Aircraft
Jet types: which aircraft fits your trip
Most people asking “what kind of private jet should I book” are really asking a smaller question: how many people are going, and how far. Everything else — cabin size, range, cost — follows from those two numbers. The mistake we see most often isn't booking too small an aircraft. It's booking too large a one, and paying for range and seats nobody uses.
Levity sources across the full range of certified private aircraft, from four-seat turboprops to ultra-long-range jets built for global routes. Here's what actually separates them.
Pricing in this category is calculated by flight time, not distance — the hourly rate below is the actual basis for the range you'll see on a quote.
Seven categories, one goal: the right fit for your trip
Before you read the bands
In practice, most Levity charters start around $10,000 — even when a category's published range begins lower, very short trips may fall below what we're able to book.
| Category | Passengers | Typical trip | One-way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turboprop | 4–9 | 1–3 hr | $4,000–$9,000 |
| Very Light Jet (VLJ) | 4–6 | 1–3 hr | $4,000–$9,000 |
| Light Jet | 6–8 | under ~3 hr | $9,000–$20,000 |
| Midsize Jet | 8–9 | 3–5 hr | $18,000–$35,000 |
| Super Midsize | 8–10 | 4–6 hr | $28,000–$55,000 |
| Heavy Jet | 10–16 | 6–9 hr | $55,000–$120,000+ |
| Ultra-Long Range | 12–18 | 9–16 hr | Quoted per trip |
King Air 350 · Pilatus PC-12
Turboprop
4–9 passengers · 1–3 hr · $4,000–$9,000 one-way
Aircraft in this category include models like the King Air 350 and Pilatus PC-12 — priced starting around $1,700/hr as a base reference, which is why a short regional hop typically lands in the $4,000–$9,000 range while a longer trip in the same category costs more, purely from time in the air. The most cost-efficient category, and the right call for short regional trips: island hops to the Bahamas, quick hops around Florida, routes where a jet's extra speed doesn't actually save meaningful time.
Citation Mustang · Phenom 100
Very Light Jet (VLJ)
4–6 passengers · 1–3 hr · $4,000–$9,000 one-way
Common examples include the Citation Mustang and Phenom 100, starting around $2,300/hr as a base reference. Sits in the same one-way band as turboprops on short trips but trades some cabin space for a faster cruise — worth it when the extra speed matters more than the extra room.
Phenom 300 · Citation CJ4
Light Jet
6–8 passengers · under ~3 hr · $9,000–$20,000 one-way
Comfortable for most of the Caribbean and the shorter Northeast corridors. Aircraft like the Phenom 300 and Citation CJ4 are typical of this class, starting around $3,100/hr as a base reference — which is what puts a two-to-three hour trip in the $9,000–$20,000 range.
Citation Excel/XLS · Hawker 800XP · Learjet 60
Midsize Jet
8–9 passengers · 3–5 hr · $18,000–$35,000 one-way
Stand-up cabins on some models. This is the category that covers most of what people picture when they think “private jet” — Miami to New York, Chicago, or Dallas territory, flown on aircraft like the Citation Excel/XLS, Hawker 800XP, or Learjet 60. Starting around $5,200/hr as a base reference, which is why the same category spans $18,000–$35,000 depending purely on flight time.
Citation X · Citation Sovereign · Challenger 300
Super Midsize
8–10 passengers · 4–6 hr · $28,000–$55,000 one-way
A full stand-up cabin, and where transcontinental trips start making sense without a fuel stop — on aircraft like the Citation X, Citation Sovereign, or Challenger 300. Starting around $7,000/hr as a base reference.
Gulfstream G450 · Gulfstream GIV · Global 5000
Heavy Jet
10–16 passengers · 6–9 hr · $55,000–$120,000+ one-way
Full cabin amenities, built for large groups, long-range trips, and international travel where comfort over many hours actually matters — think Gulfstream G450, Gulfstream GIV, or Global 5000. Starting around $11,000/hr as a base reference, which is how a long international leg reaches the top of that range.
Gulfstream G650 · G650ER · G700 · Global 7500
Ultra-Long Range
12–18 passengers · 9–16 hr · quoted per trip
The longest range in the category — built for global routes that would otherwise require a fuel stop in anything smaller. This is where aircraft like the Gulfstream G650, G650ER, and G700 operate, along with the Global 7500, starting around $16,000/hr as a base reference. Pricing here is quoted per trip rather than a fixed band, since route and cabin configuration vary widely at this end of the fleet.
Range, side by side
2,078 mi
King Air 350i max range
8,861 mi
Global 7500 max range
More than 4x the King Air's range, on the same broker's network.
How to choose the right category for your trip
Start with passenger count — it eliminates most of the list immediately. From there, time in the air decides the rest: a category that can't comfortably fly your route nonstop isn't a real option, whatever the brochure says. Cabin comfort matters more the longer the flight — a 45-minute hop and a 5-hour transcontinental trip have very different expectations even at the same passenger count.
This is exactly what a broker is for. We recommend the right aircraft category for your specific trip — not the most expensive option available. If you're not sure where your trip lands, use our price estimator to see which categories are actually available for your exact route and passenger count, with real pricing ranges attached.
Not sure which category
Find out which aircraft actually fits your trip.
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Levity Charters, LLC is an air charter broker and does not own, operate, or maintain any aircraft. All flights are operated by FAA-certified Part 135 or Part 121 air carriers. Pricing referenced reflects market estimates, not quotes.
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