Airbus ACJ319

The Airbus ACJ319 is the business version of the A319 airliner, a bizliner: an aircraft with an airliner fuselage furnished like a private apartment. The cabin is about 24 m long, 3.70 m wide and 2.25 m high, far more room than in the largest business jets. The older name A319CJ (Corporate Jetliner) refers to the same aircraft, and Airbus calls the version with new-generation engines the ACJ319neo.

With extra fuel tanks in the hold, the classic ACJ319 flies up to 11,100 km with eight passengers. From European hubs that means, without a stop:

• New York and Toronto from every hub in the table
• Miami and the Bahamas from London, Paris and Madrid
• Malé and the Seychelles from Geneva, Milan and Nice, Mauritius from Nice, Milan and Larnaca

The type makes sense for a group of 15 people or more, or when a bedroom, a washroom and a dining room for a whole delegation must be on board. For four or eight people an ultra-long-range business jet is cheaper and faster.

Bedroom, dining room and seats for the group

Each ACJ319 was fitted out to the order of its first owner, so two aircraft rarely look the same. A typical layout starts with the galley and a lounge with sofas at the front. Next comes a dining or conference room with a table, then a bedroom with a double bed and a washroom. The rear part of the cabin often has business-class seats for colleagues, security or a team.

With 2.25 m of headroom everyone stands and walks freely, and 3.70 m of width takes wide seats, a table and an aisle next to it. The galley is larger than in a business jet and handles meals for the whole group. Two pilots fly the aircraft with several cabin crew, depending on the number of passengers. Internet is fitted in some aircraft. For the neo, Airbus gives a cabin altitude below 6,400 ft (1,951 m), which reduces fatigue on long flights.

Baggage: holds under the floor and extra tanks

Baggage travels in the holds under the cabin floor, as in an airliner, so it cannot be reached in flight; what you need on board stays in the cabin wardrobes. In the business version part of the holds is taken up by extra fuel tanks, and the range depends on them. The classic ACJ319 can carry up to six, the neo up to five. With all tanks fitted, operators state about 4.5 m³ for baggage, roughly what a large business jet has. An aircraft with fewer tanks takes much more luggage but flies less far.

Dogs and cats fly in the cabin next to the owner, if the operator agrees; give breed, weight and carrier size with the request. Within the EU the animal needs a microchip, a rabies vaccination at least 21 days old and an EU pet passport. Dogs going to the UK, Ireland, Malta, Finland or Norway need a tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before entry, and for the USA, the Maldives or Mauritius we check the local rules before booking.

ACJ319 and ACJ319neo: range, speed, airports

The classic ACJ319 has CFM56-5B or IAE V2500 engines and flies up to 11,100 km (6,000 nm) with eight passengers and six extra tanks. The ACJ319neo has CFM LEAP-1A or Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engines, sharklet wingtips, a maximum take-off weight of up to 78,200 kg and, according to Airbus, 12,500 km (6,750 nm) with eight passengers. The route table plans non-stop legs up to 9,000 km at 830 km/h, which keeps a margin for a full cabin; on the longest legs, such as Geneva - Malé (10:05 h), the operator still checks the load for the day.

At Mach 0.80 the ACJ319 is slower than ultra-long-range business jets, so the same trip takes longer: London - New York 7:09 h in the table.

Flying a bizliner in Europe

Routes from European hubs

Thirty ACJ319 routes from all thirteen hubs, from London - Geneva (1:24 h) to Geneva - Malé (10:05 h), all without a fuel stop. Prices are one way for the whole aircraft with crew and fuel, without airport fees and passenger taxes. Flight time follows the great circle plus taxi, climb and approach; for Delhi and Mumbai the distance includes a detour around closed airspace, and legs to the Gulf and the Indian Ocean depend on which airspace is open.

European hops up to 2 hours: where a bizliner is a luxury

Two to four hours: Mediterranean, Morocco and Tel Aviv

Over four hours: long European legs and intercontinental flights

• New York, Toronto and the Gulf are routine legs for an aircraft with extra tanks
• Miami, the Bahamas, Malé, the Seychelles and Mauritius (8:31 h to 10:05 h) are flown non-stop by an aircraft with all tanks and a moderate number of passengers; with a full cabin the operator may plan a fuel stop, for example in the Azores or the Gulf
• From Western Europe, South-East Asia and Japan are beyond the planning range and the US West Coast is at its edge, so we price them with one stop or offer a Global 7500
• For a group of up to 12, a Global 6000 is cheaper on the same long routes and flies faster

The calculator shows an indicative price for the ACJ319 on any route you choose. For a bizliner we confirm the exact price with the operator, as it depends on where the aircraft is.

How much does an ACJ319 charter cost

The flight-hour rate starts at EUR 18,000 for the whole aircraft, with crew and fuel, whatever the number of passengers. On short legs the fixed part for positioning, the minimum charge and handling an airliner weighs heavily: London - Geneva (1:24 h) costs EUR 42,000 and London - Nice (1:45 h) EUR 48,000.

The price is for the whole aircraft, so the cost per person on London - New York depends only on how many fly:

How to save on a bizliner

Empty Legs on the ACJ319

Empty Legs on this type are rare and hard to plan a trip around: there are few aircraft, and most fly long one-off charters. When one appears, usually on a return to a base in Western Europe or from the Gulf, it can cost 30-60% less than a normal charter, as an example, not a promise.

• Date, route and time are set by the operator
• The leg can be cancelled if the aircraft gets a full charter
• The return is booked separately

To hear about one, send the route and a date window to empty-legs@jets.flights or through the Empty Legs page; asking for any bizliner gives more chances than this type alone.

BBJ, A318 Elite, Lineage 1000 or Global 7500

The ACJ319 is most often compared with the Boeing Business Jet and the Embraer Lineage 1000. For a smaller group, the largest Bombardier business jets are the real alternative.

How to book

For a quote we need:

• the route with exact airports rather than just cities
• dates and times for both directions
• the number of passengers and how many fly in the VIP part
• whether a bedroom or a shower is needed
• a baggage list with skis, golf bags or sports kit, and any dog or cat on board

For a bizliner the operator checks the runway, the apron, ground handling for an aircraft of this size and, at some airports, a landing permit for its weight. We work only with operators holding an AOC, and the quote names the operator, the aircraft, its version and the positioning cost.

Questions about the ACJ319

• • How much does an ACJ319 from London to New York cost?

  • From EUR 140,000 one way for the whole aircraft, about 7:09 h to JFK without a stop. With 19 passengers that is about EUR 7,400 each. Airport fees, UK Air Passenger Duty and usually positioning from the aircraft's base come on top.

• • Why does a European hop cost so much?

  • Each trip carries a fixed part for positioning, the minimum charge and handling a 75 t aircraft. London - Geneva takes 1:24 h and costs EUR 42,000, while Zurich - Tenerife (4:11 h) costs EUR 92,000, so on the longer leg that part weighs much less.

• • What is not included in the table price?

  • Airport and handling fees, passenger taxes, catering, winter de-icing and the crew's hotel if the aircraft waits for you. Positioning appears as a separate line, as the nearest free aircraft can be far away.

• • How can I fly the ACJ319 for less?

  • Ask early, include the BBJ and the Lineage 1000 in the same request and compare a waiting crew with two empty legs for the return. For up to 12 people a Global 6000 is cheaper on the same routes.

• • Are there Empty Legs on the ACJ319?

  • Rarely, and they are hard to plan around. When one appears, usually on a return to a European base, it can be 30-60% below a normal charter in some cases, with a fixed date and the risk of cancellation.

• • How many passengers does the ACJ319 take?

  • Most often 18 or 19 in a VIP layout. Some aircraft take 29 or 39 with a business-class rear section. Airbus quotes the range for eight passengers, so with a full cabin on a long leg the operator calculates the range for the day.

• • Does it have a bedroom and a shower?

  • Many aircraft have a bedroom with a double bed and a separate washroom, some also a shower. Each cabin was built to its owner's order, so the quote comes with a cabin plan of the aircraft offered.

• • What is the difference between the ACJ319 and the ACJ319neo?

  • The neo has new-generation engines, CFM LEAP-1A or Pratt & Whitney PW1100G, and sharklet wingtips. Airbus gives it 12,500 km with eight passengers against 11,100 km for the classic version, and a lower cabin altitude. In charter, the free aircraft decides which version you get.

• • Will skis and baggage for the whole group fit?

  • It depends on the aircraft. Extra fuel tanks take part of the holds, and with all of them fitted about 4.5 m³ remain. Send a baggage list with the request, and the operator checks whether the holds take it.

• • Can it land in Cannes or at Teterboro?

  • No. At a maximum take-off weight of 75,500 kg it is above both limits (35 t at Cannes, about 45 t at Teterboro), so on the Riviera it lands in Nice and in New York at JFK or Newark.