 ft |
Daher TBM 960 — strengths
- —Fastest single-engine turboprop in service
- —Lowest hourly cost in pressurised aircraft class
- —Short-runway capable
Beechcraft King Air 260 — strengths
- —Latest Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics
- —Short-runway and unimproved-strip capable
- —Lowest seat-mile cost in executive turboprop class
CHARTER PRICING
Indicative pricing
DAHER TBM 960
| Teterboro → Martha's Vineyard | from $4,800 |
| Munich → Innsbruck | from €4,200 |
BEECHCRAFT KING AIR 260
| Zurich → St Moritz (Samedan) | from CHF 3,900 |
| Miami → Key West | from $3,400 |
All-inclusive indicative one-way pricing. Confirmed quote in 10 minutes.
EXPERT VERDICT
Two closely-matched turboprops — the right pick depends entirely on the mission, not the spec sheet.
The TBM 960 pulls ahead on range / non-stop reach and airport access; the King Air 260 answers with cabin comfort and group capacity. Both sit in the turboprop class, so charter pricing is broadly aligned — let the use case (range, group size, airport pair) drive the final call.
Range / non-stop reach
TBM 960
1,730 nm of range — the better choice for transcontinental and intercontinental missions.
Cabin comfort
King Air 260
Taller and/or wider cabin (4'9" × 4'6") — better for long flights and stand-up movement.
Group capacity
King Air 260
Seats up to 8 — the right pick when the manifest grows.
Airport access
TBM 960
Shorter 2,380 ft balanced-field requirement — opens up restricted alpine, island and city-adjacent airfields.
Speed & block time
Even
Comparable on this dimension.
Verdict based on published manufacturer specifications, charter market data and Limitless Sky brokerage experience.
REQUEST A CHARTER QUOTE
Charter the TBM 960 or the King Air 260.
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 TBM 960 and King Air 260: the deciding reasons in this matchup, plus the buyer archetypes each aircraft serves best.
DAHER
Top reasons to choose the TBM 960
- ★Lands in 2,380 ft balanced field — accesses short, restricted and city-adjacent airports the King Air 260 cannot.
- ★Fastest single-engine turboprop in service
- ★Lowest hourly cost in pressurised aircraft class
- ★Short-runway capable
BEST FOR
Short-field departures
2,380 ft balanced field unlocks airports the King Air 260 cannot use, putting passengers closer to the door.
Island & alpine access
Short, unpaved or high-altitude strips that jets simply cannot use.
Sub-500 nm hops
Operating cost per seat-mile beats every jet on quick regional legs.
Cargo-heavy missions
Large cabin door and floor loading for ski, dive and field-kit travel.
BEECHCRAFT
Top reasons to choose the King Air 260
- ★Bigger cabin envelope (4'9" tall × 4'6" wide) than the TBM 960 — meaningful difference on flights over three hours.
- ★Seats up to 8 passengers vs 5 on the TBM 960 — better for full-group charters and family travel.
- ★55 cu ft of baggage volume — fits ski, golf and extended-stay luggage that crowds the TBM 960.
- ★Latest Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics
- ★Short-runway and unimproved-strip capable
BEST FOR
Larger party charters
Up to 8 seats vs 5 on the TBM 960 — the natural pick when the manifest grows last-minute.
Island & alpine access
Short, unpaved or high-altitude strips that jets simply cannot use.
Sub-500 nm hops
Operating cost per seat-mile beats every jet on quick regional legs.
Cargo-heavy missions
Large cabin door and floor loading for ski, dive and field-kit travel.
PROS & CONS
Honest assessment
DAHER
Daher TBM 960
PROS
- +Fastest single-engine turboprop in service
- +Lowest hourly cost in pressurised aircraft class
- +Short-runway capable
- +Shorter runway requirement (2,380 ft) unlocks airfields the King Air 260 cannot use.
CONS
- −Maximum 5-seat layout is tight if you regularly travel with more than 5 — the King Air 260 adds 3 seats.
- −Lower ceiling than the King Air 260 (4'0" vs 4'9") — stand-up movement is restricted.
- −Tighter baggage capacity than the King Air 260 (16 cu ft vs 55 cu ft).
BEECHCRAFT
Beechcraft King Air 260
PROS
- +Latest Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics
- +Short-runway and unimproved-strip capable
- +Lowest seat-mile cost in executive turboprop class
- +Carries up to 8 passengers vs 5 on the TBM 960 — better for larger groups.
- +Taller cabin (4'9") than the TBM 960 — easier to move around on long flights.
- +Wider cabin (4'6") makes a meaningful difference at the shoulders vs the TBM 960.
CONS
- −Needs more runway than the TBM 960 (2,950 ft vs 2,380 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
Ski-week shuttle into a short alpine strip
OUR PICKTBM 960
Shorter runway requirement (2,380 ft) opens up the airfield.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 02
Coastal island hop with bicycles and dive gear
OUR PICKTBM 960
Shorter runway requirement (2,380 ft) opens up the airfield.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 03
Regional medevac repositioning with stretcher kit
OUR PICKTBM 960
Shorter runway requirement (2,380 ft) opens up the airfield.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →SCENARIO 04
Field-visit tour across three regional airports in one day
OUR PICKTBM 960
Shorter runway requirement (2,380 ft) opens up the airfield.
SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →ROUTE RECOMMENDATIONS
Best pick per route
| ROUTE | DISTANCE | RECOMMENDED | WHY |
|---|---|---|---|
| London → Le Touquet | 120 nm | Either | Both aircraft fly this comfortably non-stop — choose on cabin and price. |
| Zurich → St Moritz | 95 nm | Either | Both aircraft fly this comfortably non-stop — choose on cabin and price. |
| Aspen → Telluride | 115 nm | Either | Both aircraft fly this comfortably non-stop — choose on cabin and price. |
| Nantucket → Teterboro | 180 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
TBM 960 vs King Air 260 — frequently asked
TBM 960 vs King Air 260: which has the longer range?OPEN
The Daher TBM 960 has a published range of 1,730 nm; the Beechcraft King Air 260 is rated at 1,720 nm. The longer-range aircraft opens up more non-stop city pairs without a tech stop.
Which is faster — TBM 960 or King Air 260?OPEN
Cruise speeds are 330 kts for the Daher TBM 960 and 310 kts for the Beechcraft King Air 260. On a Teterboro → Martha's Vineyard-style mission the faster aircraft typically saves 10–25 minutes block time.
How many passengers does each aircraft carry?OPEN
The Daher TBM 960 seats 5; the Beechcraft King Air 260 seats 8. Charter prices below assume a typical executive layout — high-density configurations are available on request.
What does it cost to charter the Daher TBM 960 vs the Beechcraft King Air 260?OPEN
Indicative one-way pricing on a benchmark mission: Daher TBM 960 from from $4,800, Beechcraft King Air 260 from from CHF 3,900. 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 Turboprop 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 turboprops
TBM 960 × KING AIR 260 CLUSTER
Continue researching TBM 960 or King Air 260
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EDITORIAL GUIDES
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