Aircraft

Falcon 7X vs Falcon 8X: Range, Cabin, and Used Price

Dassault Falcon 7X vs Falcon 8X range, cabin, and price compared.

Buy the Dassault Falcon 7X if your flight missions stay within 5,950 nautical miles and you want three-engine safety at a pre-owned price. At Jet & Beyond, we evaluate long-range business jets by examining stage lengths, runway limits, and capital depreciation rather than sales brochures.

The Falcon 8X provides 500 nautical miles of additional range and 3.5 feet of extra cabin length over its predecessor. Those improvements require a substantial price premium, because Dassault Aviation ended Falcon 7X production in 2023 while building the Falcon 8X new today.

Falcon 7X vs Falcon 8X at a Glance

Range and Long-Haul Mission Profiles

The Dassault Falcon 8X delivers 6,450 nautical miles of range, giving it a 500-nautical-mile advantage over the Dassault Falcon 7X. Both aircraft calculate their maximum published range at Mach 0.80 carrying eight passengers and three flight crew under National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) reserve fuel planning.

That 500-nautical-mile expansion fundamentally changes route planning across the Pacific Ocean. The Falcon 7X handles 5,950 nautical miles with ease. It routinely flies non-stop between Paris and Rio de Janeiro or between New York and Moscow.

Longer routings like New York to Tokyo still require a technical stop in either aircraft. For flights connecting North America to Western Europe, South America, or the Middle East, the Falcon 7X flies the exact same stage lengths as the newer airframe. If your flight profile consists of transatlantic journeys or domestic hops, the added range of the Falcon 8X remains unused weight.

Cabin Dimensions and Interior Space

The primary interior difference between the two aircraft is 3.5 feet of cabin length, while cabin width and height remain completely identical. Both fuselages share an identical cross-section measuring 6 feet 2 inches in cabin headroom and 7 feet 8 inches in cabin width. The Falcon 8X extends passenger cabin length from the 39.1 feet found on the 7X to 42.7 feet. Both cabins hold certifications for up to 16 passengers, though private operators typically select executive layouts carrying 12 to 14 travelers.

That extra 3.5 feet alters how operators configure long-haul accommodations. In a Falcon 7X, installing a private aft stateroom with a berthing bed reduces space in the main dining or conference club grouping. A dedicated crew rest compartment in the forward cabin also encroaches on galley storage.

The Falcon 8X absorbs both configurations without compromise. Dassault Aviation designed the extended fuselage to accommodate an FAA-compliant crew rest area near the flight deck, a large galley for multi-meal intercontinental preparation, and three distinct passenger zones. Passengers flying twelve-hour legs gain greater quiet and privacy in the aft compartment of the Falcon 8X.

Engine Thrust and Short-Field Runway Limits

Three Pratt & Whitney Canada turbofans give both aircraft short-runway capabilities and superior overwater safety margins compared to twin-engine business jets. The Falcon 7X uses three PW307A engines generating roughly 6,402 pounds of thrust each.

Dassault Aviation upgraded the Falcon 8X to three PW307D engines, which produce 6,722 pounds of thrust each. The extra 320 pounds of thrust per engine exists to offset the heavier, stretched fuselage rather than to increase cruising velocity. Both jets share an identical maximum operating limit of Mach 0.90 and a maximum operating ceiling of 51,000 feet.

Trijet architecture provides a clear operational safety margin on extended oceanic corridors. If an engine fails over the North Atlantic, a twin-engine jet loses half its total available thrust. A Falcon trijet loses only one-third of its total power.

Runway performance remains nearly identical despite the added length and fuel weight of the Falcon 8X. The Falcon 7X features a balanced field length of 5,710 feet at sea level, lands in roughly 2,070 feet, and manages approach speeds as low as 104 knots.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) granted steep-approach certification to the Falcon 7X in 2008, followed by clearance into London City Airport in February 2009. The Falcon 8X preserved those exact handling traits, since it shares the 7X’s wing and short-field performance. Both trijets can use short or steep-approach runways that exclude twin-engine large-cabin jets such as the Gulfstream G650.

Acquisition Cost and Market Valuations

Purchasing a Falcon 7X costs tens of millions of dollars less than buying a Falcon 8X because the 7X trades exclusively on the pre-owned market. Dassault Aviation manufactured roughly 300 units of the Falcon 7X before retiring the assembly line in 2023.

Data from AvBuyer, citing valuation benchmarks from Aircraft Bluebook, outlines clear separation across model years. A 2008 to 2010 Falcon 7X with higher total hours can list well under $20 million. Broader market listings that include older airframes average $20 million to $27 million, and late-production 2019 to 2023 Falcon 7X models command $35 million to $45 million.

The Falcon 8X entered the market at an original list price of $58 million. Per the same Aircraft Bluebook data, a 2024-model-year Falcon 8X now runs closer to $65.7 million once current pricing and typical options are factored in. Active used listings mostly fall between $39.9 million and $57.5 million depending on age, total hours, and avionics, and a well-kept 2020 or 2021 airframe typically lands in the middle of that range, around $50 million to $53 million.

Variable operational expenses show minor variation. Hourly charter rates for the Falcon 7X span $9,000 to $13,500 per flight hour. The Falcon 8X commands charter rates between $9,500 and $14,000 per hour. The financial split between these aircraft rests in capital depreciation, acquisition financing, and hull insurance rather than fuel consumption.

Shared Type Certificate and Flight Controls

The Dassault Falcon 8X flies under the Falcon 7X type certificate rather than an independent regulatory classification. EASA certified the Falcon 8X on June 24, 2016, as an amendment to the original Falcon 7X certificate. The FAA issued reciprocal approval weeks later, clearing the path for initial retail deliveries in October 2016.

This shared heritage benefits flight department operations. The Falcon 7X first flew on May 5, 2005, entering service on June 15, 2007, as the first purpose-built corporate jet equipped with a fully digital fly-by-wire flight control system, built on a Honeywell Primus Epic avionics architecture.

Because the Falcon 8X uses that exact aerodynamic wing, digital control structure, and fuselage mold, pilots complete common type ratings with minimal conversion training.

Maintenance crews draw from an established global logistics network. Close to 300 Falcon 7X aircraft fly worldwide today. That existing fleet ensures seasoned mechanics, ground tooling, and replacement components remain readily accessible across international service hubs. You avoid the early dispatch reliability issues that frequently trouble newly launched aircraft types.

Which Aircraft Should You Buy

Buy the Dassault Falcon 7X if your trips stay under 5,950 nautical miles and you want three-engine safety at the lowest acquisition price. A late-model Falcon 7X saves $15 million to $30 million compared to an equivalent Falcon 8X, while accessing identical short-runway airports like London City.

Buy the Dassault Falcon 8X if you fly non-stop transpacific routes, need a dedicated forward crew rest area for 12-hour flights, or require a factory-new aircraft covered by manufacturer warranties. Corporate flight departments running multi-leg global operations will benefit from the extra 500 nautical miles and the quiet, expanded three-zone interior.

These aircraft are poor choices if you fly fewer than 75 hours per year or complete mostly domestic journeys under 1,500 nautical miles. The overhead of three engines, dedicated maintenance programs, and large flight crews will inflate your hourly travel costs. Travelers with lighter flight schedules should review our compare jet cards guide or charter on demand instead.

Our verdict would flip if the used market price gap narrows. If early Falcon 8X models decline toward late-model Falcon 7X pricing, the 8X becomes the better purchase because the added range and interior space arrive with little capital penalty. In the current market, the Falcon 7X offers the better price for missions within its range.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Falcon 8X better than the 7X?

The Falcon 8X is better than the Falcon 7X for range and cabin flexibility. It adds 500 nautical miles of range and 3.5 feet of cabin space, which allows operators to install a dedicated crew rest area without sacrificing main lounge seating. The Falcon 7X remains the better financial purchase for flights under 5,950 nautical miles due to its much lower acquisition cost.

Is the Falcon 7X still worth buying instead of the 8X?

Yes, the Falcon 7X is worth buying if your flight routes stay under 5,950 nautical miles. It provides the same three-engine safety margins, cabin height, cabin width, and short-field runway access as the Falcon 8X. Choosing a pre-owned 7X saves between $15 million and $30 million in upfront capital costs.

What is the range difference between the Falcon 7X and 8X?

The Falcon 8X provides 6,450 nautical miles of range, compared to 5,950 nautical miles on the Falcon 7X. That 500-nautical-mile difference turns several fuel-stop routings into nonstop ones, though a route as long as New York to Tokyo still needs a stop in either aircraft. Both aircraft measure range at Mach 0.80 with eight passengers and NBAA IFR reservesA standard fuel-reserve assumption used when manufacturers publish range figures. It means the quoted range already sets aside fuel for a diversion, so it is not pure maximum distance..

Why do the Falcon 7X and Falcon 8X have three engines?

Dassault Aviation uses three engines to provide superior takeoff thrust from short runways and to increase safety margins during long overwater flights. In an engine failure scenario, a trijet loses only 33 percent of its total thrust compared to a 50 percent loss on a twin-engine business jet. This power reserve allows both jets to clear steep climb gradients at constrained airports like London City.

Can both aircraft land at London City Airport?

Yes, both the Falcon 7X and Falcon 8X hold steep-approach certification for London City Airport. EASA approved the Falcon 7X for London City operations in 2009, and the Falcon 8X inherited that capability under its shared type certificate. Approach speeds as low as 104 knots and the trijet's engine-out margin are what make that steep-approach clearance possible on both aircraft.

Review our Falcon 7X and Falcon 8X guides, or examine private jet ownership structures through our fractional jet ownership review to solve your falcon 7x vs falcon 8x mission requirements.

We update this guide as aircraft, program, and route pricing changes. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll check it.