Choosing the Right Size Plane for Your Trip

When deciding to charter a jet, keep in mind that you want to research to get the size plane that fits best with your trip. Otherwise you’ll pay more than you need.

It may be tougher than you think especially if you have never travelled by private jet before. That is because there is a wide variety of aircraft available.

But, why even select a jet at all?

The Difference of a Jet

You may know all of the other advantages of chartering a private jet, but one of them is the jet itself. The technology is different than what is on a propeller plane. The technology is complicated but the advantages of jets are not:

• Jets possess greater power than propeller planes making for a smoother ride
• Jets can travel beyond the speed of sound (about 768 miles per hour) getting you there faster
• Jets can travel at higher altitudes than propeller planes thereby avoiding turbulence

Jets are loosely placed in five categories based on their weight and capacity:

Light Jets: These jets are easy to fly into small airports and are very fast. They include the smaller Learjets; Cessnas; Embraer Phenom 300; Grob SPn; Hawker Beechcraft Premier and the Sino Swearingen SJ30-2. These planes are most suitable if you are traveling 1,200 miles or less. They seat six to seven adults

Mid-Size Jets: These jets include the Learjet 60XR and 85; Cessna Citation Columbus, X, XLS and Sovereign; Gulfstream 150 and 250 and the Hawker Beechcraft Hawker 750, 850XP, 900XP. They comfortably seat six to eight adults and are best for trips of up to 2,000 miles.

Super Mid-Size Jets: These jets feature wide cabin space, great speed and long range flying capabilities. Aircraft in this class include the Bombardier Challenger 300 and 605; Dassault Falcon 900DX, 900EX, 2000DX, 2000EX; Embraer Legacy 600; Gulfstream G350, G450; Hawker Beechcraft Hawker 4000. These jets comfortable seat eight to ten adults and work best for trips up to 3,000 miles in distance.

Heavy Private Jets: This is the ultimate in large capacity luxury air travel. They include the Airbus A318 Elite, A319CJ, A380 Flying Palace; Boeing Business Jet; Embraer Lineage 1000. These jets seat ten to twelve adults and are good for trips of up to 3,500 miles.

Large or Long Range Jets: This class of aircraft includes the Bombardier Global 5000, Global Express, Challenger 850; Dassault Falcon 7X; Gulfstream G500, G550, G650. These are good for up to 6,000 miles and can comfortably seat fifteen to nineteen adults

Other factors may come into play for your final selection (airport, price, etc.) for the right private charter jet.