What Are the Most Popular Private Jets?

With over 140 private jet models to choose from, what are the most popular private jets? Which categories of private jets are the most popular? And all Which private jet stands out among the models in ?

In total, there are over 21,000 private jets in active service, but what is the breakdown by class, model and make? Read this article to see how the 21,000 private jet figure compares to other aircraft categories such as commercial and general aviation.

When considering chartering or buying an aircraft, it is helpful to know which aircraft are the most popular and in service. When chartering, the more examples of each type of flight, the easier it will be to charter an aircraft.

At the time of purchase, it becomes easier to find parts and personnel to operate and maintain the aircraft of your choice.

Very Light Jets

Ultralight jets are the smallest jets on the market and are typically used for flights of up to 2 hours with less than 4 passengers. VLJs typically represent the least expensive category of aircraft owned and operated.

There are now over 2,000 of his ultralight jets in active service worldwide, with the most popular aircraft being the Cessna Citation Mustang.

There are currently a total of 487 Cessna Citation Mustangs in operation, the largest operator being Globeair, a European charter operator that operates a fleet of Mustangs.

The Cessna Citation Mustang is a single-hit-pilot certified jet aircraft with ample storage space, advanced engine controls and a sophisticated aerodynamic design.

The smallest member of the Cessna Citation family, the Citation Mustang has the fastest cruising speed in its class, the largest cargo capacity, and is fully type-approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for flight in known icing conditions. increase.

The Mustang will be followed by the Embraer Phenom 100 series of aircraft, including the 100E and 100EV. These planes are slightly more advanced than the Mustang in terms of space and performance. A total of 400+ Phenom 100 aircraft are currently in operation.

Following the Phenom, Cirrus Vision Jet (400 in operation), Cessna Citation M2 (330+ in operation), Eclipse 500 (250+ in operation), First HondaJet (approximately 200 in operation), HondaJet Elite followed by S. (about 50 in operation), the Eclipse 550 (31 in operation), and finally the Vision Jet G2 (12 in operation).

Looking at these numbers, it’s interesting to see how popular the Citation Mustang is over its 11-year production run. Additionally, it competed with the Eclipse 500 when it went into production in 2006. Considering that the Eclipse 500 was only produced between 2006 and 2008, having over 50% of the Mustang in stock is quite impressive.

Aircraft	Category	In Service
Cessna Citation Mustang	VLJ	487
Embraer Phenom 100	VLJ	403
Cirrus Vision Jet SF50	VLJ	400
Cessna Citation M2	VLJ	336
Eclipse 500	VLJ	267
HondaJet HA-420	VLJ	199
HondaJet Elite S	VLJ	46
Eclipse 550	VLJ	31
Cirrus Vision Jet SF50 G2	VLJ	12

Light Jets

Light jets are typically used for routes of up to 3.5 hours and traditionally carry up to 6 passengers very comfortably. However, some can theoretically carry up to 9 or 10 passengers. This includes passengers sitting in cockpits and belted toilets.

A total of just over 7,000 light jets are currently in operation, of which 10% are Embraer Phenom 300 and Phenom 300E.

About 700 Phenom 300 and Phenom 300E aircraft are in operation. Embraer began developing the Phenom 300 after realizing that potential Phenom 100 customers also wanted a larger aircraft. The designer took his 100 basic fuselage cross-section, plus he added a 14-inch length, an all-new wing, and a powerful and quiet Pratt & Whitney his Canadian turbofan engine.

The Phenom 300 can fly up to 1,951 nautical miles and take off from a runway area 3,140 feet above sea level. Combined with a maximum cruising speed of 453 knots, this model has very impressive performance characteristics.

The Cessna Citation II is, after the Phenom 300, the most popular light aircraft in service today, with just over 500 of his aircraft in active service.

Throughout the list, we see that Cessna Citation aircraft tend to be at the top of the list, with all but one (Cessna Citation Encore+) operating over 100 aircraft.

In contrast, there are older Learjet aircraft that are very popular and still in active service. However, more modern Learjets such as the Learjet 70 and 75 do not enjoy the same level of success and popularity.

Aircraft	Category	In Service
Embraer Phenom 300	Light	696
Cessna Citation II	Light	504
Bombardier Learjet 45	Light	445
Cessna Citation CJ3	Light	430
Cessna Citation CJ4	Light	398
Bombardier Learjet 35A	Light	389
Beechjet 400A	Light	361
Cessna 525 CitationJet	Light	349
Cessna Citation Bravo	Light	334
Cessna Citation CJ2	Light	288
Cessna Citation CJ3+	Light	226
Hawker 400XP	Light	215
Beechcraft Premier I	Light	207
Cessna Citation I	Light	201
Cessna Citation CJ1	Light	193
Bombardier Learjet 31A	Light	187
Cessna Citation III	Light	184
Cessna Citation CJ2+	Light	182
Bombardier Learjet 75	Light	152
Cessna Citation Encore	Light	149
Cessna Citation SII	Light	138
Bombardier Learjet 40	Light	130
Cessna Citation CJ1+	Light	108
Dassault Falcon 10	Light	91
Dassault Falcon 10	Light	91
Beechcraft Premier IA	Light	73
Cessna Citation Encore+	Light	66
Mitsubishi Diamond 1A	Light	46
Beechjet 400	Light	45
Bombardier Learjet 35	Light	40
Bombardier Learjet 31	Light	37
Bombardier Learjet 36A	Light	31
Bombardier Learjet 36	Light	16
Bombardier Learjet 70	Light	13
Bombardier Learjet 45XR	Light	12
Dassault Falcon 100	Light	8
Mitsubishi Diamond I	Light	7
Bombardier Learjet 40XR	Light	4
Nextant 400XT	Light	2

Medium Jets

Medium jets (also known as medium jets) can theoretically only cross the Atlantic non-stop. However, with multiple passengers on board and subject to weather conditions, transatlantic crossings are unlikely.

Midsize jets are sometimes divided into two categories: midsize and extra-midsize. However, in this situation, a line is drawn between mid-sized and large-sized machines, rather than the category of ultra-mid-sized machines.

With over 5,000 medium jets registered worldwide, the most popular medium jet is the Hawker 800XP, with 450 in operation.

The Hawker 800XP is a variant of the Hawker 800. Increased payload capacity, performance and updated system. The Hawker 800XP is widely regarded as one of British Aerospace’s most successful aircraft.

It is the third generation model in the Hawker 800 series and combines the strengths of the Hawker 400, Hawker 800 and Hawker 1000 models. Production of the Hawker 800XP began in 1995 and ended in 2006.

The Hawker 800XP has two AlliedSignal TFE731-5BR engines. Each engine has 4,660 pounds of thrust at launch. The Hawker 800XP needs a 5,032-foot runway to take off at sea level on a normal day. At an altitude of 5,000 feet, the takeoff requirement increases to a runway of 7,952 feet.

In long cruise configuration, the Hawker 800XP can maintain an airspeed of 402 knots at an altitude of 39,000 feet. To fly faster, the Hawker 800XP can maintain an airspeed of 447 knots at an altitude of 37,000 feet in a fast cruise configuration.

The Learjet 60 followed, of which 415 are still in service. Since then, many Cessna aircraft have appeared, and you can see that the popularity of Cessna aircraft continues. The most popular midsize Cessna aircraft, in descending order, are Sovereign (364 in operation), Excel (359 in operation), XLS (353 in operation), Latitude (328 in operation), XLS+ (322 in operation), and citation. V (263) and Citation V Ultra (249 in service).

The number of aircraft per model for medium jets is gradually decreasing, with two types of aircraft at the bottom of the list. First, these are a small number of new aircraft, as production has not lasted long enough to produce sufficient numbers.

For example, the Embraer Praetor 500. Only 28 of his aircraft are currently in service, but production only started in 2019. However, that doesn’t mean planes aren’t a popular option. Considering performance, comfort and quality, they are very affordable and very popular.

Other aircraft types at the bottom of the list are older aircraft that are being phased out, such as the Learjet 55B, G100 and Falcon 200.

Check out the list below to see which midsize aircraft are the most popular private jets.

Aircraft	Category	In Service
Hawker 800XP	Medium	450
Bombardier Learjet 60	Medium	415
Cessna Citation Sovereign	Medium	364
Cessna Citation Excel	Medium	359
Cessna Citation XLS	Medium	353
Cessna Citation Latitude	Medium	328
Cessna Citation XLS+	Medium	322
Cessna Citation V	Medium	263
Cessna Citation V Ultra	Medium	249
Gulfstream G200	Medium	195
Pilatus PC-24	Medium	192
Hawker 900XP	Medium	189
Hawker 800A	Medium	159
IAI Westwind 1	Medium	132
Gulfstream G150	Medium	128
Cessna Citation VII	Medium	120
Bombardier Learjet 55	Medium	112
Hawker 700	Medium	94
Hawker 850XP	Medium	92
Embraer Legacy 500	Medium	88
Cessna Citation Sovereign+	Medium	86
Embraer Legacy 450	Medium	65
IAI Westwind 2	Medium	63
Hawker 750	Medium	51
Cessna Citation VI	Medium	36
Embraer Praetor 500	Medium	28
Dassault Falcon 200	Medium	19
Bombardier Learjet 60XR	Medium	17
Gulfstream G100	Medium	16
Bombardier Learjet 55C	Medium	12
Hawker 800XPi	Medium	10
Hawker 1000	Medium	9
Bombardier Learjet 55B	Medium	6

Large Jets & VIP Airliners

Large jets are an increasingly popular category of aircraft, and some of the largest aircraft allow him to fly non-stop for over 12 hours. The large jet category has some of the most technologically advanced airliners in the sky.

This category houses flagship aircraft from major manufacturers such as Gulfstream, Dassault and Bombardier. These planes are the most expensive to own and operate. A total of about 9,000 large private jets are currently in use.

Of all large jets, the Gulfstream G550 is the most popular model, with over 600 in service. With over 600 aircraft currently in service, this model was in production for his 18 years from 2003 to 2021.

The G550 is manufactured at Gulfstream headquarters in Savannah, Georgia and is based on the Gulfstream V platform. The original Gulfstream V was produced in the 1990s for the Bombardier Global Express.

The G550 is powered by two Rolls-Royce BR710 engines mounted in the rear of the fuselage. Each BR710 produces 15,385 pounds of thrust (30,770 pounds total). That means the G550 can take off in just 5,910 feet and land in just 2,770 feet.

This engine can propel the G550 to a maximum altitude of 51,000 feet and a maximum cruising speed of 488 knots. With a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 91,000 pounds, her G550 has a range of 6,750 nautical miles and can easily fly from Europe to most of the Americas, Africa and Asia.

The G550 is followed by a number of Bombardier and Gulfstream aircraft, including the Challenger 300 (485 in service), the G650 (419 in service), the Challenger 350 (408 in service), and the Challenger 604 (354 in service). . Outside of Gulfstream and Bombardier, the only other aircraft in the top eight most popular large jets is the fastest private he jet produced, the Cessna Citation X (his 346 in service). Check the list below for complete service numbers for all major jets.

Aircraft	Category	In Service
Gulfstream G550	Large	603
Bombardier Challenger 300	Large	485
Gulfstream G650	Large	419
Bombardier Challenger 350	Large	408
Bombardier Challenger 604	Large	354
Cessna Citation X	Large	346
Bombardier Global 6000	Large	345
Gulfstream G450	Large	339
Dassault Falcon 7X	Large	316
Bombardier Challenger 605	Large	300
Gulfstream GIVSP	Large	265
Gulfstream G280	Large	257
Gulfstream GIV	Large	246
Bombardier Global 5000	Large	244
Dassault Falcon 2000	Large	231
Dassault Falcon 50	Large	225
Dassault Falcon 2000LX	Large	219
Embraer Legacy 600	Large	185
Gulfstream GV	Large	180
Dassault Falcon 900EX	Large	174
Bombardier Global Express	Large	157
Gulfstream GIII	Large	154
Bombardier Global Express XRS	Large	149
Gulfstream G650ER	Large	139
Bombardier Challenger 601-3A	Large	133
Bombardier Challenger 650	Large	131
Bombardier Global 7500	Large	125
Gulfstream G600	Large	122
Dassault Falcon 8X	Large	115
Dassault Falcon 900EX EASy	Large	114
Dassault Falcon 2000EX	Large	112
Dassault Falcon 900B	Large	107
Embraer Legacy 650	Large	107
Dassault Falcon 2000EX EASy	Large	89
Cessna Citation Longitude	Large	82
Dassault Falcon 50EX	Large	81
Dassault Falcon 900	Large	78
Hawker 4000	Large	75
Bombardier Challenger 850	Large	72
Bombardier Challenger 600S	Large	65
Embraer Praetor 600	Large	64
Bombardier Global 6500	Large	58
Bombardier Challenger 601-3R	Large	56
Dassault Falcon 900LX	Large	55
Bombardier Challenger 601	Large	48
Dassault Falcon 2000S	Large	43
Gulfstream GII	Large	35
Dassault Falcon 900DX	Large	24
Gulfstream G400 (Previous)	Large	23
Dassault Falcon 900C	Large	20
Bombardier Global 5500	Large	14
Bombardier Challenger 800	Large	12
Gulfstream G700	Large	12
Gulfstream G300	Large	11
Gulfstream G350	Large	11
Gulfstream G500	Large	11
Dassault Falcon 6X	Large	7
Dassault Falcon 2000DX	Large	4
Bombardier Challenger 600	Large	2
Gulfstream G800	Large	1

Most Popular Private Jet Manufacturers

When it comes to the most popular manufacturer, Cessna is well ahead of the rest, with approximately 7,500 aircraft in active service.

Cessna is followed closely by Bombardier, while Gulfstream and Dassault finish just third and fourth respectively.

Both Cessna and Bombardier produce a wide range of jets and have done so for a long time. For example, Cessna has built both the Mustang VLJ and the Large Citation X, and everything in between.

Looking at the popularity of all aircraft, some lessons can be drawn from the overall popularity of each individual private his jet type.

Of the top 20 most popular aircraft, 35% are small jets and 25% each for medium and large jets, with VLJ lagging behind with his 15% share.

Then looking at the 50 least popular private jets (i.e. the models with the fewest number of aircraft in service), the large jet category is the most common category with a 42% share. Medium and large jets are roughly even at 26% and 24% respectively. VLJs make up just 6% of these aircraft, while the VIP passenger category makes up just 2% of the aircraft.

Of course, it should be borne in mind that larger jet models and aircraft are used. Therefore, you are more likely to get bigger stakes.

Manufacturer	Aircraft In Service
Cessna	7,481
Bombardier	5,176
Gulfstream	2,564
Dassault	2,223
Embraer	971
Hawker	1,349
Cirrus	412
Beechjet	406
Eclipse	298
Beechcraft	280
HondaJet	245
IAI	195
Pilatus	192
Mitsubishi	53
Nextant	2

All Aircraft

When looking at the popularity of all aircraft, there are some insights that we can draw on the overall popularity of each private jet type.

Out of the 20 most popular aircraft, 35% are light jets, an even 25% split each for medium and large jets, and VLJs trailing behind with a 15% share.

If we then take a look at the 50 least popular private jets (i.e. the models with the fewest aircraft in service), the most common category is the large jet category with a 42% share. Medium jets and large jets are pretty equal, with a 26% and 24% share respectively. VLJs only make up 6% of these aircraft and the VIP Airliner category is only responsible for 2% of aircraft.

Of course, it is important to remember that there are considerably more large jet models and aircraft in service. Therefore, the chances of having a greater share is more likely.

Aircraft	Category	In Service
Embraer Phenom 300	Light	696
Gulfstream G550	Large	603
Cessna Citation II	Light	504
Cessna Citation Mustang	VLJ	487
Bombardier Challenger 300	Large	485
Hawker 800XP	Medium	450
Bombardier Learjet 45	Light	445
Cessna Citation CJ3	Light	430
Gulfstream G650	Large	419
Bombardier Learjet 60	Medium	415
Bombardier Challenger 350	Large	408
Embraer Phenom 100	VLJ	403
Cirrus Vision Jet SF50	VLJ	400
Cessna Citation CJ4	Light	398
Bombardier Learjet 35A	Light	389
Cessna Citation Sovereign	Medium	364
Beechjet 400A	Light	361
Cessna Citation Excel	Medium	359
Bombardier Challenger 604	Large	354
Cessna Citation XLS	Medium	353
Cessna 525 CitationJet	Light	349
Cessna Citation X	Large	346
Bombardier Global 6000	Large	345
Gulfstream G450	Large	339
Cessna Citation M2	VLJ	336
Cessna Citation Bravo	Light	334
Cessna Citation Latitude	Medium	328
Cessna Citation XLS+	Medium	322
Dassault Falcon 7X	Large	316
Bombardier Challenger 605	Large	300
Cessna Citation CJ2	Light	288
Eclipse 500	VLJ	267
Gulfstream GIVSP	Large	265
Cessna Citation V	Medium	263
Gulfstream G280	Large	257
Cessna Citation V Ultra	Medium	249
Gulfstream GIV	Large	246
Bombardier Global 5000	Large	244
Dassault Falcon 2000	Large	231
Cessna Citation CJ3+	Light	226
Dassault Falcon 50	Large	225
Dassault Falcon 2000LX	Large	219
Hawker 400XP	Light	215
Beechcraft Premier I	Light	207
Cessna Citation I	Light	201
HondaJet HA-420	VLJ	199
Gulfstream G200	Medium	195
Cessna Citation CJ1	Light	193
Pilatus PC-24	Medium	192
Hawker 900XP	Medium	189
Bombardier Learjet 31A	Light	187
Embraer Legacy 600	Large	185
Cessna Citation III	Light	184
Cessna Citation CJ2+	Light	182
Gulfstream GV	Large	180
Dassault Falcon 900EX	Large	174
Hawker 800A	Medium	159
Bombardier Global Express	Large	157
Gulfstream GIII	Large	154
Bombardier Learjet 75	Light	152
Bombardier Global Express XRS	Large	149
Cessna Citation Encore	Light	149
Gulfstream G650ER	Large	139
Cessna Citation SII	Light	138
Bombardier Challenger 601-3A	Large	133
IAI Westwind 1	Medium	132
Bombardier Challenger 650	Large	131
Bombardier Learjet 40	Light	130
Gulfstream G150	Medium	128
Bombardier Global 7500	Large	125
Gulfstream G600	Large	122
Cessna Citation VII	Medium	120
Dassault Falcon 8X	Large	115
Dassault Falcon 900EX EASy	Large	114
Bombardier Learjet 55	Medium	112
Dassault Falcon 2000EX	Large	112
Cessna Citation CJ1+	Light	108
Dassault Falcon 900B	Large	107
Embraer Legacy 650	Large	107
Hawker 700	Medium	94
Hawker 850XP	Medium	92
Dassault Falcon 10	Light	91
Dassault Falcon 10	Light	91
Dassault Falcon 2000EX EASy	Large	89
Embraer Legacy 500	Medium	88
Cessna Citation Sovereign+	Medium	86
Cessna Citation Longitude	Large	82
Dassault Falcon 50EX	Large	81
Dassault Falcon 900	Large	78
Hawker 4000	Large	75
Beechcraft Premier IA	Light	73
Bombardier Challenger 850	Large	72
Cessna Citation Encore+	Light	66
Bombardier Challenger 600S	Large	65
Embraer Legacy 450	Medium	65
Embraer Praetor 600	Large	64
IAI Westwind 2	Medium	63
Bombardier Global 6500	Large	58
Bombardier Challenger 601-3R	Large	56
Dassault Falcon 900LX	Large	55
Hawker 750	Medium	51
Bombardier Challenger 601	Large	48
HondaJet Elite S	VLJ	46
Mitsubishi Diamond 1A	Light	46
Beechjet 400	Light	45
Dassault Falcon 2000S	Large	43
Bombardier Learjet 35	Light	40
Bombardier Learjet 31	Light	37
Cessna Citation VI	Medium	36
Gulfstream GII	Large	35
Bombardier Learjet 36A	Light	31
Eclipse 550	VLJ	31
Embraer Lineage 1000	VIP Airliner	31
Embraer Praetor 500	Medium	28
Dassault Falcon 900DX	Large	24
Gulfstream G400 (Previous)	Large	23
Dassault Falcon 900C	Large	20
Dassault Falcon 200	Medium	19
Bombardier Learjet 60XR	Medium	17
Bombardier Learjet 36	Light	16
Gulfstream G100	Medium	16
Bombardier Global 5500	Large	14
Bombardier Learjet 70	Light	13
Bombardier Challenger 800	Large	12
Bombardier Learjet 45XR	Light	12
Bombardier Learjet 55C	Medium	12
Cirrus Vision Jet SF50 G2	VLJ	12
Gulfstream G700	Large	12
Gulfstream G300	Large	11
Gulfstream G350	Large	11
Gulfstream G500	Large	11
Hawker 800XPi	Medium	10
Hawker 1000	Medium	9
Dassault Falcon 100	Light	8
Dassault Falcon 6X	Large	7
Mitsubishi Diamond I	Light	7
Bombardier Learjet 55B	Medium	6
Hawker 800SP	Medium	5
Bombardier Learjet 40XR	Light	4
Dassault Falcon 2000DX	Large	4
Bombardier Challenger 600	Large	2
Nextant 400XT	Light	2
Gulfstream G800	Large	1

What Are the Most Popular Private Jets?