Aircraft
Pilatus PC-24 vs King Air 350: Speed, Range, and Cost
Comparing Pilatus PC-24 vs King Air 350 specs
Buy the Pilatus Aircraft PC-24 if you need jet speeds on unpaved runways, or choose the Beechcraft King Air 350 if your routes stay under 500 nautical miles. At Jet & Beyond, we evaluate both aircraft by examining real mission profiles and operating expenses rather than brochure promises. While one is a light jet and the other is a twin-turboprop, both serve rough-field missions that standard light jets cannot fly.
The Pilatus PC-24 sells for roughly $11.9 million new and cruises at 440 knots, offering genuine jet performance on gravel and grass strips. The King Air 350 family, succeeded by the King Air 360 from Textron Aviation at roughly $9.0 million new, cruises at 312 knots with lower charter rates.
Pilatus PC-24 vs King Air 350 at a Glance
| Specification | Pilatus PC-24 | Beechcraft King Air 350 |
|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Category | Twin-engine light jet | Twin-engine turboprop |
| Maximum Range | 2,000 nm (NBAA IFR reserves) | 1,806 nm |
| Maximum Cruise Speed | 440 knots (KTAS) | 312 knots (KTAS) |
| Cabin Height | 4 ft 10 in | 4 ft 9 in |
| Rough-Field / Unpaved Access | Certified for gravel, grass, and dirt runways | Proven operation on gravel, grass, and dirt strips |
| Factory List Price (New) | Roughly $11.9 million (AOPA) | Roughly $9.0 million (King Air 360) |
| Published Charter Reference Rate | $3,400 to $4,000 per hour | $2,000 to $2,500 per hour |
| Verdict | Best for regional missions needing jet speeds and high altitudes into unpaved fields | Best for budget-focused regional hops under 500 nautical miles on unpaved strips |
Flight Speed and Mission Range
The Pilatus PC-24 flies faster, climbs higher, and travels farther than the Beechcraft King Air 350. The PC-24 reaches a maximum cruise speed of 440 knots true airspeed (KTAS). The King Air 350 reaches a maximum cruise speed of 312 knots true airspeed.
That creates a 128-knot speed gap. On an 800-nautical-mile trip, the PC-24 saves roughly 45 minutes of flight time. Those time savings accumulate when corporate teams fly multiple regional legs in a single day.
Altitude capability creates another operational divide. The PC-24 certified service ceiling reaches 45,000 feet. Cruising at that altitude allows pilots to fly above commercial airline traffic and turbulent summer weather.
The King Air 350 operates at a service ceiling of 35,000 feet, well below the PC-24’s 45,000-foot ceiling, where head winds are often stronger and weather systems remain active. Turboprop engines lose efficiency at higher altitudes, keeping the turboprop in lower flight levels.
Flight range also favors the Swiss jet. The Pilatus PC-24 provides a maximum range of 2,000 nautical miles under National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) reserves. The King Air 350 delivers 1,806 nautical miles of range under standard reserves, creating a 194-nautical-mile difference.
Textron Aviation also produced extended-range variants designated as the King Air 350ER and King Air 360ER. These specialized models reach roughly 2,700 nautical miles. For standard production aircraft, the PC-24 connects longer city pairs without technical fuel stops.
Runway Performance and Unimproved Airstrip Access
Both the Pilatus PC-24 and the Beechcraft King Air 350 take off and land on unpaved runways that standard business jets cannot use. Conventional light jets like the Embraer Phenom 300 require paved runways. Their low-mounted engines sit close to the tarmac, where turbine suction pulls in loose stones and gravel.
Foreign object damage (FOD) from loose rocks destroys turbine blades and forces expensive engine overhauls. Pilatus engineered the PC-24 specifically to overcome this restriction. Pilatus markets the airframe as the Super Versatile Jet because it holds certification for unpaved gravel and grass runways.
Takeoff distance on paved surfaces is roughly 2,690 feet. Its reinforced landing gear and belly structure, engineered for gravel and grass strips rather than paved runways alone, let it absorb rough ground strikes that would damage a conventional light jet. It stands alone among light jets.
The Beechcraft King Air 350 approaches rough fields through its turboprop design. Two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A turboprops deliver 1,050 shaft horsepower each, turning high-mounted propellers. Because the propeller blades sit high off the ground, they rarely kick loose debris into the engine cowlings.
The King Air has tackled unimproved strips for decades. The King Air 350 requires 3,300 feet for takeoff and 2,692 feet for landing. Turboprops also handle high airport elevations and summer heat with predictable engine margins.
Remote airstrips often lack dedicated jet fuel trucks or ground power units. King Air turboprops visit these isolated fields routinely, making them common visitors at ranches and mining facilities. If your flight operations require jet speed into remote gravel runways, the PC-24 is the single airframe that fulfills that requirement.
Cabin Dimensions and Interior Utility
Neither aircraft provides stand-up headroom, but the Pilatus PC-24 provides superior cargo loading while the King Air 350 offers more passenger seating. The PC-24 cabin height measures four feet 10 inches. The King Air 350 cabin height measures four feet nine inches, or 57 inches.
Adult passengers must stoop while walking along the center aisle in either cabin. The King Air 350 cabin measures 19 feet six inches long and four feet six inches wide. The cabin holds certification for up to 11 occupants, but executive charter operators usually configure eight or nine passenger seats.
That layout features a double-club seating arrangement alongside an aft belted lavatory. Double-club seating lets corporate teams face each other to hold discussions during regional flights. The PC-24 holds certification for up to 10 occupants, though charter operators configure six to eight passenger seats.
Cargo utility sets the PC-24 apart from every competing light aircraft. Pilatus installed a standard continuous flat floor and a large aft cargo door. Forklifts can load standard cargo pallets directly into the cabin through this door.
This cargo door enables swift transitions to air ambulance and medical evacuation setups. Medical crews load patients on full-size stretchers without tilting or angling equipment through a narrow passenger door. The King Air 350 also flies many medical missions, but loading bulky equipment requires navigating a standard passenger entryway.
Acquisition Pricing and Hourly Operating Costs
The Beechcraft King Air 350 costs substantially less to purchase and charter than the Pilatus PC-24. Textron Aviation replaced the King Air 350i with the updated King Air 360 in 2020. A factory-new King Air 360 costs approximately $9.0 million based on recent aviation trade reports.
Textron Aviation does not publish list pricing directly. The Pilatus PC-24 lists for roughly $11.9 million new, according to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) buyer’s guide. Pilatus also avoids publishing an official retail list price.
That leaves an upfront acquisition price gap of roughly $2.9 million. In the charter market, the operating cost gap widens further. King Air 350 charter rate cards typically run between $2,000 and $2,500 per flight hour.
The Pilatus PC-24 commands charter rates between $3,400 and $4,000 per flight hour. Chartering a PC-24 costs roughly 30 to 40 percent more per hour than chartering a King Air 350. Our private jet cost per hour guide details how hourly fees compound across different aircraft classes.
Flight distance changes the arithmetic of these hourly rates. Most charter operators bill a two-hour daily minimum on turboprop and light jet bookings. On a 250-nautical-mile flight, a PC-24 lands in roughly 35 minutes, while a King Air 350 takes about 50 minutes.
Both flights trigger the two-hour daily minimum invoice. You pay $4,000 to $5,000 for the King Air trip, but $6,800 to $8,000 for the PC-24 flight. On short legs under 500 nautical miles, the daily minimum erases the economic benefit of the jet’s higher speed.
| Annual Flight Hours | King Air 350 Reference Cost ($2,250/hr) | Pilatus PC-24 Reference Cost ($3,700/hr) | Annual Cost Variance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 hours | $112,500 | $185,000 | $72,500 |
| 100 hours | $225,000 | $370,000 | $145,000 |
| 150 hours | $337,500 | $555,000 | $217,500 |
At 100 flight hours per year, choosing the PC-24 adds $145,000 in direct hourly charter expense. Over a five-year period, that operational premium amounts to $725,000 on top of the higher initial purchase price. Buyers must evaluate whether saving 30 to 45 minutes on longer legs justifies that additional capital expenditure.
Fleet Depth and Maintenance Support
The King Air family maintains an expansive global maintenance network that the newer Pilatus PC-24 cannot match. Beechcraft introduced the original King Air 350 in 1990 and updated the cabin as the 350i in 2009. With decades of production, the King Air 350 enjoys a deep and liquid pre-owned market across North America.
Replacement parts, certified technicians, and type-rated pilots are available at nearly every major general aviation airport. If a mechanical issue grounds an aircraft at a rural airfield, finding a King Air mechanic is rarely difficult.
The Pilatus PC-24 operates from a smaller and more specialized fleet footprint. Pilatus earned type certification for the PC-24 in 2017 and has delivered more than 200 airframes. Pilatus maintains factory service centers and authorized partner facilities, but regional coverage is narrower than Textron Aviation’s footprint.
Sourcing replacement parts or specialized avionics technicians for a PC-24 at an isolated airfield can take extra time, since the light jet fleet remains comparatively young next to the King Air’s decades of production.
Which Aircraft You Should Choose
Choosing between the Pilatus PC-24 and the Beechcraft King Air 350 depends on your route lengths, runway conditions, and annual flight budget.
Buy the Pilatus PC-24 if you routinely fly routes longer than 600 nautical miles and require jet speeds into unimproved grass or gravel runways. The PC-24 cruises at 440 knots, reaches a 45,000-foot ceiling to clear rough weather, and delivers 2,000 nautical miles of range. Its standard aft cargo door makes loading heavy cargo, pallets, or medical equipment straightforward. You pay roughly $2.9 million more upfront, but you gain true jet speed on runways other business jets cannot touch.
Buy the Beechcraft King Air 350 if your routine trips stay under 500 nautical miles and you want to keep acquisition and hourly operating costs low. The current production King Air 360 lists near $9.0 million new, and charter rates run $2,000 to $2,500 per hour. Its double-club cabin seats eight to nine passengers comfortably, and its Pratt & Whitney turboprops have a proven track record on rough strips. On short flights, two-hour daily minimums erase the time advantage of a jet, making the turboprop the more practical financial choice.
Who this is not for: A traveler flying short legs under 400 nautical miles between paved commercial airports should not buy or charter a PC-24. Paying an extra $1,000 to $1,500 per flight hour saves barely 15 minutes of travel time on those short hops. Furthermore, buyers who require stand-up headroom should avoid both aircraft, as neither cabin exceeds four feet 10 inches in height.
What would change the verdict: If your business expands to regular cross-country routes stretching 800 to 1,500 nautical miles into remote unpaved airstrips, the PC-24 becomes the necessary choice. On those extended legs, the 128-knot speed gap saves more than an hour of travel time, and daily minimum billing no longer penalizes the jet. Conversely, if your flying shifts strictly to short regional hops under 300 nautical miles with tight cost targets, the King Air 350 remains the superior tool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Pilatus PC-24 faster than the King Air 350?
The Pilatus PC-24 is substantially faster than the King Air 350. The PC-24 reaches a maximum cruise speed of 440 knots true airspeed, while the King Air 350 cruises at a maximum speed of 312 knots true airspeed. That 128-knot speed difference saves roughly 45 minutes of travel time on an 800-nautical-mile journey.
Can the Pilatus PC-24 land on unpaved runways like a King Air 350?
Yes, the Pilatus PC-24 is certified to operate from unpaved gravel and grass runways, making it the only production light jet with that capability. While King Air turboprops have operated on dirt and gravel strips for decades, Pilatus engineered the PC-24 specifically to match that rough-field capability while delivering jet cruise speeds.
How much does a Pilatus PC-24 cost compared to a King Air 350?
A factory-new Pilatus PC-24 costs roughly $11.9 million based on Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) reporting. The current production replacement for the King Air 350, the King Air 360, sells for approximately $9.0 million new. For charter flights, the King Air 350 runs roughly $2,000 to $2,500 per hour, while the PC-24 commands $3,400 to $4,000 per hour.
Why choose a King Air 350 vs Pilatus PC-24 for short regional flights?
Choosing a King Air 350 over a Pilatus PC-24 for flights under 500 nautical miles saves 30 to 40 percent in hourly charter costs without sacrificing meaningful travel time. Most charter operators enforce a two-hour daily minimum, which erases the financial benefit of the jet's higher cruise speed on brief hops. The King Air also provides a double-club seating layout accommodating eight to nine passengers.
What is the cabin difference between the PC-24 and King Air 350?
Cabin heights are nearly identical, measuring four feet 10 inches on the PC-24 and four feet nine inches on the King Air 350. The King Air 350 offers a longer cabin that comfortably seats eight to nine passengers in a double-club configuration. The PC-24 typically seats six to eight passengers, but it features a standard pallet-sized aft cargo door that accommodates medical stretchers and oversized cargo.
What is the range difference between the King Air 350 and Pilatus PC-24?
The Pilatus PC-24 flies up to 2,000 nautical miles under NBAA IFR reserves, which is 194 nautical miles farther than the standard King Air 350 range of 1,806 nautical miles. However, Textron Aviation produced extended-range variants, including the King Air 350ER and 360ER, which reach roughly 2,700 nautical miles.
Consult our Pilatus PC-24 overview, read our detailed King Air 350 review, or check our compare jet cards guide to evaluate which aircraft matches your travel schedule and mission profile.
We update this guide as aircraft, program, and route pricing changes. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll check it.