Fast Planes · Red Meat & Cigar Club editorial

Private Jets 101

Light jets to long-range heavies.

Private jets range from small, single-pilot jets that hop between regional airports to ultra-long-range aircraft that can fly from New York to Tokyo nonstop. Here's how the categories break down and the main ways people fly private.

The categories

Very light jets (VLJs) and personal jets. Small jets typically seating four to six passengers, often certified for single-pilot operation, built for short regional trips. Examples include the Cirrus Vision Jet (a single-engine jet), the Embraer Phenom 100, and the HondaJet.

Light jets. Somewhat larger, with more range — enough for many trips of a few hours. The Cessna Citation CJ series and Embraer Phenom 300 are popular examples; the Phenom 300 has been one of the best-selling business jets for years.

Midsize and super-midsize jets. Stand-up cabins, more comfort, and transcontinental range in many cases. Examples: Cessna Citation Latitude and Longitude, Bombardier Challenger 350/3500, Embraer Praetor 500 and 600, and Gulfstream G280.

Large and long-range jets. Big cabins with separate zones and intercontinental range. Examples: Gulfstream G500 and G600, Dassault Falcon 6X and 8X, Bombardier Challenger 650.

Ultra-long-range jets. The flagships. The Gulfstream G650 entered service in 2012 with a top speed of Mach 0.925 and a range of about 7,000 nautical miles (7,500 for the G650ER). Its successor in the flagship role, the Gulfstream G700, and Bombardier's Global 7500 and Global 8000 push range further. Bombardier has said the Global 8000 is designed for a top speed of Mach 0.95 — among the fastest civil aircraft since Concorde.

Bizliners. Airliners converted for private use, such as Boeing Business Jets and Airbus Corporate Jets. Very large, very expensive.

Ways to fly private

• On-demand charter: book a whole aircraft for a specific trip through an operator or broker. No long-term commitment, but prices vary with demand and you may pay for repositioning ("empty legs" are sometimes sold at discounts).
• Jet cards: prepaid hours or set hourly rates with a provider, offering guaranteed availability with some advance notice.
• Fractional ownership: buy a share of an aircraft (for example, one-sixteenth) along with a set number of annual hours. Major providers include NetJets and Flexjet. Monthly management fees and hourly costs apply.
• Full ownership: the most control and the most responsibility — crew, hangar, maintenance, insurance, and management. Many owners use management companies, and some charter out their aircraft to offset costs.
• Membership and semi-private services: companies sell seats on shared flights or offer membership-based access.

Why people fly private

Time is the main reason. Private aircraft can use thousands of smaller airports not served by airlines, avoid connections, and reduce time spent in terminals. Privacy, flexibility, and the ability to work in flight matter too.

Regulation and safety

In the U.S., charter flights are generally operated under FAA Part 135 rules, which are stricter than Part 91 rules for private operation. Third-party safety auditing organizations such as ARGUS and Wyvern rate charter operators. If you're chartering, ask who the actual operator is and check their certificate and safety ratings.

Colorado connection

Colorado's Front Range has busy business aviation airports, including Centennial Airport (one of the busiest general aviation airports in the country) and Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport. In ski season, Aspen, Eagle County, and other mountain airports see heavy private jet traffic — and the density altitude challenges described in our high-altitude guide apply to jets as well.

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