Embraer Legacy 650

The Embraer Legacy 650 is a heavy jet built for groups: up to 14 seats in three cabin zones and an 8.1 m³ baggage hold that passengers can enter during the flight. It grew out of the Legacy 600, which in turn came from Embraer's regional airliner family. Compared with its predecessor it has larger tanks, more powerful engines and a maximum take-off weight 1,800 kg higher, while the cabin stayed the same at 12.90 m long, 1.83 m high and 2.10 m wide.

Embraer quotes 7,223 km of range with four passengers, about 900 km more than the Legacy 600. From Western Europe that covers Tel Aviv, Riyadh, Doha, Dubai and the Canary Islands without a fuel stop, also with a full cabin. The Legacy 650 earns its rate on legs of three hours and more with ten or more people on board; for four passengers flying an hour to the Riviera, a midsize jet costs far less.

Three zones behind one long aisle

Partitions split the Legacy 650 cabin into three rooms, so part of the group can sleep while others hold a meeting or eat. A common layout has a club of four armchairs at the front, a table for four or more armchairs in the middle and a divan with facing seats at the rear. The aisle is dropped, so most adults walk upright under the 1.83 m ceiling; the width of 2.10 m is narrower than in a Challenger 650, which shows when two people pass each other.

The 650E version has a redesigned three-zone interior, autothrottle and synthetic vision for the pilots. Cabin and hold dimensions are the same as in earlier Legacy 650s and in the Legacy 600, and in charter you fly the version the operator has. Wi-Fi depends on the aircraft; many were delivered with a satellite system suited to e-mail and messaging rather than video calls.

Baggage: 8.1 m³ for the whole group

The hold sits inside the pressurised part of the fuselage, so a coat, medicine or documents left in a suitcase can be fetched in flight. Even with 14 people on a Legacy 650 there is room for skis, golf bags and pushchairs next to the cases.

The higher maximum weight of the Legacy 650 means a full cabin, full baggage and fuel rarely compete with each other. On a five or six hour leg to the Gulf with every seat taken, the operator still works out the load, so a baggage list with the request helps.

Legacy 650 range, speed and runways

With a full cabin and baggage the Legacy 650 flies less far than Embraer's figure, which is why the route table plans non-stop legs up to about 6,100 km and uses a cruise speed of 830 km/h. London - New York (5,530 km) fits inside that limit. In winter, westerly headwinds over the Atlantic can eat the margin, and with 13 passengers the operator may then plan a fuel stop in Ireland or Canada; the quote shows it.

Flying the type in Europe

Routes from European hubs

Thirty-one Legacy 650 routes from all thirteen hubs, from Nice - Olbia (0:56 h) to London - New York (7:10 h), all of them planned 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.

Short hops up to 2 hours: where a smaller jet competes

Islands, Morocco and Tel Aviv: 2 to 4 hours

Over 4 hours: the Gulf, Canaries, Levant and New York

• Dubai (6:16 h from Nice), Riyadh and Doha are within range with every seat taken; the routing avoids closed airspace, so the flown distance can be longer than the table shows
• New York from Paris or Amsterdam sits close to the planning limit, and from Munich or Vienna it needs a fuel stop; for a non-stop crossing from there we also quote a Global 6000
• Malé, Mauritius and the Seychelles always need a stop, usually in the Gulf
• On hops under two hours, such as London - Geneva (1:24 h), the extra range of the Legacy 650 brings nothing, and the Embraer Legacy 600 with the same cabin is often based closer

The calculator shows an indicative price for the Legacy 650 on any route you choose, including departures from regional airports with a runway long enough for the type.

How much does a Legacy 650 charter cost

The flight-hour rate starts at EUR 8,300 for the whole aircraft, with two pilots and fuel. On short legs the total is well above the rate multiplied by flight time, because positioning, the operator's minimum charge and handling form a fixed part. London - Geneva takes 1:24 h and costs EUR 23,000, London - Nice 1:45 h and EUR 26,000, so on a one-hour trip that fixed part is close to half the price.

On long legs the hourly figure rises again: the operator counts the long duty day, crew rest and the days the aircraft spends away from base. Zurich - Tenerife (4:11 h) costs EUR 46,000, Frankfurt - Riyadh (5:40 h) EUR 55,000 and London - New York (7:10 h) EUR 65,000. The price does not depend on the number of passengers, so with 13 people on a Legacy 650 the cost per seat is low for a business jet.

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

How to pay less for the same trip

Seats on shared flights are rare on this type, as a group usually charters the whole aircraft. An Empty Leg is the more realistic way to fly the Legacy 650 below the table price.

Empty Legs on the Legacy 650

The Legacy 650 is common enough in Europe for empty sectors to appear fairly often, mostly between London, Geneva, Nice, the Italian airports and the Gulf. Such a leg can cost 30-60% less than a normal charter, as an example, not a promise.

• Date, route and departure time are set by the operator and move only within narrow limits
• The leg can be cancelled if the aircraft gets a full charter or its schedule changes
• The return is not included and is booked separately

To catch one, send the route and a date window to empty-legs@jets.flights or through the Empty Legs page, and we write as soon as a matching aircraft appears.

Legacy 600, Challenger 650, Falcon 2000LX or Lineage 1000

Clients usually weigh the Legacy 650 against its predecessor with the same cabin, against two heavy jets with a shorter but wider cabin, and against Embraer's bizliner for a larger group.

How to book

For an accurate quote we need:

• route and dates for both directions, with preferred departure times
• the number of passengers and how many want to sleep on a night sector
• a baggage list, especially skis, golf bags and oversized cases
• any dog or cat on board, with breed, weight and carrier size
• whether a cabin attendant or a second toilet is a must, since Legacy 650 layouts differ

We check free aircraft with operators holding an AOC and send a quote that names the operator, the aircraft, the version and the costs of positioning and taxes.

Questions about the Legacy 650

• • How much does a Legacy 650 from Nice to Dubai cost?

  • From EUR 59,000 one way for the whole aircraft, about 6:16 h without a stop. With 13 passengers that is about EUR 4,500 each. Airport fees, the French passenger tax and positioning come on top, and the operator confirms the routing for the day.

• • Why does a one-hour flight cost so much more per hour?

  • Every trip carries a fixed part for positioning, the operator's minimum charge and handling. Nice - Olbia takes 0:56 h and costs EUR 19,000, while Paris - Marrakesh (3:03 h) costs EUR 37,000, so on the longer leg that part weighs much less.

• • What is not included in the table price?

  • Airport and handling fees, passenger taxes of the departure country, catering, a cabin attendant if the operator does not include one, winter de-icing and the crew's hotel if the aircraft waits for you. Positioning from a distant base appears as a separate line in the quote.

• • How can I fly the Legacy 650 for less?

  • Ask for the Legacy 600 in the same request, keep the departure time flexible and compare a waiting crew with two empty legs for the return. An aircraft based near your airport makes the biggest difference.

• • Are there Empty Legs on the Legacy 650?

  • Fairly often, as many aircraft fly in Europe and the Gulf: typically between London, Geneva, Nice and Dubai. Prices can be 30-60% below a normal charter in some cases, but date and route are fixed and the leg can be cancelled.

• • How many passengers does a Legacy 650 take?

  • 13 in a typical layout, 14 in some aircraft. On flights up to three hours a full cabin is comfortable. For a night sector eight to ten people is more realistic, as there are usually three sleeping places.

• • How many toilets does the Legacy 650 have?

  • The main washroom is at the rear. Some aircraft have a second one at the front, often used by the crew or opened to passengers when the cabin is full. We check this for the specific aircraft.

• • Can it fly from London to New York without a stop?

  • Usually yes: the distance is about 5,530 km and the table shows 7:10 h. With a full cabin and strong winter headwinds the operator may plan a fuel stop, and the quote says so.

• • Can I bring my dog?

  • Usually yes, in the cabin next to you, if the operator agrees. The dog needs a microchip, rabies vaccination and a pet passport; for the UK, Ireland, Malta, Finland and Norway also a tapeworm treatment before entry.

• • Can the Legacy 650 land in Cannes or Lugano?

  • Only with reduced weight and if the operator accepts it, as both runways are shorter than the 1,750 m the jet needs at full weight. For Cannes the usual choice is Nice, for Ticino an airport in Milan.