Aircraft
Pilatus PC-24: Specs, Range, and What It Costs
Verified Pilatus PC-24 specs and unpaved-runway numbers
The Pilatus PC-24 is the only light jet certified to land on short, unpaved runways, a capability Pilatus calls “Super Versatile.” Most light-jet buyers we cover won’t need that flexibility. But for those who do, no comparable aircraft can make the same trip. Its flat cabin floor and standard cargo door, both rare in this class, also allow it to carry pallets and gear that wouldn’t fit through the door of a similarly sized jet.
What the Pilatus PC-24 Is
The PC-24 is a twin-engine light jet built by Pilatus Aircraft, the Swiss manufacturer better known for the single-engine PC-12 turboprop. Pilatus certified the PC-24 in 2017 and has delivered more than 200 of them, and the design borrows the PC-12’s rough-field heritage rather than starting from a conventional business-jet layout.
That heritage shows up in the landing gear and the reinforced belly structure, both engineered for gravel and grass strips rather than paved runways alone. Pilatus built the PC-24 around a stated mission of connecting the roughly 21,000 airports worldwide with runways too short or too rough for a typical business jet, a market no other light jet in this class was designed to reach.
Range, Speed, and Altitude
The PC-24 flies 2,000 nautical miles with NBAA IFR reserves and cruises at up to 440 knots, both mid-pack figures for the light-jet class. It operates to a 45,000-foot ceiling, the same altitude as the Embraer Phenom 300E and other faster rivals in this class.
Runway access is the PC-24’s real edge over every other aircraft here. Pilatus states the PC-24 can operate from paved runways as short as roughly 2,690 feet, and from unpaved gravel or grass strips other business jets cannot use at all. That capability trades against outright range and speed. A buyer who never leaves paved, adequately long runways is paying for a capability that sits unused on every trip.
Cabin and Seating
The PC-24 has a cabin height of around 4 feet 10 inches and seats up to 10 occupants in an executive layout, though most charter operators configure it for six to eight passengers plus baggage. What sets the cabin apart is the flat floor and the large aft cargo door, standard on every PC-24, which let it load pallets, medical stretchers, or oversized gear that would not fit through a conventional airstair door.
That cargo door is the reason the PC-24 also flies medevac and utility missions that no other light jet in this class competes for. A charter passenger booking a standard trip rarely uses that capability directly, but it is part of why fleet operators and jet card programs keep PC-24s in rotation even where the short-field capability goes unused.
What a Pilatus PC-24 Costs
A new PC-24 runs roughly $11.9 million per the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s buyer’s guide. Pilatus does not publish a retail price directly, so that figure reflects market and dealer reporting rather than a factory list. Charter rate cards for the type generally run $3,400 to $4,000 per flight hour.
Here is a Chicago Executive to Naples, Florida round trip, about 1,030 nautical miles each way, with six passengers, two nights on the ground, at $3,700 per hour:
| Line item | Math | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Flight time | 2.5 h each way = 5.0 h × $3,700 | $18,500 |
| Repositioning | 0.5 h ferry | $1,850 |
| Landing, ramp, handling | Both ends | ~$1,200 |
| Crew overnights | 2 crew × 2 nights | ~$800 |
| Catering | Two legs | ~$300 |
| Subtotal | $22,650 | |
| Federal excise tax | 7.5% of taxable transportation | $1,699 |
| Segment fee | 6 pax × 2 segments × $5.30 | $64 |
| Total | ~$24,413 |
The tax lines follow the IRS 2026 rates for domestic charter. Split six ways, the trip runs about $4,070 per person round trip, close to what a comparable light jet without the runway capability would cost on the same route.
Pilatus PC-24 vs. Embraer Phenom 300E
| Pilatus PC-24 | Embraer Phenom 300E | |
|---|---|---|
| Range | 2,000 nm | 2,010 nm |
| Max cruise | 440 kt | 464 kt |
| Runway access | Unpaved, short-field capable | Paved runways only |
| New price | ~$11.9M | $11M–$12M |
| Verdict | Wins on runway access | Wins on speed and fleet depth |
The two aircraft land within 10 nautical miles of each other on range and within roughly $1 million on price. The runway each one can land on separates them far more than the numbers printed on a spec sheet. See our Embraer Phenom 300 page if runway access is not a factor in your trips, or our full PC-24 vs Phenom 300 comparison for the complete breakdown. Weighing it against a turboprop instead? See our PC-24 vs King Air 350 comparison.
Who This Is Not For
A buyer whose trips always depart and land on paved airports with a runway of 5,000 feet or longer gets no benefit from the PC-24’s short-field capability, and a faster or cheaper aircraft in the class will serve those same trips just as well. Someone who needs the longest possible range in this class should also look elsewhere, since the PC-24’s 2,000 nautical miles trails the Citation CJ4 Gen2’s 2,165 nm.
Hot-and-high airports in summer also cut into short-field performance the same way they cut into every light jet’s numbers, so ask for a runway analysis on your actual date and airport rather than assuming the published short-field figure applies everywhere.
What Would Change Our Answer
If a rival manufacturer certified a comparable short-field, unpaved-runway light jet, the PC-24’s unique position in this class would disappear, and the choice would come down to price and cabin size like any other light-jet comparison. And if your own trips never touch an unpaved or genuinely short runway, that condition alone should move the decision toward a faster aircraft regardless of where the PC-24 ranks on paper.
How to Fly a Pilatus PC-24
The PC-24 appears in several jet card programs and through charter brokers who serve remote or rough-field destinations, and on-demand charter is usually the easiest way to book one for a specific short-field trip. Owner-flown purchase suits a buyer who regularly needs unpaved access and flies enough hours to justify the roughly $11.9 million entry cost.
If you are new to chartering, start with our guide to chartering a private jet, then compare jet card memberships against on-demand pricing for the specific routes you fly most.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Pilatus PC-24 land on a short or unpaved runway?
Yes. The PC-24 is the only aircraft in the light-jet class certified for unpaved and short-field operations, a capability Pilatus calls the Super Versatile Jet. It can operate from paved runways as short as roughly 2,690 feet and from unpaved gravel or grass strips other business jets cannot use.
What is the range of a Pilatus PC-24?
2,000 nautical miles with NBAA IFR reserves, close to but slightly behind the Embraer Phenom 300E's 2,010 nm. Range on a specific trip depends on the actual passenger and fuel load carried.
How much does a Pilatus PC-24 cost?
A new PC-24 runs roughly $11.9 million, per AOPA's buyer's guide reporting, since Pilatus does not publish a retail list price directly. Charter rate cards for the type generally run $3,400 to $4,000 per flight hour.
How many passengers fit in a Pilatus PC-24?
The PC-24 is certified for up to 10 occupants in an executive configuration, though most charter operators configure the cabin for six to eight passengers plus baggage, using the standard cargo door and flat cabin floor for extra gear.
What makes the Pilatus PC-24 different from other light jets?
The PC-24's unpaved and short-field runway capability, standard cargo door, and flat cabin floor set it apart from every other aircraft in the light-jet class. No comparable light jet is certified for the same rough-field missions, which is why fleet operators keep PC-24s for medevac and utility work as well as standard charter.
We update this guide as aircraft, program, and route pricing changes. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll check it.