Aircraft

Gulfstream G280: Specs, Range, Cabin, and Cost

Gulfstream G280 specs, range, and cost

The Gulfstream G280 is the company’s super-midsize jet, and the smallest-cabin aircraft in a lineup that includes the G650, G700, and G800. As with every aircraft we cover, we judge it by what it can actually fly and what it costs to operate.

Gulfstream gives the G280 a range of 3,600 nautical miles at a Mach 0.80 cruise, while its maximum operating speed is Mach 0.85. The cabin accommodates up to 10 passengers and has enough headroom to stand fully upright.

Gulfstream designs and sells the G280, while Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) builds the airframe in Tel Aviv under a long-running partnership. Deliveries began in 2012, and the program passed the 300-aircraft milestone in June 2025, according to Aviation International News.

Where the Gulfstream G280 Sits in the Lineup

The G280 is Gulfstream’s entry point into its own brand, one step above the midsize class and well below the ultra-long-range G650, G700, and G800. Two Honeywell HTF7250G turbofans power it, each rated at 7,624 pounds of thrust. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified the type in September 2012, alongside Israel’s civil aviation authority.

Buyers cross-shop the G280 against the Bombardier Challenger 350 and the Cessna Citation Longitude, both covered below. It is the smallest jet Gulfstream builds, which means it competes directly with midsize and super-midsize jets from other manufacturers rather than with the rest of the Gulfstream catalog.

The G280 is still in production as of 2026, with roughly 300 aircraft delivered and a handful more awaiting handoff at the factory. That is set to change. Gulfstream announced an all-new super-midsize jet, the G300, on September 30, 2025, built explicitly to replace the G280. First flight came that December, with entry into service targeted for 2027. That puts the G280 in the same position the G650 was in a few years ago: still buildable today, but on a clock. What we see buyers get wrong most often at this stage of a model’s life is assuming the used market will hold its price once a direct replacement is confirmed. It rarely does, and a buyer negotiating a pre-owned G280 in 2026 has real leverage that a buyer of an established, unthreatened type would not.

Gulfstream G280 Range and Speed

Gulfstream publishes 3,600 nautical miles of range for the G280 at a long-range cruise of Mach 0.80. That figure assumes four passengers and fuel reserves meeting National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) instrument flight rules (IFR) standards. Maximum operating speed for the type is Mach 0.85, with a high-speed cruise of Mach 0.84 and a service ceiling of 45,000 feet.

That range figure covers more than it looks like on paper. New York to Los Angeles is about 2,145 nautical miles, well inside range with reserves to spare. New York to London runs closer to 3,000 nautical miles, which the G280 can fly with a moderate winter headwind but not always with a full cabin and full fuel. Push past about 3,600 nautical miles, a nonstop from the East Coast to the Middle East or a Pacific crossing to Asia, and the G280 cannot make the trip. That is exactly the mission the larger G650 and G700 exist to cover.

Speed works the same way it does on every jet in this class: the last few knots cost real range. Flying at Mach 0.85 instead of Mach 0.80 trims meaningful distance off the tank, so most operators plan trips around the long-range cruise figure instead of top speed. On a 2,000-nautical-mile leg, the difference between the two speeds is roughly 20 to 25 minutes, well short of the hour a 0.05 Mach gap might suggest.

Cabin Size, Seating, and Layout

The G280 cabin measures 6 feet 1 inch high, 6 feet 11 inches wide, and 25 feet 10 inches long, excluding the baggage area, according to Aviation Week. At just over six feet, most adults clear the ceiling without stooping, though it is the tightest stand-up cabin in Gulfstream’s own lineup.

Gulfstream certifies the G280 for up to 10 passengers, and it offers four cabin layouts running from a double-club eight-seat configuration to a 10-seat arrangement with a divan. Charter operators typically fly it with 8 or 9 seats filled, leaving room for the crew and full galley service. Up to five passengers can sleep on longer legs.

The 120-cubic-foot baggage hold is accessible in flight, which matters on any trip past four or five hours. Nineteen windows run the length of the cabin, enough that no seat sits more than a row from natural light. The pressurization system holds cabin altitude lower than a typical airliner at the same cruise height, which is why passengers arrive less fatigued on an overnight crossing.

What a Gulfstream G280 Costs to Buy

A new G280 lists at roughly $24.5 million, per AOPA and Corporate Jet Investor. Nobody actually pays list. Gulfstream does not publish a transaction price, and buyers at this level routinely negotiate down from the sticker figure.

Most of the real shopping happens on the used market, and the price range is wide. AvBuyer’s pricing guide, drawing on Aircraft Bluebook data, puts 2020-through-2024 aircraft between $17.75 million and $22.5 million depending on the model year. Current listings across the full fleet, including older and higher-time airframes, run from about $11.9 million to $17.95 million. A 2013 G280 with high engine hours is a genuinely different purchase from a 2023 model with life left on its programs, even though both wear the same tail number pattern.

The Real Cost of a Gulfstream G280 Trip

Broker rate cards for the G280 cluster around $7,500 per flight hour, but that number understates the real bill by roughly a quarter once every line item lands. Here is a Teterboro-to-Scottsdale round trip with two nights on the ground, built from the parts:

That works out to about $9,338 per block hour against a $7,500 quoted rate, roughly 25 percent higher once taxes and ground costs land. The 7.5 percent federal excise tax and the $5.30 per-passenger segment fee are the IRS 2026 figures for domestic charter, confirmed by the National Air Transportation Association. International legs work differently: the 7.5 percent transportation tax does not apply, and a per-passenger facilities tax replaces it instead.

Repositioning is the line worth pushing back on. Ask where the aircraft is based the night before departure. An hour of ferry time on a G280 runs $6,000 to $8,000, and a locally based aircraft at a slightly higher headline rate often beats a cheaper quote flown in from three states away. Our private jet cost per hour guide runs the same math across every aircraft class.

Gulfstream G280 vs the Alternatives

Choose the G280 if range is the deciding number and you can live with the narrowest cabin of the three. Choose the Challenger 350 if you want the aircraft with the deepest fractional and charter fleet, since it is the backbone type at NetJets and Flexjet. Choose the Citation Longitude if the extra two seats and a newer cabin design matter more to you than the last 100 nautical miles of range.

When the Gulfstream G280 Is the Wrong Aircraft

Three situations argue against it. Any nonstop mission past about 3,600 nautical miles rules it out entirely, and pushes buyers up to the G650 or G700 instead for Pacific crossings and Middle East routes, or to the wider-cabin Bombardier Challenger 650 for a 4,000 nm step up without a full ultra-long-range price tag. A group larger than 8 or 9 passengers with real baggage load also outgrows the cabin fast, since the certified maximum of 10 assumes light bags and a tight layout.

Short domestic hops are the third case, and buyers miss this one most often. Under about 400 nautical miles, positioning costs, handling fees, and the two-hour minimum many operators bill eat most of the speed advantage a super-midsize jet has over a light jet or turboprop. You end up paying G280 rates for a trip that a smaller aircraft would fly for half the price. Save the G280 for legs where its range and cabin earn their keep.

How to Fly a Gulfstream G280 Without Buying One

Three access paths exist, and they price very differently at this level. On-demand charter through a broker costs the most per flight hour but locks in nothing beyond the trip you book. Jet cards buy a fixed hourly rate with guaranteed availability, and several large-cabin and super-midsize tiers include G280-class aircraft. Fractional ownershipBuying a share of a specific aircraft, typically 1/16 or larger, which entitles you to a set number of flight hours a year plus a monthly management fee. fits anyone flying more than roughly 100 hours a year in this class, since it splits the fixed ownership costs across several owners of the same aircraft.

Start with our jet card comparison if you fly 25 to 100 hours a year, and read the fractional ownership guide if you fly more than that. Under 25 hours a year, on-demand charter usually beats locking money into either program.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the range of the Gulfstream G280?

Gulfstream publishes 3,600 nautical miles at a Mach 0.80 long-range cruise, flown with four 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.. That covers a coast-to-coast US trip and most transatlantic legs, but not a Pacific crossing or a nonstop to the Middle East.

How fast does a Gulfstream G280 fly?

The maximum operating speed is Mach 0.85, with a high-speed cruise of Mach 0.84. Most trips are flown closer to the long-range cruise of Mach 0.80, since the faster speeds cost meaningful range for a time savings of 20 to 25 minutes on a typical leg.

How many passengers can a Gulfstream G280 carry?

Up to 10, per Gulfstream's certified maximum. Charter aircraft are usually configured with 8 or 9 seats to leave room for the crew and galley, and up to five passengers can sleep in a typical layout.

Is the Gulfstream G280 still in production?

Yes, as of 2026. Gulfstream announced a successor, the G300, on September 30, 2025, with a first flight that December and entry into service targeted for 2027. The G280 remains in active production until that transition completes.

How much does a Gulfstream G280 cost?

A new G280 lists at roughly $24.5 million, though buyers typically negotiate below that figure. On the used market, 2020-through-2024 models trade between $17.75 million and $22.5 million, while older or higher-time aircraft across the full fleet ask as low as $11.9 million.

How much does it cost to charter a Gulfstream G280?

Broker rate cards run about $6,000 to $9,500 per flight hour. Add repositioning, crew overnights, handling, catering, and the 7.5 percent federal excise tax, and a typical domestic round trip lands roughly 25 percent above the quoted hourly rate.

The Short Verdict

The Gulfstream G280 earns its price on missions between about 1,500 and 3,600 nautical miles, where its range beats the Challenger 350’s. The cabin runs tighter than the Citation Longitude’s. Most passengers can still stand upright on a transcontinental or transatlantic leg. Buy used rather than new at this point in the model’s life. The G300 announcement has already started pulling resale prices down. A meaningful cut to that $24.5 million list price once G300 deliveries begin would flip that math back toward buying new. Price the trip as a jet cardA prepaid block of flight hours on a set aircraft category, bought at a fixed or capped hourly rate. No aircraft ownership is involved. hour first, then decide whether a purchase or a charter contract makes more sense for a Gulfstream G280.

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