Top 5 Most Chartered Private Jets at IBC Aviation

The five aircraft at a glance

The table below sets out what genuinely separates these five machines. The deciding column is not seat count, it is the flight duration beyond which the aircraft stops making sense.

The light jets : Citation Mustang and Phenom 300

The Citation Mustang remains the entry point to charter. Its cabin seats 4 passengers in a club arrangement, and its take-off performance opens runways the larger categories have to rule out. On a one-hour trip that access matters more than speed : it brings the landing closer to the final destination.

The Phenom 300 is the most requested aircraft in the catalogue. It holds a range comparable to some midsize aircraft at a lower hourly cost, with 6 to 8 seats, a usable hold and a separate lavatory. Its interior was developed with BMW Designworks. That pivot position explains its dominance on European sectors.

Both aircraft share a quality rarely highlighted : the ability to operate from short fields, which widens the list of accessible airports. Model details are on our very light jets and light jets pages.

The pivot : the Citation Excel and XLS family

The Excel and then XLS family occupies the centre of the market. It offers 8 to 9 seats and stand-up cabin height, which changes the experience beyond two hours of flying. Its very wide distribution across Europe has a practical consequence : it is often the aircraft still available when every other midsize is taken.

On trips such as Paris-Le Bourget to or from Marrakesh, London Luton to or from Figari or Geneva to or from Istanbul, this family covers most requirements without moving up a category. Alternatives in the same bracket are set out on the Hawker 900 page, and on the Challenger 350 page for one step above.

The long range jets : Falcon 2000EX/LX and Falcon 7X

The Falcon 2000EX/LX marks the move to transcontinental flying, with 8 to 10 passengers. Dassault designed the family to combine long range with approach performance inherited from military aviation, which opens airfields closed to other aircraft of its size. It covers Paris-Le Bourget to or from New York, or Geneva to or from Dubai.

The Falcon 7X closes the selection. Certified in 2007, it was the first business jet fitted with fly-by-wire flight controls, and its three-engine layout gives operational margin valued on oceanic crossings. Its cabin is divided into distinct zones for work, dining and rest.

Beyond it, the range continues with the Global 6000 and the Gulfstream G650, detailed on our ultra long range jets page. The intermediate categories are covered in our heavy jet and ultra long range guides.

What production endings mean for availability

Two dated facts explain how this ranking is shifting, and they are rarely mentioned elsewhere.

First, Textron Aviation ended Citation Mustang production in 2017. The fleet in service is therefore no longer renewed. As airframes leave service, availability in the very light category tightens, and demand moves naturally towards the Citation M2 or the Phenom 100.

Second, the Phenom 300 has been among the most delivered light jets in the world since the early 2010s, based on the annual delivery figures published by manufacturers. That accumulation of airframes explains its permanent presence in our charters : the odds of finding one available at short notice stay higher than for any other model in its category.

Both movements point the same way. The middle of the range is strengthening, the entry level is thinning, and the price gap between them is narrowing.

How to choose : distance before passenger count

The deciding factor is almost never the number of people on board. Four passengers flying Paris to or from New York need a Falcon 2000, not a Mustang. Eight passengers flying Paris to or from Lyon have no reason to pay for a long range jet.

The second factor is the airport. Some destinations impose a short runway, a particular approach or constrained slots, and that requirement sometimes rules out the aircraft that looked most logical. Our guide on range by aircraft category covers those trade-offs.

The third factor is timing. On a short-notice request the question is no longer which aircraft is ideal, but which one is actually positioned in the right place. That is also what makes empty leg flights worthwhile : they follow the aircraft's repositioning logic, not the client's.

What these five aircraft do not cover

A ranking of the most chartered aircraft also reveals what it leaves out, and those blind spots matter as much as the ranking itself.

Turboprops do not appear, although they remain the only solution on certain high-altitude fields or unpaved runways. The PC-24 holds a comparable position among jets, with short-field access its category rivals do not have.

Group travel also falls outside this list. Beyond fourteen passengers the question is no longer which jet but which larger airframe, covered on the Challenger 850 and Airbus 319 CJ pages.

Finally, a requirement for maximum range without a stop, typically a direct Europe to Southeast Asia sector, points to the Global 7500 or the Falcon 8X rather than the Falcon 7X.

Why work with a broker

An operator offers the aircraft in its own fleet. An independent broker compares the real availability of several operators against the same request, which changes the outcome when the preferred model is taken. Our teams also verify that the aircraft is compatible with the intended airport before confirming, a point automated comparison tools routinely miss.

Indicative prices by category are on our private jet rental cost page, and every model on our fleet page.

Private jet charter with IBC Aviation:

Our teams advise you on the private jet best suited to your itinerary and requirements, and organise your trip to or from your destination. Available 24/7:

• France: +33 1 41 69 88 88
• Switzerland: +41 22 880 28 88
• Dubai: +971 55 303 5161
• Bangkok: +66 81 808 2866
• Email: contact@ibc-aviation.com

Frequently asked questions

Which private jet is chartered most often?

The Phenom 300 leads our charters. It covers a range close to that of a midsize aircraft at a lower hourly cost, and its very wide distribution makes it easier to find an available airframe at short notice.

Is the Citation Mustang still in production?

No. Textron Aviation ended production in 2017. Aircraft in service remain available to charter, but the fleet is no longer renewed, which gradually tightens availability in the very light category.

How many passengers does a Falcon 7X carry?

Between 12 and 14 passengers depending on the operator's cabin layout. The interior is divided into distinct zones for work, dining and rest, a configuration designed for intercontinental sectors of more than seven hours.

Should the aircraft or the airport be chosen first?

The airport, in constrained cases. A short runway or a slot-limited field narrows the list of eligible aircraft before comfort even enters the discussion. Our teams handle both together.

Does this ranking change from year to year?

The categories move very little, the models more. The Phenom 300 and the Citation XLS family hold their positions thanks to the number of airframes in service. The top of the ranking follows operator fleet renewal cycles.