Midsize jets, explained

What a midsize jet is for, and who it fits

A midsize jet is the first category where you stand up, walk to the lavatory and close a door behind you. Seven to nine seats, about four hours nonstop, and a baggage bay that takes a week of luggage or skis for everyone on board. It is the workhorse of charter for a reason: it fits families, small teams and couples who want room, and it still uses runways a heavy jet cannot.

It fits three cases. You want to stand and use a lavatory with a door. You have seven to nine people, or six with a lot of bags. Or the leg runs past three hours, where the extra range and the bigger cabin start to matter. On a short leg with four people, a light jet does the job for less. When the group is eight or more, or the leg runs past four hours, super midsize is the next step.

The cabin, and what to expect

Cabin height is about 5 ft 8 in to 5 ft 9 in across the midsize jets we source. Width runs from about 5 ft 6 in on the Excel and XLS+ to about 6 ft on the Hawkers. Anyone under about five foot eight stands straight; taller people duck a little. Seats are club style with fold out tables, and there is a small galley for coffee, drinks and a cold tray or a light meal.

The Excel and XLS+ carry about 80 cubic feet of baggage in an outside bay, which takes skis. The Hawkers and the Learjet 60 keep baggage inside, behind the lavatory, where you can reach it in flight; skis need a conversation on those. Every midsize jet we source has an enclosed lavatory with a door. Wifi is on many aircraft in this category and varies tail by tail, so ask.

The types we source

The Citation Excel and XLS+ is an aircraft we place clients on regularly from our sourcing network. Eight seats, a stand up cabin and strong short field performance, which is why it is the workhorse of midsize charter. The Hawker 800XP and 900XP are also aircraft we place clients on regularly. The Hawker has a wider cabin than the Excel and more range, and the 900XP adds hot day and high altitude performance. The Learjet 60 is the fast climber, with a cabin close to the Hawker in width and a range past 2,000 nautical miles.

We also see the Hawker 800A and the Hawker 700A in the market. They are older airframes, and the age standard applies: an aircraft built before 2005 needs a reason and a records review before it goes on your quote.

These are aircraft available from our sourcing network. We act as your agent: we source the market, review the aircraft and negotiate on your behalf.

Corridor missions, in words

This is the category we quote for the longer corridor trips. Nashville to Aspen or Eagle is about two and a half hours, and a midsize makes it nonstop with a full cabin on all but the hottest summer afternoons. Naples to New York is about two and a half hours to Teterboro or Westchester, with room to work on the way. Dallas to Cabo San Lucas is a little over two hours with customs on both ends. Dallas to Aspen is under two hours.

Nashville to Naples is a comfortable hour and a half, and on that leg a family of six with beach bags usually lands on a midsize. Naples to Chicago and Naples to Boston sit inside three hours. On the site, the quote page and every route page show the current ranges for your dates.

What a pilot checks before recommending one

• The airframe. Built in 2005 or later, or a documented reason why an older one belongs on your quote. The Excel and the Hawker were built in numbers for two decades, so age is the first filter in this category.
• Condition and equipment. We review the available inspection history, recent maintenance, avionics and interior updates of the proposed airplane. Its cabin layout and baggage capacity need to work for your group.
• The crew on type. How long the crew has flown this aircraft, and whether the captain has flown the field you are going to.
• The departure. A mountain airport in summer, a short runway on a wet day, or nine people with a week of bags can change which midsize fits. We run it before we quote, so the option you see is one that flies.

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