The value of private jets is not in the luxury or the even in the privacy they offer. They come with the territory and are welcome additions, but the real benefit of a private jet is the ability to time travel. That is, the ability to be anywhere without having to wait at the airport, passport control or for your boarding group to be called. These time savings are essential for busy professionals, business owners and other influential individuals. The best private jets help you get to where you need to be, and buy back much needed time.
Generally, those looking to fly private are only encouraged to buy a private jet if they fly for at least 200 hours a year, due to the cost advantages (and flexibility) of jet cards and chartering otherwise. If you make consistent point-to-point trips and are looking to fly more than 200 hours, then owning a private jet may prove the pragmatic option, and comes with significant tax benefits in the US (though these rules are changing).
Whether you are looking to acquire a new jet or charter, this list will have something for you. Given the value of your time, let’s get on with the list of the 9 best private jets in each category.
This Very Light Jet Offers More for Less
The HondaJet Elite II
The HondaJet comes with an arsenal of features to enhance your flight, including an immersive, in-cabin speaker setup, a unique engine mounting which reduces cabin noise significantly, an autoland feature in the event of pilot incapacitation and even manages to fit a private lavatory into the space of the plane, enabling greater comfort over during longer flights. Its baggage capacity of 62ft3 lets you fit up to 10 full-size suitcases, making it perfect for business travel.
What makes the HondaJet such a special VLJ is how its features can compete with a light jet for an owner who frequently flies shorter trips (1-2 hours). Compared to other jets in its class (think Vision Jet or the Phenom 100) the HondaJet is a newer, more balanced option.
The Vision Jet is more of a competitor to high-end turboprop aircraft, as is reflected in its cruise speed and other performance parameters. Compared to the Phenom 100, The HondaJet Elite II offers a significantly higher max cruise speed (422 vs 390 knots), a newer airframe (which means lower maintenance costs), lower fuel burn and greater range. The Elite II model can fly trips like LA to St. Louis, Teterboro to Puerto Rico or from London to nearly anywhere in Europe. This makes it an ideal choice for business trips.
These advantages do come at an increased price, however. Where a Phenom 100 can be acquired for around 1.5 million dollars, the Elite II’s starting price 6.95 million before significant options (usually around 7.3 after all upgrades have been made).
Nonetheless, the HondaJet is the best private jet in the VLJ category, and offers buyers an experience close to that of a light jet for a significantly lower price. For those making short trips, few jets can beat the price/performance of the Elite II.
Learn more at HondaJet
This Light Jet is Proven and Well-Loved
Embraer Phenom 300E
Those familiar with flying private will have at some point flown on the Phenom 300/300E. It is one of the most flown private jets on the planet, thanks to its comfort, cost-effectiveness, and suitability for the short trips that are most common on private.
Embraer have retained much of the DNA of the 300 model whilst improving the interior for the E, making for a vastly superior flying experience. Their changes have enabled 9-10 passengers (1 pilot, depends on cabin configuration) to fly trips like Teterboro to Aspen, London to Tel Aviv, San Francisco to Mexico City or Singapore to Hong Kong.
The performance of the jet allows it to access small airports, like London City or Saint Tropez, ensuring as little friction in travel as possible. The Garmin 3000 avionics suite allow a single pilot to fly the aircraft, lowering costs and enabling you to fly yourself to your destination. If the flight is pleasure and not business, then the in-flight entertainment and newly improved seating will keep you entertained and comfortable during your journey. Its greater size to the HondaJet lets you carry ~14 full size suitcases. Much better for business trips with many people
Competitors such as the Cessna Citation CJ4 offer a more economical trip, but is slower than the Embraer and has less advanced avionics.
Many people will not need more than what is provided by the Embraer 300E. Its high seating capacity, modern features and competitive starting price make it an ideal option for those traveling for business that require more space than what is provided by the HondaJet.
Learn more at Embraer
The Best Midsize Jet Elevates the Category
Embraer Praetor 500
Midsize jets offer a more stable ride due to their greater size, and are able to fly more people over longer distances. The Praetor 500 is better suited to transport more passengers than smaller jets, due to its more powerful engines and greater fuselage size. Larger jets are more stable in flight and have larger cabins which mean a more comfortable journey. Their higher price tags also enables manufacturers to outfit the jets with more luxurious amenities, such as the Praetor’s refreshment center and closet.
The midsize category is a competitive one, with choices like the Gulfstream G150, Cessna Citation Latitude and Citation XLS all serving different needs. The Praetor comes out on top thanks to its large baggage space suitable for ~23 suitcases, class-leading speed and 7 hour endurance. This means that if you are traveling in a large, there will be more space to relax/work than in the Phenom 300E.
The Praetor’s range allows you to effortlessly fly across from LA to NY, and even has the range to fly from NYC to London (though not with 9 passengers). Those in Europe can fly freely and can make longer trips like Cannes to Dubai.
As jets get larger, there is more space for luxurious amenities, comforts, and the ability to make longer journeys with more people. The midsize category is where this benefit can be seen for the first time in the Praetor 500, making it the best private jet in its group.
Learn more at Embraer
This Super-Midsize Jet is Enough for Most
Bombardier Challenger 3500
The super-midsize category is suitable for those who want more than what the midsize category can offer, but don’t need the capabilities of a heavy or ULR jet. The Challenger 3500 is one of the best private jets for these such qualities.
Considering its recent introduction into Bombardier’s lineup, the Challenger 3500 has many of the features of the range-topping Global 8000. These include a new and improved cabin design, now with so-called “Nuage” seats, ultra-luxurious seats which reduce strain thanks to their zero-gravity seating position. The 3500 also comes with a low cabin altitude, mimicking the effects at 4,850 feet, instead of the usual 8000 in most airliners, with even the exceptional Boeing 787 only claiming a cabin altitude of 6000ft.
Other amenities to enhance your flying experience include; a voice-controlled cabin, 4k entertainment system, wireless charging, a fully-equipped galley and the ability to access your luggage at any time (106ft3, or ~17 full size suitcases). What the Challenger 3500 lacks in passenger capacity and range when compared to other offerings like the Praetor 600 or Citation Longitude, it makes up for by being the most feature-rich jet in its class.
The Bombardier offers the quintessential super-midsize experience; extreme comfort, flight stability, connectivity and convenience. It also marks the inflection point, wherein jets beyond this particular category become increasingly used for pleasure trips and other non-business ventures. Most private jet flights are between 1-3 hours, and the cost to fly trips like London to Singapore is excessive to the point of not making financial sense for most jet owners. This makes the Challenger 3500 a strong choice for those looking for the best private jet for both business and pleasure, with an emphasis on the former.
Learn more at Bombardier
Stretch Out in Greater Comfort in This Heavy Jet
Dassault Falcon 8X
The Falcon 8x is certainly the most unique of the private jets on this list. It is a tri-jet, and the last modern tri-jet that French manufacturer Dassault will be producing, to be replaced by the upcoming Falcon 10X. Dassault has long been known for their different approach to private jets, focusing on producing the best private jets for a more niche audience. The Falcon line is well known for its safety and large cabins, but is perhaps most-well known to be able to service small airports like London City otherwise inaccessible to competitors Gulfstream and Bombardier.
The 8X’s range enables it to fly trips from Beijing to New York, Singapore to London and LA to Lugano. The max cabin height of 92 inches is extreme, even when compared to airliners like the BBJ 737. This ensures that you and up to 16 passenger will not experience comfort, but true privacy as well. The jet comes with space for a galley, shower, crew rest areas and a bed. This means a high level of service and ease throughout the flight.
Like all top-end jets, the cabin comes with an air management system that filters up to 99.97% of all air particles. This means that the air in the cabin is being repeatedly refreshed and cleaned. The cabin is also a reported 49db on average, making it one of the quietest private jets in the industry.
The Falcon 8X is on this list thanks to its carrying capacity and massive cabin size, ensuring that you can transport a large group of people in extreme comfort over very long distances. That being said, the upcoming Falcon 10X will be a more suitable option for the future, as it retains the qualities of the 8X while being more cost-effective and sustainable to operate.
The jet is most suitable for fractional or full owner, as charter companies tend to prefer twin engine jets due to lower maintenance costs and operational streamlining.
Learn more at Dassault
A Long Range Jet to Cover All Your Needs
Gulfstream G650ER
The 650ER is by no means just a “long range jet”, but the upcoming ULR offerings by both Gulfstream and Bombardier have elevated it to be the best in this category. The range is staggering, enabling an unprecedented degree of freedom and time savings, making it perhaps the best private jet, and the only one that the vast majority of owners would ever need.
Indeed, if the purpose of a jet is to be a time machine, then surely the best private jets in the world would be the fastest? Until the Global 8000 and Gulfstream G800 are delivered, the 650ER is the fastest private jet in the world, with a maximum cruise speed of 516 knots and a maximum operating speed of 531 knots, the G650ER is the closest thing to a time machine that currently exists.
For those whose time is more important than anything, the Gulfstream will have them arriving at their destination along with up to 18 passengers in record time, and supreme comfort. The cabin of the Gulfstream replenishes itself with 100% fresh air every 2-3 minutes, and the large panoramic windows help keep you alert and prevent jet-lag.
The cabin is highly modular and configurable, letting you choose how you want to live 51,000 feet. Whether it be more living areas, a VIP room or an extended galley, it is up to you to decide the configuration of the jet. The 650ER represents the best private jet that can be currently acquired, until the next-gen planes from Bombardier and Gulfstream land. You may also be able to take advantage of depreciation get this jet for a much lower price than the brand-new Global 8000 or G800. More than 500 650ERs have been delivered as of September 2022.
Learn more at Gulfstream
The Best Ultra-Long Range Jet to Earn Back Your Time
Bombardier Global 8000 and Gulfstream G800 (tie)
If you want the best private jet, you have a choice of two. The Global 8000 and the G800 are the soon-to-be titans of the business jet market, representing the ultimate in technological advancements, luxury and convenience.
Both have an insane range of 8000nm, enabling incredible journeys such as LA to Mumbai, Dubai to New Zealand and Sao Paulo to Perth. Both jets improve on the cabin altitude of the Challenger 3500, with both the Global 8000 and the G800 having a cabin altitude of less than 3000 feet, along with the most advanced air purification systems of any private jet, filtering out as much as 99.99% of all air particulates, ensuring you arrive healthy and jet-lag free.
The Global 8000 will claim the crown as the fastest business jet ever made, with an astonishing maximum cruise speed of 613 knots. This makes it the best choice for individuals or businesses trying to maximize the value of their time, as it will have you arriving sooner than in the Gulfstream. The G800 nonetheless will be able to cruise for 7,000nm at 595 knots, making it faster than most of the best private jets in the world.
Both jets are highly configurable, with the G800 seating up to 19 and sleep up to 10, and the Global 8000 being typically configured with a club suite, conference suite, entertainment suite, principle suite and an ensuite. Amenities are vast, between the two jets they offer; 4K televisions, kitchen facilities, crew rest areas, a wardrobe, a private bedroom and a shower.
Those who need a jet with nigh unlimited capabilities will be delighted at these two offerings, with the Global 8000 perhaps edging out the less technologically innovative G800 when it comes to user experience. They are nearly identical, and depending on who is asked, either may be the best private jet. Both jets begin deliveries in 2025.
Learn more about the Bombardier Global 8000
Learn more about the Gulfstream G800
The Best Large Corporate Jet for Groups
Boeing 737 BBJ
The business jet division of Boeing is known for producing some of the best business jets in the world, and the 737 BBJ and its derivatives are no exception. The 737 BBJ is the smallest of the offerings, with the 787 and the 777 BBJ being among the largest private jets being actively produced. For corporate and business travel, however, space within the 737 is more than enough for the c-suite or members of the board. On the MAX-7 model the jet has enough to cover the distance from Geneva to Singapore, New York to Mumbai or LA to Sao Paulo.
The jet comes with a host of modular customization options where buyers can change the forward lounge, mid lounge, aft lounge and private room. These come as turnkey options, which means you can work with Boeing to truly customize your jet if you feel that the modules offered are insufficient. You’ll have space to stretch out and work with a cabin width of 11’7 (3.5 m) and a height of 7’1 (2.15m).
This jet is very large and requires more maintenance, cleaning attention than a traditional executive jet. This makes it only suitable for those traveling consistently in large groups and over long distances, which reduces the hourly cost significantly.
Learn more at Boeing
The Ultimate in VIP Airliners
Airbus ACJ320 Neo
The ACJ320 Neo is the reason the other jets on this list seem small from a cabin volume perspective. It has a cavernous interior, and a price tag which makes the Gulfstream 800 look like a bargain. For an ownership experience, it only makes sense for a few amount of people. The capacity of 25 allows you to fly your executives, assistants and security detail to your next destination, which make it the best private jet for VIPs and those traveling with very large groups of people.
The range of 6,000 nautical miles enables flights like; London to Singapore, Los Angeles to Ibiza and Tokyo to New York.
Whilst private jets like the Boeing BBJ 777 may offer more internal space, the ACJ320 Neo comes with a host of modern features and amenities, enabling it to be more comfortable and price-efficient. It is the quietest airline cabin you in the skies, and comes with a high-tech humidification and air purification system, enabling you to be energized and refreshed when you land.
If speed and range is more important than carrying capacity, the Global 8000/G800 or Gulfstream 650ER are better choices, as they are cheaper to operate and maintain than the Airbus. If, however, you are looking to charter instead of acquire, there are few experiences which come close to a flight on the ACJ320 Neo.
Learn more at ACJ Airbus
Where to Find the Best Private Jets
If you are looking for a place to find the best private jet for you, then marketplaces like Controller, Jetcraft and HattAviation may help you find what you are looking for. These websites are a mix of done-for-you and custom solutions that will help you find the perfect plane for your needs.