Choosing your model among the private jets on the market

Problems. Problems. When your biggest problem is figuring out what type of private jet to charter for your next trip , well, they wouldn’t understand, you’ve got other problems anyway. If you’re not sure what type of jet is best for you, here’s a rundown to get you started.

1. Compact Light Jets

Mustang Quote | Eclipse EA500 | Honda Jet | Phenom 100

In the compact light jet category, “The Phenom 100s, which seat four, have a huge cabin for a light jet, offer extraordinary comfort and reliability, and fly at 450 miles per hour up to 40,000 feet, making them ideal for flights of one to three hours,” said Alex Wilcox, CEO of JetSuite, which operates the jet type.

2. Small Cabin Light Jets

Roger Woolsey, CEO of Millionair, which operates 30 FBOs, says, “I love the smell of jet fuel in the morning, so I admit I love all jets. But I have to say the Citation CJ3 is a particular favorite! It leads the pack in low operating costs, flies at 400 knots per hour, has excellent range that allows my team to fly to any (of our) FBOs nonstop from the company’s Houston headquarters, and it has enough room for each passenger to bring their “real” luggage! The CJ-3 carries a lot of luggage without sacrificing…speed, range, comfort, price and luggage space.”

For Andrew Collins, CEO of Sentient, “The Phenom 300 is more of a superlight jet than a traditional Light Preferred… I really like that it’s the largest cabin in the light jet category with great performance in the air and on the ground (short runways). The Phenom 300 has a range of 1,971 nm, or New York to Aspen nonstop, with enough fuel for a turnaround at its top speed of 453 knots. The typical configuration is six passengers and, for its size, has plenty of baggage capacity.”

But Collins also likes the Nextant 400XTi, an aircraft that can also fly nonstop on the important New York-Aspen route. “It’s one of my favorites in Sentient’s Light Preferred category for its spacious cabin and large baggage capacity,” Collins says, adding, “It cruises from a top speed of 460 knots to a long-range speed of 406 knots. The 400XTi can be had in multiple configurations, with one seating five and others seating up to seven. Kudos to Nextant for challenging and rethinking the light jet.”

3. Super Light Jets

Adam Twidell, founder of PrivateFly and also a commercial jet pilot, singles out the Citation XLS, noting: “I may be a little biased, as I fly one myself. But millions of other private jet customers can’t be wrong! Despite a tough time in the mid-size segment in recent years, the $14 million Citation XLS (and its predecessor and descendant the XL and XLS+) remains the world’s best-selling private jet.” Twidell attributes its popularity to “versatility, space and reliability.” With a range of 1,800 nautical miles, the eight-seater XLS can fly non-stop for three to four hours, giving it more routes than a small jet, but it’s at the more cost-effective end of the mid-size category. It costs $7,700 for a one-day round trip between New York and Washington, less than many small planes. It’s also significantly roomier than a small plane, both in the cabin and in the 700-pound baggage hold – which can hold up to eight sets of golf clubs.”

4. Midsize Cabin Jets

In the Midsize category, the Citation Latitude is generating excitement. Pat Gallagher, NetJets’ senior vice president of sales and marketing, said, “We haven’t put it into service yet, but I’m very excited to have the Citation Latitude in our fleet. I was part of the demonstration and I love it. No other aircraft in its class has the same cabin and it has all the performance features you’d expect from a Citation. At the price and operating costs of a midsize jet, you get a super-midsize cabin with a flat floor and plenty of baggage capacity. This aircraft is going to be a huge success for Cessna and NetJets.”

5. Super Midsize Cabin Jets

In the Super Midsize Cabin category, Sentient’s Collins says, “The Challenger 300 is Sentient’s most requested specific aircraft. I love it for its spacious cabin, exceptional performance and pleasant handling… my favorite aircraft to fly, for sure.” He adds, “The CL300 has coast-to-coast capability (and) even New York to London. The standard CL300 seats eight, but I’ve seen them seat up to nine.”

VistaJet Chief Commercial Officer Ian Moore chooses the Challenger 350: “With a flight time of just over seven hours, this aircraft is perfect for taking up to eight passengers from San Francisco to New York, Los Angeles to Miami, New York to Nassau or Dallas to Chicago.”

Another popular choice in this category is the Citation Sovereign. Mike Ryan, Victor’s Sales and Operations Director, says: “The Citation Sovereign is a popular choice for our European skiing members. Its short-field performance, range and baggage carrying capacity make it ideal for many popular ski resorts such as Sion or Altenrhein, which have small runways, limiting the number of aircraft that can operate there. With eight comfortable passenger seats, the Sovereign also has an impressive 100 cubic feet of baggage, capable of swallowing all your bulky winter sports luggage.”

6. Large Cabin Jets

Among the large cabin jets, PrivateFly’s Twidell likes the Embraer Legacy 600, calling it “a very popular new charter choice, along with the rest of the Legacy family, the 450, 650 and the new Legacy 500.” Among its benefits, he says: “It’s very popular and the most cost-effective aircraft over the long term. Based on Brazilian manufacturer Embraer’s ERJ 135 airframe, the Legacy 600 is very spacious and unbeatable in price for flights of around five hours, with a range of 3,400 nautical miles. It can accommodate up to 14 passengers, but without any compromise on cabin or hold space, so it’s a great choice for larger groups, or those with a lot of luggage.”

7. Large Cabin Heavy Jets

Gulfstream is the sexy name in the private jet industry and Ryan de Victor says: “The GIV-SP is a very popular transatlantic jet. Typically seating 12 to 16 passengers, these aircraft make regular trips between New York and London.” For those of you looking to score a deal, he says this popular aircraft is “often available for great value empty leg flights.” The aircraft has a stylish “airy” cabin thanks to its unique large oval windows and many of the leather seats can be converted into beds, ensuring you arrive rested and refreshed for your important meetings and engagements.”

While it doesn’t have the same brand awareness as the Savannah-based manufacturer, Bombardier is the preferred choice for long-haul flights with its Global series. VistaJet’s Moore, who owns the Global 5000, says, “With an 11-hour flight time and up to 13 passengers, or seven beds, this aircraft is ideal for travel between New York and Paris, Los Angeles and Hawaii, Boston and San Jose, or Houston and London.” He says, “Bombardier Global aircraft are essential to VistaJet’s strategy of connecting the majority of the world’s cities nonstop at a one-way fare.”

NetJets’ Gallagher is also a fan of the Canadian manufacturer. “I absolutely love the Global 6000,” he told ForbesLife.com, adding, “It has the range to do any mission you can imagine. The cabin is so spacious, luxurious and quiet, but perhaps the most impressive feature of the aircraft is that it can do things that no other large cabin can do. We just flew the Global 6000 from Aspen to London City, then to Lugano, back to London City and finally to White Plains. You could spend a lot more on a competing jet and not get anywhere near that kind of performance.”

8. Bizliners

In this category, experts say the offerings are simply too diverse to be a favorite. Each of these planes, which were primarily designed for commercial aviation, are configured so differently that there is a wide variation. Some have bedrooms and showers, others have business-class style seats. Some have private sleeping compartments, others do not. Others have extra fuel tanks to increase range compared to the same type of plane. In this category, it really comes down to looking at the specific planes that are available when and where you want to go.