Bombardier Challenger 604

The Bombardier Challenger 604 is the version of the Challenger 600 family built in the largest numbers. Its cabin is 1.85 m high and 2.49 m wide at the centreline, which leaves a broad aisle between the seats and room for a three-place divan along the wall. Most aircraft have 9 or 10 seats, 12 in a denser layout, with a toilet at the rear and a baggage hold behind it that can be reached in flight.

Compared with the Challenger 601 it gained:

• General Electric CF34-3B engines of 38.8 kN each;
• new landing gear and larger fuel tanks;
• a Collins Pro Line 4 cockpit with screens;
• 7,452 km of range with four passengers, almost 1,000 km more than the 601-3R.

From Nice the jet reaches Tel Aviv in 3:48 h and Dubai in 6:16 h without a stop. Several dozen aircraft are based in Europe, so a free Challenger 604 near your departure airport is usually easy to find.

Cabin: layouts, beds and connectivity

From the cockpit to the end of the pressurised section the cabin measures 8.61 m, with about 32.6 m³ of volume. That length holds the galley by the door, the passenger section, the toilet and the hold.

Two layouts are common:

The seats swivel and recline, and paired seats and the divan make up into beds, usually three or four. The Challenger 604 cabin is quiet for a jet of this class. Against the later 605 it has smaller, lower-set windows and slightly less headroom when seated.

Baggage: about 3.3 m³ and the weight limit on long legs

The hold of the Challenger 604 sits at the rear of the cabin, so skis and cases stay warm and remain within reach during the flight. Four passengers also fit skis, ski boots and golf bags; with ten on board, a medium suitcase and a cabin bag each is the realistic plan.

Weight decides on the longest legs. With full tanks about 570 kg remains for passengers and baggage, enough for four or five people with suitcases. Legs within Europe such as Hamburg to Palma (2:30 h) need far less fuel, so the limit does not apply there; on Nice to Dubai with a larger group the operator may ask for lighter bags.

Speed, range and runways

Market data give the Challenger 604 a range of 7,452 km with four passengers and NBAA IFR reserves. We plan non-stop legs up to about 6,100 km, because a full cabin, a headwind and a distant alternate airport cut the real distance. At its maximum take-off weight of 21,863 kg the jet needs about 1,814 m of runway at sea level and about 720 m to land.

Flying a heavy Challenger in Europe

Challenger 604 flights 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 830 km/h plus half an hour for taxi, climb and approach.

Up to 2 hours: city hops and ski valleys

2 to 4 hours: islands, Morocco and the Levant

Over 4 hours: the Gulf, the Indian Ocean and New York

• London Farnborough to New York (7:10 h, Teterboro) is close to the planning range of the Challenger 604: with a moderate group it goes non-stop, while winter headwinds or a full cabin mean a fuel stop in Ireland or Iceland.
• Paris Le Bourget to Doha (6:30 h) and Larnaca to Male (6:56 h) are long days for one crew; a return on the same day is not possible.
• Mykonos gives private aircraft about 40 minutes of parking in summer, so the jet waits on another island or in Athens.
• For Los Angeles or Singapore a Global or a Falcon 7X flies further without a stop.

On legs under two hours, such as Paris to Sion (1:04 h), four passengers pay less in a super-midsize jet. A Challenger 604 makes sense with six people or more, or on legs from three hours.

The calculator shows an indicative price for a heavy jet on your route, and for smaller classes that can fly it.

What a Challenger 604 charter costs

The rate starts at EUR 8,300 per flight hour for the whole aircraft with two pilots and fuel. A short leg costs more than the rate times the flight time: Paris Le Bourget to Sion takes 1:04 h and starts at EUR 17,000, because the price carries the operator's minimum charge and the empty flights to and from base.

As legs grow longer, the fixed part matters less:

• London Farnborough - Nice, 1:45 h: from EUR 23,000;
• Munich - Lisbon, 2:53 h: from EUR 32,000;
• Nice - Dubai, 6:16 h: from EUR 57,000.

Each price covers the whole aircraft, whether two people fly or ten.

Since the price is for the whole aircraft, on London Farnborough - Nice each passenger's share drops as the group grows:

How to save

Empty Legs: how often and where

With a sizeable European fleet, the Challenger 604 appears on Empty Legs more often than older Challengers. Typical directions are returns from the Riviera, the Balearics and the Greek islands in summer, from Geneva and Chambéry on winter Saturdays and back from the Gulf. Some legs come 30-60% below a normal charter, as examples rather than a promise.

The operator fixes the date, the route and often the time, and can cancel if the aircraft is sold as a full charter. Send your route and a window of dates to empty-legs@jets.flights or through the Empty Legs page; a day of flexibility makes a match far more likely.

Challenger 604, 605, 650, 601 or 350

Clients considering the Challenger 604 usually compare it with its successors on the same fuselage and with the narrower but younger Challenger 350.

How to book

For a quote we need:

• route, date and departure time, for both directions;
• number of passengers and how many want to sleep on a night leg;
• baggage, skis, golf bags and pets;
• whether Wi-Fi and a flight attendant are needed, since not every aircraft has both.

Each offer names the operator holding the AOC, the year of manufacture and the last cabin refit, with photos of that Challenger 604. We always try to offer two or three aircraft; each case depends on the operator's schedule and contract.

Questions about the Challenger 604

• • How much does a Challenger 604 flight cost?

  • From EUR 8,300 per flight hour for the whole aircraft. London Farnborough to Nice starts at EUR 23,000, Zurich to Tenerife at EUR 43,000 and Nice to Dubai at EUR 57,000, one way, before airport fees and passenger taxes.

• • What makes up the price?

  • Flight time at the hourly rate, positioning, crew costs on overnight trips, airport and handling fees, passenger taxes of the departure country, catering and winter de-icing. The quote lists them separately.

• • How can I fly cheaper?

  • Return the same day if crew duty allows, give a time window and accept an aircraft based near you. For four people on a short leg, also ask for a super-midsize jet.

• • Are there Empty Legs on the Challenger 604?

  • Yes, more often than on older Challengers, mostly from the Riviera and the islands in summer, from the ski airports on winter Saturdays and back from the Gulf. Some are 30-60% cheaper, with a fixed date and the risk of cancellation.

• • How many passengers does the Challenger 604 take?

  • Most aircraft have 9 or 10 seats, some 12, and one enclosed toilet with washbasin at the rear. Up to four hours nine people travel without crowding; if everyone wants to sleep, plan for three or four, the usual number of beds.

• • How does the Challenger 604 differ from the 605?

  • Same fuselage and cabin size. The 605 has larger, higher-set windows, a Pro Line 21 cockpit and slightly more seated headroom; the 604 aircraft are usually older, so the cabin refit matters more when choosing.

• • How far can a Challenger 604 fly without a stop?

  • Market data give 7,452 km with four passengers, and we plan up to about 6,100 km. That covers Europe, the Canaries, the Gulf and Male from Larnaca; New York from London is possible with a moderate group, often with a fuel stop in winter.

• • Do skis and golf bags fit?

  • Yes. With four or five people the 3.3 m³ hold takes ski and golf equipment, and it can be reached in flight. Give the number of items, so the operator can confirm.

• • Can I take my dog?

  • Usually yes, in the cabin next to you, once the operator knows the breed, weight and carrier. The EU requires 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, after tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before entry.

• • Can it land at London City?

  • Yes, the type holds the steep approach approval, with a specially trained crew and a reduced take-off weight. Few operators hold it, so London flights more often use Farnborough, Luton or Biggin Hill.