Cessna · Light jet

Cessna Citation CJ3+ charter.

An efficient, short-field-capable light jet that is often the cheapest way to put six people on a jet.

Passengers: 6⁠–⁠7
Range: 2,040 nm
Cruise speed: 416 kts
Cabin height: 4 ft 9 in

A light jet comparable to the Cessna Citation CJ3+ — Representative aircraft

Specifications

Cessna Citation CJ3+ in numbers.

Passengers6–7
Range2,040 nm
Cruise speed416 kts
Cabin height4 ft 9 in
Cabin width4 ft 11 in
Cabin length15 ft 8 in
Baggage65 cu ft
Runway required3,180 ft
Max altitude45,000 ft

Manufacturer-published figures for a typical configuration. Individual aircraft vary with model year, interior fit and optional equipment, and runway requirements move considerably with altitude, temperature and weight — the operator's own performance data governs every trip.

Our read

What it does well, and what it costs you.

What it does well

Gets into 3,200 ft runways many jets cannot use
Low operating cost keeps quotes competitive
Single-pilot certified, which widens operator availability

The trade-off

A compact cabin — comfortable for six, tight for seven.

We publish the downside because you would find it anyway, and because we do not own this aircraft — there is no reason for us to oversell it.

Quote a Cessna Citation CJ3+

Range in practice

Where a Cessna Citation CJ3+ will take you nonstop.

Great-circle distances with block times computed from this aircraft's 416 kt cruise plus a taxi allowance.

Houston to San Juan
1,995 mi4 h 37 m
Charleston to Sun Valley
1,982 mi4 h 35 m
Boston to Jackson Hole
1,975 mi4 h 35 m
Boston to Bozeman
1,970 mi4 h 34 m
Miami to Scottsdale
1,962 mi4 h 33 m
San Francisco to Nashville
1,959 mi4 h 32 m

Runway

Where it can land.

The Cessna Citation CJ3+ needs about 3,180 ft at sea level, which clears 2,737 of the 2,746 US fields we publish. Thin air needs more of it — roughly 3% per 1,000 ft of elevation — so the demanding fields below are worked out at their own altitude, not at sea level.

San Carlos

Too short

KSQL5 ft elev.

2,621 ft available3,180 ft needed here

Jackson

Can use

KJAC6,451 ft elev.

6,300 ft available3,795 ft needed here

Aspen

Can use

KASE7,820 ft elev.

8,006 ft available3,926 ft needed here

Rifle

Can use

KRIL5,548 ft elev.

7,000 ft available3,709 ft needed here

Chicago

Can use

KPWK647 ft elev.

5,001 ft available3,242 ft needed here

Hailey

Can use

KSUN5,318 ft elev.

7,550 ft available3,687 ft needed here

Las Vegas

Can use

KHND2,492 ft elev.

6,501 ft available3,418 ft needed here

Johns Island

Can use

KJZI17 ft elev.

5,350 ft available3,182 ft needed here

Eagle

Can use

KEGE6,548 ft elev.

9,000 ft available3,805 ft needed here

Martha's Vineyard

Can use

KMVY67 ft elev.

5,504 ft available3,186 ft needed here

Indicative, and not a performance calculation. Real balanced field length depends on temperature, weight, runway slope and the day — and it is the operator who signs for it. Treat this as the question to ask, not the answer.

Questions

Cessna Citation CJ3+, answered

How many passengers does the Cessna Citation CJ3+ carry?

Typically 6–7 in a charter configuration. Exact seating varies by operator, since interiors differ between individual aircraft — we confirm the layout of the specific tail before you accept a quote.

What is the range of the Cessna Citation CJ3+?

Published range is about 2,040 nautical miles at 416 knots. Real-world range is lower with a full cabin, strong headwinds or hot-and-high departures, which is exactly the kind of thing we check before proposing it for your trip.

What runway does the Cessna Citation CJ3+ need?

Around 3,180 ft at sea level on a standard day near maximum weight. Altitude, temperature and weight change this significantly — the operator's performance data is what governs whether it can use your airport.

How much does it cost to charter a Cessna Citation CJ3+?

We publish an indicative market range for this cabin class ($2,500–$4,500 per hour) so you can size the trip, not a firm rate for this aircraft — the real number depends on where the aircraft is positioned, the season and the airports, which is why we source your specific trip. Altessair adds a disclosed brokerage fee to the operator's price, shown as a separate line on every quote.

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