Bombardier Challenger 601

The Bombardier Challenger 601 took the fuselage of the first Challenger and added General Electric CF34 engines and winglets. The cabin stayed 1.85 m high and 2.49 m wide at the centreline, so most adults walk upright, and a typical aircraft seats 9 to 11 with a divan along one side.

Three variants fly under one name, with the same cabin:

From London Farnborough a Challenger 601 reaches Marrakesh in 3:16 h, and Larnaca to Dubai takes 3:22 h. The longest legs in the table suit a 601-3R or a 601-3A fitted with the extra tank.

Cabin: wide aisle, older fittings

From the cockpit to the end of the pressurised section the cabin runs about 8.6 m, including the galley at the front and the toilet and hold at the rear. Most interiors combine a club group of four, often around a table, with a three-place divan along the side.

Baggage: about 3.26 m³ behind the toilet

The hold of the Challenger 601 lies inside the pressurised fuselage at the rear, so cases stay warm and can be reached in the air. Six people bring large suitcases without trouble, and with four on board there is also room for skis in bags or golf clubs.

• Ten passengers: plan a medium suitcase and a cabin bag each.
• Skis, snowboards and golf bags: give their number, so the operator can confirm the fit.
• Long legs: the more fuel the jet carries, the less weight remains for people and bags, and the operator calculates this for your group.

Performance, runways and noise

Challenger 601 performance differs by variant. The 601-3R cruises at up to 850 km/h, and market data give it 6,489 km with four passengers and NBAA IFR reserves. We plan non-stop legs up to about 5,200 km, since a full cabin, a headwind and a distant alternate shorten the real figure. At its maximum take-off weight of 20,457 kg the 601-3R needs 1,844 m of runway at sea level and about 1,000 m to land.

What that means at well-known airports:

• Cannes-Mandelieu (1,539 m) takes the Challenger 601 only at reduced weight; for longer legs the jet leaves from Nice.
• Sion (2,000 m) needs a crew trained for the mountain approach. Lugano (1,414 m) allows only a heavily restricted take-off.
• The 537 m sloped Courchevel altiport is far too short and needs a special qualification; skiers land at Chambéry or Geneva.
• London City is approved for the Challenger 604 and 605, not the 601, which uses Farnborough, Luton or Biggin Hill.

Challenger 601 routes from European hubs

Prices are one way for the whole aircraft with crew, without airport fees or passenger taxes. Flight time is the great-circle distance at 820 km/h plus half an hour for taxi, climb and approach.

Under 2 hours: short hops for a big cabin

2 to 4 hours: islands, Iberia and the Levant

Over 4 hours: work for the 601-3R

• Munich to Dubai (6:05 h) is within our planning range of about 5,200 km, yet with a full cabin we look for a 601-3R, otherwise the operator plans a fuel stop.
• London Farnborough to Tel Aviv (4:53 h) and Amsterdam to Tenerife (4:26 h) are flown non-stop with normal baggage.
• Vienna to Madeira (4:29 h) needs a captain qualified for that airport.
• Mykonos gives private aircraft about 40 minutes of parking in summer, so the jet waits on another island.
• New York needs a fuel stop in Iceland or Ireland, even on a 601-3R.

Below two hours, such as Zurich to Olbia (1:24 h), a group of four pays less in a smaller jet. A Challenger 601 earns its price with six to ten people on legs of three hours and more.

The calculator gives an indicative price for a Challenger 601 or another heavy jet on your route, and for smaller classes too.

How much a Challenger 601 costs to charter

The hourly rate starts at EUR 8,300 for the whole aircraft with two pilots and fuel. Short legs cost more than the rate times the flight time: Zurich to Olbia takes 1:24 h and starts at EUR 17,500, because the operator adds a minimum charge and the empty flights to and from base.

Further away the fixed part matters less. Munich to Palma (1:59 h) starts at EUR 23,000, Paris Le Bourget to Athens (3:05 h) at EUR 32,000 and Munich to Dubai (6:05 h) at EUR 55,000, the same for two passengers as for ten.

The price is for the aircraft, so on London Farnborough - Olbia the cost per person falls as the group grows:

Ways to lower the price

• Let us quote a Challenger 604 or 605 based nearer to you next to the Challenger 601: a shorter positioning flight can outweigh a higher hourly rate.
• Fly out and back on the same day when crew duty time allows.
• Allow a few hours either side of your departure, so the jet can be fitted around its other bookings.
• For a return a few days later, compare two one-way quotes with the jet waiting for you.
• On a short leg for four people, accept a super-midsize jet such as the Challenger 350.

Empty Legs: rare on this version

Empty Legs on the Challenger 601 itself come up only now and then. The same cabin turns up more often as an empty leg on the 604, 605 and 650, typically after summer charters to the Mediterranean or winter flights to Geneva and Chambéry. Discounts of 30-60% against a normal charter are possible, as examples rather than a rule.

Send your route and a window of dates to empty-legs@jets.flights or use the Empty Legs page.

Challenger 601, 600, 604 or 350

The Challenger 601 is usually weighed against its predecessor, its successor with the same fuselage and the smaller, younger Challenger 350.

Booking a flight

Tell us where and when you fly, how many people travel, and what baggage, sports equipment or pets come along. We search operators holding an AOC for a free Challenger 601 and price later Challengers alongside, so you can compare cost and aircraft age. We always try to offer both; each case depends on the operator's schedule and contract.

Challenger 601 questions

• • What does a Challenger 601 flight cost?

  • From EUR 8,300 per flight hour for the whole aircraft. London Farnborough to Olbia starts at EUR 24,000, Hamburg to Lisbon at EUR 32,000 and Amsterdam to Tenerife at EUR 42,000, one way, plus airport fees and passenger taxes.

• • What is included, and what comes on top?

  • The quoted price covers the aircraft, crew and fuel. Positioning is usually built in; airport and handling fees, passenger taxes, de-icing, catering and crew costs on overnight trips appear as separate lines.

• • How can I make the trip cheaper?

  • Open the request to the Challenger 604 and 605, keep the time flexible and return the same day if crew duty allows. An aircraft parked nearby often costs less than a cheaper hourly rate far away.

• • Can I find an Empty Leg on this type?

  • Rarely on the 601 itself. With the 604, 605 and 650 included, legs with the same cabin come up regularly and can be 30-60% cheaper, with a fixed date and the risk of cancellation.

• • How do the 601-1A, 601-3A and 601-3R differ?

  • The cabin is the same. The 1A has analogue instruments, the 3A stronger engines and screens, and the 3R an extra tail tank and the longest range, 6,489 km with four passengers.

• • How many people fly in comfort in a Challenger 601?

  • Most aircraft have 9 to 11 seats. Up to three hours nine people travel without crowding; for a night flight a smaller group is better, as there are fewer beds than seats.

• • Is there a real toilet?

  • Yes, an enclosed toilet with washbasin at the rear of the cabin, in front of the baggage hold.

• • Can it reach the Canary Islands or the Gulf non-stop?

  • Amsterdam to Tenerife (4:26 h) is non-stop. Larnaca to Dubai takes 3:22 h; from Munich (6:05 h) we look for a 601-3R and a moderate load, otherwise there is a fuel stop.

• • Can my dog come along?

  • Usually yes, in the cabin with you, once the operator knows the breed, weight and carrier. Within the EU it needs a microchip, a rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel and a pet passport; the UK accepts animals only via approved routes and airports.

• • Can it land at London City or Cannes?

  • London City is approved for the 604 and 605, not the 601, so London flights use Farnborough, Luton or Biggin Hill. Cannes-Mandelieu is possible only at reduced weight; for longer legs the jet uses Nice.