Hawker private jets

From the 125 to the 4000

The line started in England as the de Havilland 125 and was built by Hawker Siddeley and British Aerospace before Raytheon took it over and gave the jets the Hawker name. Later aircraft were built in the United States, and from the Hawker Beechcraft years comes the Beechcraft prefix that most model cards in this catalogue carry; the Beechcraft page shows them next to the King Air turboprops. When Hawker Beechcraft stopped building jets, all production ended; Textron Aviation supports the fleet with parts.

The 125 cabin: what you get on board

All versions from the 700 to the 1000 share the same cross-section: about 1.75 m of headroom and 1.83 m of width, so most adults walk with a slight stoop and the seats are wide. The usual layout has eight seats, a galley at the front and a toilet behind a door at the rear.

The 800 series and its forerunner

The 800B kept the fuselage of the 700 but received a longer wing, a redesigned windscreen, bigger tanks and more powerful engines. Raytheon then built the 800XP in the United States, and with more than 400 delivered it became the most numerous version. That number matters for charter: an aircraft based near your departure is easier to find than for rarer types.

The 850XP kept the cabin and engines but added winglets, Collins Pro Line 21 avionics as standard and a redesigned interior; about 100 were built. The 900XP closed the series with Honeywell TFE731-50R engines, which lose less power in summer heat and at high-altitude airports and use about 5 % less fuel. The 750 went the other way: it trades the belly fuel tank for a heated baggage compartment under the fuselage, which gives the most baggage room in the series at the cost of range.

Every Hawker in this table costs the same per hour in our catalogue, so the choice comes down to range, baggage and the age of the cabin. For skis and golf bags the 750 is the practical choice; for Tel Aviv, Cairo or the Canary Islands from central Europe the 900XP has the most range of the six.

The stretched 1000 and the composite 4000

The 1000, first sold as the BAe 125-1000, has a cabin 7.44 m long and Pratt & Whitney Canada PW305 engines in place of the Garrett units of the older versions. It reaches 5,834 km, but few were built, so offers are rare.

The 4000 flew in development as the Hawker Horizon, and in its class it pioneered a fuselage built of carbon composite. Its cabin is 1.83 m high, 1.97 m wide and 7.62 m long, with eight seats and 3.23 m³ of baggage. Only a small number fly in Europe, so we always ask for alternatives of the same size.

The 400XP light jet

The 400XP has Japanese roots: Mitsubishi designed it as the Diamond, and Beechcraft later took over the programme and sold the jet as the Beechjet 400 and 400A. The XP version, of which 225 were built, raised the take-off weight and range and made thrust reversers standard. Inside are seven seats and an enclosed toilet in a cabin 4.72 m long, 1.50 m wide and 1.45 m high, and the cruise speed reaches 833 km/h. Legs of one to three hours fit it best, for example London - Geneva in 1:30 h.

Which model for which trip

Compared with other makes

• 800XP or Citation XLS: the same hourly rate. The Citation cabin is 1.73 m high along a dropped aisle but only 1.68 m wide; the 800XP is wider and flies further, 4,704 km against 3,326 km.
• 900XP or Citation Latitude: the Cessna is younger, with a flat floor 1.83 m high, 3.60 m³ of baggage and about 5,000 km of range, at a higher hourly rate.
• 4000 or Challenger 350: the same 1.83 m of headroom, but the Bombardier has a cabin 2.19 m wide and is far easier to find in Europe; its hourly rate is a little higher.
• 400XP or Citation CJ2: the same cabin height, 1.45 m, but the CJ2 cabin is shorter, 4.14 m. The 400XP is faster, while a CJ2 is easier to find free in Europe. A rebuilt version of the 400XP, the Nextant 400XT, has new engines and about 3,700 km of range.

Runways and airports

The 125 family needs longer runways than a Citation XLS. At full weight the 800XP needs about 1,719 m and the 900XP 1,603 m, so on short runways the operator plans less fuel or fewer bags.

• Cannes-Mandelieu (1,539 m) and Florence (1,560 m) work for the 750 only just, as it needs 1,520 m at full load; the other versions often leave with less fuel or use Nice instead.
• Lugano (1,414 m, steep approach) is not planned with the 800B and only with a light load in the 750, so Milan is the usual choice.
• Samedan needs a trained crew, and at about 1,700 m elevation the take-off weight is lower.
• Courchevel's altiport, only 537 m long, is out of the question; for the French ski resorts the jets use Chambéry or Geneva.
• London City requires a separate approval for its steep approach; with these jets we usually plan Farnborough.

Hawker charter prices from European hubs

The prices are for one leg and the entire aircraft with its crew. Times cover the whole trip from taxi to landing, and no leg needs a fuel stop.

An hour in the air costs more than the rate alone suggests. Paris - Nice in a 700 takes 1:25 h and starts at EUR 11,000, because positioning, a minimum charge and handling are included. On a long leg the share of these costs falls: London - Antalya in a 900XP takes 4:14 h and starts at EUR 25,000.

Airport fees come on top, as do the passenger taxes of Italy, Austria, Germany, France, the Netherlands and the UK. Every type on this page pays the higher UK Air Passenger Duty, as all weigh more than 5.7 t.

For reference, the starting hourly rate of every class of business aircraft:

Business jet price per flight hour

Heavy Jets from EUR 8,300 / hour

Light Jets from EUR 3,200 / hour

Ultra Long Range Jets from EUR 12,000 / hour

Super Midsize Jets from EUR 6,300 / hour

Very Light Jets from EUR 2,500 / hour

Long Range Jets from EUR 9,800 / hour

Midsize Jets from EUR 4,500 / hour

Turboprops from EUR 2,000 / hour

To estimate another route, use the calculator below.

Ways to save

• Take an older version. The 800XP costs the same per hour as the 900XP and is easier to find nearby, so positioning is often shorter.
• Compare the 4000 with an 800 series jet: on legs within Europe the 4000 rate of EUR 6,300 per hour buys a wider cabin rather than a much shorter flight.
• For a stay of several days, two one-way flights usually cost less than keeping the aircraft and crew waiting.
• Ask about Empty Legs.

Empty Legs on Hawker jets come up regularly, mostly on the 800XP and 900XP, as these are the most common versions. Such a leg runs on the operator's timetable and is cancelled when the original booking changes, so it suits travellers with open dates. Send your route and a window of days, and we compare what comes up.

How to book

Please include in the request:

• where and when you fly, with the preferred departure time;
• number of passengers and the baggage, especially skis and golf bags;
• a preferred version, or a request to compare it with other midsize jets;
• any airport with a short runway, such as Cannes-Mandelieu or Lugano.

Offers state the version, the year of the cabin refit where known, the crew and the full price. After your choice the operator confirms the aircraft and the contract follows. Send a request at any time of day; we reply from 08:00 to 23:30.

Why book a Hawker with European Private Jets

Two jets of the same version can be very different inside: one with a refitted cabin and newer avionics, another still in its original state. We ask the operator for the age of the interior and, where useful, photos of the cabin before sending offers, so the price you compare belongs to the cabin you will sit in.

Behind each offer is a team with 14 years in charter and offices in Geneva, Nice, Hamburg and Cyprus, working with operators of about 6,500 aircraft. Over 100 regular clients rely on it.

Our team

Charlotte McKinney

Commercial Director

charlotte.m@jets.flights

Henry Richter

Head of Aviation Department and Data Protection Officer

henry.r@jets.flights

Emma Miller

Director of Development

emma.m@jets.flights

Liam Bishop

Senior Aviation Consultant

liam.b@jets.flights

Oliver Davis

Aviation Consultant

oliver.d@jets.flights

Anna Laurent

Aviation Consultant

anna.l@jets.flights

Hawker charter: questions and answers

• • How much does a Hawker cost per hour?

  • The 400XP starts at EUR 3,200 per hour, the 700, 750, 800 series and 1000 at EUR 4,500, and the 4000 at EUR 6,300. The table prices already contain positioning and the minimum charge, while airport fees and taxes are added.

• • What does a typical flight cost?

  • Paris - Ibiza in an 800XP starts at EUR 13,500, Geneva - Athens in a 900XP at EUR 18,500 and Geneva - Dubai in a 4000 at EUR 46,000. Each figure is for the full aircraft, one way.

• • What is the difference between the 800XP, 850XP and 900XP?

  • The cabin is the same. The 850XP added winglets and Pro Line 21 avionics as standard, and the 900XP stronger, more economical engines with the most range of the three.

• • Are Hawker jets still built?

  • No. Production ended at Hawker Beechcraft, but the jets fly with many operators and Textron Aviation supplies parts.

• • Can I stand up in the cabin?

  • In the 125 line the headroom is about 1.75 m, so most adults stoop slightly. The 4000 has 1.83 m, and the 400XP 1.45 m.

• • Which version takes the most baggage?

  • Among the 125 line the 750, with 2.24 m³ in a heated external hold. The 4000 takes 3.23 m³.

• • Can a Hawker land at Cannes-Mandelieu?

  • The 750 can, close to its limit at full load. The other versions often use Nice instead.

• • Are there Empty Legs on Hawker jets?

  • Yes, regularly, mostly on the 800XP and 900XP. They suit passengers who can adapt their travel day.