Embraer Phenom 300

Embraer calls the Phenom 300 the fastest single-pilot jet in production: the twin-engine light jet from Brazil cruises at up to 859 km/h. The manufacturer also describes it as the best-selling light jet for more than a decade, so European operators fly a large number of them and an aircraft based near the departure airport is easier to find than for rarer types.

The cabin is 1.50 m high and 1.55 m wide, with six standard seats and an enclosed toilet at the rear. From European hubs the jet suits trips of one to four hours:

• Zurich to Cannes-Mandelieu or Frankfurt to Samedan in about an hour
• London Farnborough to Nice in 1:53 h, Amsterdam to Palma in 2:24 h
• Hamburg to Malaga (3:25 h), London to Madeira (3:45 h) and Larnaca to Geneva (4:00 h) without a fuel stop

Cabin layout, toilet and catering

Next to the entrance there is a refreshment cabinet for snacks and drinks. The standard layout has six seats, four of them in a club arrangement facing each other in pairs, with fold-out tables for work or a meal. Denser layouts add a seventh seat or a two-seat divan, and a belted toilet can serve as an extra seat for take-off and landing, which gives up to nine passengers with two pilots.

Two versions fly in charter, with the same cabin dimensions:

• The original Phenom 300 cruises at up to about 839 km/h and has a range of 3,650 km
• The 300E has a redesigned interior with new seats and cabin controls for lighting and air conditioning; later aircraft add PW535E1 engines, autothrottle and up to 859 km/h

Baggage, skis and golf bags

The rest of the volume is split between smaller compartments at the front for coats, cabin bags and crew luggage. In total the Phenom 300 carries more than the Citation CJ3 (1.84 m³) and almost as much as some midsize jets.

• Four passengers: large suitcases plus skis in bags or golf bags
• Six people on a week away: one large suitcase and one cabin bag each
• Short legs such as Zurich - Cannes: weight is not an issue
• Hamburg - Malaga or Larnaca - Geneva with six on board: the operator checks the baggage weight and may ask you to travel lighter

The rear hold of the Phenom 300 cannot be reached in flight, so keep medicines, documents and chargers in the cabin.

Embraer Phenom 300 performance and airports

Embraer quotes the range for five occupants of 91 kg each, crew included, at economy cruise with NBAA IFR reserves and a 185 km alternate. With two pilots that means three passengers. With six in the cabin and their luggage the real figure is shorter, and winter headwinds take more off westbound legs to Portugal, Madeira or the Canary Islands.

At its maximum take-off weight of 8,415 kg and at sea level the aircraft needs 978 m of runway to take off and 674 m to land, so it can use airports close to resorts:

• Cannes-Mandelieu with a 1,539 m runway and a 35 t weight limit that sends heavy jets to Nice
• Lugano (1,414 m) with its steep approach, subject to the operator's procedures for the airport
• Sion (2,000 m) with a mountain approach
• Samedan near St. Moritz, a 1,799 m runway at about 1,700 m elevation: crews need special training, and on hot summer days the operator may limit the take-off weight
• Not Courchevel: the 537 m sloped altiport is too short for this jet and needs a special qualification

London City (1,508 m runway, 5.5 degree approach) accepts the Phenom 300 only from operators whose aircraft and crews are approved for the steep approach. If London City is the goal, say so in the request: we then look only at approved operators, and if none has a free aircraft on the date we suggest Farnborough, Biggin Hill or Luton.

European rules that matter for this jet

Phenom 300 routes from European hubs

The table lists thirty one-way routes from all thirteen hubs, from Nice - Olbia (0:59 h) to Larnaca - Geneva (4:00 h), all non-stop. It covers short hops to mountain and island airports, two-hour business and holiday legs and the longest sectors the jet flies without refuelling, including Madrid - Tenerife and London - Madeira.

Prices are for the whole aircraft one way with crew, before airport fees and passenger taxes. Flight times follow the great-circle distance plus taxi, climb and approach.

Up to two hours: Alps, Riviera, islands and capitals

Two to four hours: the Mediterranean, Iberia and the Atlantic islands

The calculator gives an indicative price for this or another light jet on the route you choose; the final figure depends on where the nearest free aircraft is based.

Phenom 300 charter price

The rate starts at EUR 3,500 per flight hour for the whole aircraft. On short European legs the total is well above the rate multiplied by flight time, because positioning, the operator's minimum charge and airport and handling fees weigh more on a one-hour trip. That is why Zurich - Cannes costs from EUR 10,500 for 1:06 h, while Hamburg - Malaga is from EUR 18,500 for 3:25 h.

On the longest legs the hourly share takes over: Paris - Lisbon (2:27 h) is from EUR 15,000 and Larnaca - Geneva (4:00 h) from EUR 21,000. The price does not change with the number of passengers, so six people share the same total.

London Farnborough - Nice priced for the whole aircraft and split between the passengers, before taxes and airport fees:

Ways to pay less

• Same-day return on short legs such as Paris - Geneva or Munich - Nice: no crew hotel and no second positioning flight
• A return after several days: compare the crew staying with two empty legs, the quote shows both where it makes a difference
• Flexible departure time: an aircraft finishing a trip nearby saves positioning
• Two or three passengers on a one-hour hop: a Phenom 100 or Citation M2 costs less per hour
• An older original Phenom 300 instead of a 300E, when one is available on the date

Shared Phenom 300 flights with strangers are rare and hard to plan, so we do not build quotes on them.

Empty Legs on this type

Many operators fly the Phenom 300 in Europe, so Empty Legs come up often, typically between Germany, Switzerland, the Riviera, the Balearics and Sardinia in summer and towards the Alps in winter. They can be 40-65 % below a standard charter, for example on a leg back from Nice or Palma to the aircraft's home base.

Similar jets to compare

Clients choosing a light jet usually weigh the Phenom 300 against the Citation CJ4 and Pilatus PC-24 of the same class, the taller cabin of the Citation XLS and the smaller Phenom 100.

Booking a flight

Put the following into the request:

• route, date and preferred departure time
• number of passengers and baggage, with skis, golf bags or bulky items listed separately
• pets: species, breed, weight and carrier
• special airports such as London City, Lugano, Samedan or Madeira, so that operator approvals are checked first

We check available aircraft with operators holding an AOC and send a quote with the operator, the version of the aircraft, positioning and taxes. Within Schengen there is no passport control, but the operator needs passport or ID details for every passenger; EU citizens flying to the UK need an ETA.

Embraer Phenom 300: questions and answers

• • How much does a Phenom 300 flight cost?

  • The rate starts at EUR 3,500 per flight hour. London Farnborough - Nice costs from EUR 13,000, Amsterdam - Palma from EUR 15,000 and Larnaca - Geneva from EUR 21,000 for the whole aircraft one way. Airport fees and passenger taxes come on top.

• • Why does a one-hour flight cost more than the hourly rate?

  • Every departure carries fixed costs: positioning of the aircraft, the operator's minimum charge and airport and handling fees. On Paris - Geneva (1:03 h) they make up most of the EUR 10,000; on a three-hour leg they matter much less.

• • What is added to the price in the table?

  • Airport and handling fees, passenger taxes of the departure country, catering and de-icing in winter. A Paris departure adds about EUR 420 per passenger in French tax within Europe, more on longer routes (about EUR 1,015 to places such as Turkey or the Gulf and EUR 2,100 beyond 5,500 km); a Milan departure EUR 100 per passenger up to 1,500 km. The quote lists every item.

• • How can I fly the Phenom 300 more cheaply?

  • Return the same day on short legs, keep the departure time flexible so that a Phenom 300 based nearby can fly, and ask for Empty Legs. For two or three passengers on a short hop the Phenom 100 is usually cheaper.

• • Are there Empty Legs on this jet?

  • Yes, often, because many European operators fly the Phenom 300. They can be 40-65 % below a normal charter, but the date and route are fixed and the leg can be cancelled. Send your route and dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.

• • How many passengers can travel?

  • Six in the standard seats. Aircraft with a divan, a seventh seat and a belted toilet take up to nine with two pilots, but then the cabin is full and there is less room for luggage. For three to four hours, four to six passengers is the comfortable number.

• • Is there a proper toilet?

  • Yes, an enclosed compartment at the rear with a door, not a curtain. On some aircraft it has a seat belt and is used as a seat for take-off and landing when every other seat is taken.

• • How far can the Phenom 300 fly without a stop?

  • Embraer quotes 3,723 km with five occupants including crew. The longest non-stop leg in the table is Larnaca - Geneva, 2,627 km in 4:00 h. Geneva - Dubai needs at least one fuel stop.

• • Can my dog fly with us, and will skis fit?

  • A dog flies in the cabin next to you once the operator has agreed; for the UK the flight must land at an airport that accepts animals. Skis and golf bags fit in the 1.9 m³ rear hold of the Phenom 300 with four or five passengers.

• • Can it land at London City or Courchevel?

  • London City yes, but only with an operator approved for the steep approach. Courchevel no: the sloped altiport runway is only 537 m long. For the French ski resorts the jet lands at Chambéry or Geneva.