Facts
Best Light Jets: 5 Aircraft Ranked for Real Buyers
The best light jets ranked on range, cabin, price, and support
For most buyers, the Embraer Phenom 300E is the best light jet. It’s the fastest aircraft in its class and comes with the strongest support network. But priorities matter. If you care more about range, cabin space, short-field access, or the lowest entry price, one of the other four aircraft on this list may be a better fit. Each leads in an area where the Phenom 300E does not.
How We Ranked These Five
A light jet buyer is not shopping on one number. Range and speed matter, but so does cabin comfort on a full-day trip, how liquid the aircraft is when you eventually sell it, and whether the type has enough fleet depth that a charter broker or jet card program can actually put you on one. We ranked these five on that full mix rather than any single spec, which is why the fastest jet on this list is not automatically the range leader, and the cheapest jet is not automatically the best value.
The Best Light Jets, Ranked
| Rank | Aircraft | Range | Max cruise | Cabin (H x W x L) | New price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Embraer Phenom 300E | 2,010 nm | 464 kt | 4 ft 11 in high | ~$11M to $12M |
| 2 | Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen2 | 2,165 nm | 451 kt | 4 ft 8 in x 4 ft 8 in x 17 ft 3 in | ~$9.6M to $11.6M |
| 3 | Pilatus PC-24 | 2,000 nm | 440 kt | ~5 ft 1 in x 5 ft 7 in | ~$11.9M |
| 4 | Cessna Citation CJ3+ | 2,040 nm | 416 kt | 4 ft 9 in x 4 ft 10 in x 15 ft 8 in | ~$8.3M (CJ3+) / ~$11M (CJ3 Gen2) |
| 5 | HondaJet Elite II | 1,547 nm | 422 kt | 4 ft 10 in x 5 ft 0 in x 17 ft 10 in | ~$6.95M |
1. Embraer Phenom 300E
The Phenom 300E has been the world’s best-selling light jet for 14 consecutive years, according to General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) delivery data that Embraer reported in 2026. Embraer has delivered more than 900 of them, flying over 2.9 million hours across 70 countries, so parts, pilots, and charter tails are never scarce.
Speed is the aircraft’s other edge. At 464 knots maximum cruise, the Phenom 300E is the fastest jet in this class, and its 2,010 nm range covers a coast-to-coast US trip with a fuel stop or a nonstop transcontinental run with a light load. The cabin seats up to 10 at 4 feet 11 inches high, with an enclosed lavatory and an in-flight-accessible baggage hold that Embraer does not price separately, since market reporting puts a new Phenom 300E at $11 million to $12 million.
2. Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen2
The Citation CJ4 Gen2 flies farther than every other aircraft here, at 2,165 nautical miles, and its cabin is the roomiest of the group at 293 cubic feet. Textron Aviation certified the redesign in 2021 with a longer cabin, CoolView skylights, and wireless cabin management layered onto the proven CJ4 airframe.
That extra range and cabin volume cost speed. The CJ4 Gen2 cruises at 451 knots, 13 knots slower than the Phenom 300E, and its factory list price runs $9.6 million to $11.6 million equipped, climbing to $12.5 million or more on the used market for a low-time example. Choose it over the Phenom 300E when the mission genuinely needs the extra 150 nautical miles or the larger cabin, not as a default upgrade.
3. Pilatus PC-24
The Pilatus PC-24 is the only aircraft in this class built to land on unpaved and short runways, a capability Pilatus markets as the Super Versatile Jet. A flat cabin floor and a standard cargo door, both unusual in a light jet, let it carry pallets and gear that would not fit through any other door on this list.
Range comes in at 2,000 nautical miles and maximum cruise at 440 knots, both mid-pack for the category, at a new price of roughly $11.9 million per the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s buyer’s guide. Buy the PC-24 specifically for the runway access. If every trip you fly departs and lands at a paved airport with a 5,000-foot runway, that capability goes unused and a faster or cheaper aircraft serves you just as well.
4. Cessna Citation CJ3+
The Citation CJ3+ is the most liquid aircraft on this list. The Jet Agent’s February 2026 market report found CJ3+ listings averaging 120 days to sell and actual sales closing in about 80, with asking prices between $7.69 million and $12.3 million and only 5.1 percent of the active fleet listed for sale at any time. A jet that sells that fast holds its value better than one that sits.
The tradeoff is cabin comfort. At 4 feet 9 inches high and 4 feet 10 inches wide, the CJ3+ has the tightest cabin of the group after the HondaJet, and it carries no cargo door. Range sits at 2,040 nautical miles and cruise speed at 416 knots, both below the Phenom 300E. Cessna’s current-production replacement, the CJ3 Gen2, lists at just under $11 million if you are ordering new rather than shopping the CJ3+ specifically.
5. HondaJet Elite II
The HondaJet Elite II is the cheapest jet on this list at a factory list price of $6.95 million, and its Over-The-Wing Engine Mount design gives it a fuel-efficiency edge Honda Aircraft has built its whole marketing case around. That price makes it the most common first jet for a buyer stepping up from a turboprop.
Range is the number that limits it. At 1,547 nautical miles and a maximum of 7 occupants, the Elite II covers regional and short transcontinental trips but cannot match the coast-to-coast reach of the other four aircraft here without a fuel stop. Buy it for the lowest entry price and the lowest fuel burn in the category, not for maximum range.
Who This Is Not For
None of these five aircraft fit a buyer whose routine trips carry more than 9 passengers or run past about 2,200 nautical miles nonstop. A super-midsize jet like the Embraer Legacy 500 or Bombardier Challenger 350 covers a full-cabin standing-headroom trip that every light jet on this list forces passengers to duck through. If your longest annual leg needs more than roughly 2,200 nm without a fuel stop, price a midsize aircraft before committing to any jet here.
What Would Change Our Answer
If Embraer’s delivery lead narrowed and a rival type closed the fleet-depth gap, the ranking would shift toward whichever aircraft offered the best range-and-cabin combination at a comparable price, likely the CJ4 Gen2. And if your own trips consistently need unpaved or short-runway access, the PC-24 becomes the right pick regardless of where it ranks here, since no other aircraft on this list can make that mission at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best light jet to buy in 2026?
The Embraer Phenom 300E is the best overall light jet for most buyers, combining the fastest cruise speed in the class at 464 knots with the deepest fleet and support network, backed by 14 consecutive years as the world's best-selling light jet per GAMA delivery data. Buyers who need more range or cabin volume should look at the Citation CJ4 Gen2 instead.
What is the fastest light jet?
The Embraer Phenom 300E is the fastest light jet in general production, with a maximum cruise speed of 464 knots. The Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen2 follows at 451 knots, and the HondaJet Elite II and Pilatus PC-24 both cruise in the low 420s to low 440s.
What is the cheapest light jet?
The HondaJet Elite II is the cheapest light jet on the market today, with a factory list price of $6.95 million. It trades range for price, covering 1,547 nautical miles against the 2,000-plus nautical miles the other four aircraft on this list fly.
Which light jet has the longest range?
The Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen2 has the longest range in this class at 2,165 nautical miles, ahead of the Citation CJ3+ at 2,040 nm and the Phenom 300E at 2,010 nm.
Can a light jet land on a short or unpaved runway?
The Pilatus PC-24 is the only aircraft in this class certified for unpaved and short-field operations, a capability Pilatus calls the Super Versatile Jet. None of the other four aircraft ranked here are certified for unpaved runways.
Price a light jet against a jet card before you buy one outright, since most buyers in this class fly fewer hours a year than a purchase actually justifies.
We update this guide as aircraft, program, and route pricing changes. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll check it.