Learjet private jets

What sets the brand apart

Learjets combine a small wing with powerful engines. They climb faster than most jets of their size and cruise at up to 871 km/h, and the 40XR, 45XR, 55, 60 and 75 are certified to 15,545 m (51,000 ft), above the 13,716 m of the Citation CJ3 and CJ4. On a one-hour leg the quick climb saves a few minutes, since the jet reaches its cruising altitude early.

The price of that design is cabin room and runway. The small-cabin types are 1.32 m high and the modern ones 1.50 m, and the 60 needs about 1,800 m of runway at full weight, more than most rivals of its size.

Three families

The catalogue holds ten types. They fall into three groups that differ more in cabin than in speed.

The original 40 and 45, without the XR, still fly as well. The XR versions brought a higher take-off weight and more speed.

Models in the catalogue

Passengers, range quoted by the manufacturer, cruise speed, cabin height, baggage and the starting hourly rate for the whole aircraft with crew:

Under one name operators often fly several versions: most surviving 35s are the 35A with a higher take-off weight, the 60XR is a 60 with a newer cockpit and quieter cabin, and the 75 also flies as the simpler six-seat Liberty. The quote always names the version and the year of the aircraft.

Manufacturer ranges assume four passengers and a light load. With every seat taken we plan shorter legs: about 2,900-3,000 km for the 35, 55, 70 and 75, and up to 3,400 km for the 60.

Which model for which trip

Cabin, toilet and baggage

Points to know before you choose:

• the 31 and 35 carry bags behind the rear divan; they can be reached in flight, but the person on the divan has to move
• the 40XR, 45XR, 70 and 75 have a tail hold that cannot be reached in flight, plus a small cabin locker
• the 60 and 60XR have the largest cabin but only 1.36 m³ of baggage, so six people should bring soft bags
• with full tanks the 60XR keeps only about 428 kg for people and bags; for the longest legs plan three or four passengers

Airports and trips in Europe

The brand suits time-critical trips of one to four hours: a meeting in Edinburgh, Paris or Geneva with a return the same day, a weekend on the Riviera or the islands, and long legs to Lisbon, Athens or Reykjavik, or from Cyprus to the Gulf in a 60XR.

Runways and airports set the limits:

• Sion (2,000 m) is within reach of every modern type; on hot days the 60 takes off lighter.
• Cannes-Mandelieu (1,539 m) works for the 40XR, 45XR and 75. The 55 and 60 use it only lighter, so Nice is the usual airport for Cannes.
• Samedan needs a crew with the airport's mandatory training, and its elevation of about 1,700 m cuts the take-off weight.
• Saint-Tropez La Môle and the Courchevel altiport are too short for any Learjet, and Lugano (1,414 m) for most of them: the alternatives are Milan, Cannes-Mandelieu and Chambéry.

In summer the 45XR and 75 suit the Riviera, the Balearics and the Greek islands with six or seven on board. In winter the brand flies skiers to Sion, Samedan and Geneva, and the 60XR, with its longer range, takes three or four passengers from Cyprus to the Gulf.

With an older Learjet, check these points in the quote:

• the year of build and of the last cabin refit, which can differ by decades
• that the aircraft has a passenger cabin and not a medical layout
• the type of toilet, especially in the 31 and 35
• Wi-Fi, which is rare in the older models
• the passenger and baggage limit on the longest legs

Learjet prices and flight times

Prices cover the whole jet one way with its crew and fuel; airport fees and passenger taxes are extra. Flight times include taxiing, climb and approach, and each route is flown without refuelling.

Short legs carry a large fixed share. London - Paris in a 45XR takes 0:56 h at EUR 4,500 per hour, but costs from EUR 8,500, because positioning, the minimum charge, crew and handling are added. On longer legs the hours count most: London - Nice in a Learjet 60 starts at EUR 13,000, and Larnaca - Geneva (3:47 h) at EUR 22,000.

Two types with the same hourly rate can still differ in price, as the fixed part depends on the operator and the base: Zurich - Cannes in a 35 starts at EUR 8,500, Frankfurt - Samedan in a 40XR at EUR 9,000 for a slightly shorter leg. The price is for the aircraft, so it does not change with the number of passengers.

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

What goes into the final quote:

• flight time at the hourly rate of the model
• positioning, often longer than for common types, as few Learjets of each model are based in Europe
• for a return several days later, either the crew's hotel and allowances or two empty positioning flights
• landing, parking and handling fees, highest at Nice, Geneva, Le Bourget and the London airports in summer
• passenger taxes in France, Italy, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands; every Learjet weighs more than 5.7 t, so UK departures pay the higher private-jet rate of Air Passenger Duty
• catering booked before the flight, and winter de-icing

How to pay less

• Ask for the 45XR and 75 together, or the 60 and 60XR: each pair has the same cabin and widens the choice.
• Accept an older model of the same size: a 40XR instead of a 70, or a 45XR instead of a 75.
• Fly out and back on the same day where crew duty time allows.
• A flexible departure time lets a jet that ends another trip close to you take your flight.
• Compare with a Phenom 300 or Cessna Citation CJ4 in the same request; on many routes one of them is based closer.

Empty Legs on Learjets appear less often than on the Phenom 300 or Citation XLS, since fewer aircraft fly in Europe. When they do, they can be 40-65 % below a normal charter.

Learjet against its rivals

Speed is the Learjet's strongest argument on paper, but the Embraer Phenom 300 cruises almost as fast and is far more common, so it is often based closer and needs less positioning. Where a Learjet is free nearby, it is a fast and well-proven choice; where it is not, we offer the rival in the same quote.

In practice the speed gain is a few minutes per hour of flight. London - Geneva takes 1:27 h in a Learjet 75 and 1:33 h in a Citation CJ3, and Paris - Nice 1:23 h in a 31 against 1:28 h in a Citation CJ2. The gap grows with distance, but on most European routes positioning and the hourly rate decide the price more than speed does.

Rules that affect the trip

How to book

Send us the following, and we come back with offers from operators that hold an Air Operator Certificate:

• route, date and preferred departure time
• number of passengers and bags, with skis and golf bags listed separately
• the model you prefer, or the minimum you need, such as a stand-up cabin or eight seats
• pets: species, weight and carrier
• special airports such as Samedan or Cannes-Mandelieu

The quote names the operator, the model and its year, positioning and taxes. Call +357 96407410 from 08:00 to 23:30, or write to private@jets.flights at any time.

Why book a Learjet through a broker

With production ended, each Learjet model is spread thinly across Europe, often one or two aircraft per operator. We search them all for your date and check whether the aircraft has a passenger cabin, how old its interior is and how far it must position.

When no Learjet is close, the same request returns a Phenom 300, Citation CJ4 or Citation XLS, so you compare real options instead of waiting for one type.

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

Questions about Learjet charter

• • Can you still charter a Learjet?

  • Yes. No new aircraft are built, but Bombardier supports those in service, and European operators fly the 45XR, 60, 60XR, 75 and a few older types.

• • How much does a Learjet cost per hour?

  • From EUR 2,600 for the 25, from EUR 3,200 for the 31, 35 and 40XR and from EUR 4,500 for the 45XR, 55, 60, 60XR, 70 and 75, for the whole aircraft with crew. London - Paris starts at EUR 8,500 one way in a 45XR.

• • Which Learjet has a stand-up cabin?

  • The 55, 60 and 60XR, at 1.75 m. The 40XR, 45XR, 70 and 75 are 1.50 m high, and the 25, 31 and 35 only 1.32 m.

• • How many passengers fit in a Learjet?

  • Six to eight in most models. The 45XR and 75 have eight seats in two club groups, the 40XR and 70 six, and the 60 usually seven.

• • How far can a Learjet fly without a stop?

  • We plan up to about 3,000 km for the 35, 70 and 75 and up to 3,400 km for the 60. In the table the 60XR flies Larnaca - Dubai and the 60 Larnaca - Geneva without a stop.

• • Can a Learjet land at Lugano, Saint-Tropez or Courchevel?

  • Saint-Tropez and Courchevel are too short for any Learjet, and Lugano for most types, so we plan Cannes-Mandelieu, Chambéry or Milan. Cannes-Mandelieu works for the 40XR, 45XR and 75, Sion for every modern type, and Samedan only with a trained crew.

• • Why does a Learjet need a longer runway?

  • The small wing that makes it fast needs more speed to lift off. At full weight the 60 needs about 1,800 m and the 45XR about 1,540 m, while a Citation CJ3 takes off in 969 m.

• • What happened to the Learjet 85?

  • It never entered service, so it cannot be chartered. Any listing that offers one is a mistake.

• • Is an old Learjet safe to fly?

  • Safety depends on maintenance under the operator's approved programme, not on age. We take only aircraft flown under an Air Operator Certificate, and the quote states the year of the aircraft.

• • Are there Empty Legs on Learjets?

  • Sometimes, less often than on the Phenom 300 or Citation XLS. They can be 40-65 % below a normal charter, with date and route fixed by the operator.