Learjet 40XR

The Learjet 40XR uses the fuselage of the Learjet 45, shortened by about 0.6 m. Four club seats face each other at the front, two more sit further back, and a belted seat in the toilet can take a seventh passenger. The cabin is 5.38 m long and 1.50 m high, with a flat floor. Bombardier replaced the type with the Learjet 70, which has a newer cockpit and stronger engines.

From European hubs the Learjet 40XR suits trips of one to four hours:

• London Farnborough to Geneva in 1:27 h, Frankfurt to Samedan in 1:00 h
• Paris to Nice or Munich to Palma with a full cabin
• Geneva to Reykjavik (3:50 h) with four or five on board

Learjet 40XR cabin: six seats and a rear toilet

The cabin is 5.38 m long, 1.50 m high and 1.55 m wide, about 10.3 m³ in all. You stand with your head bent, but seated there is room above your head. The club seats have fold-out tables; all seats recline but do not become beds.

Older Learjet 40s without the XR suffix also fly in charter, with the same cabin. The Learjet 40XR has TFE731-20BR engines that keep full thrust at higher temperatures and a higher take-off weight, so it takes off shorter and climbs faster on hot days.

Baggage and payload

The main hold of the Learjet 40XR opens from outside and cannot be reached in flight, so keep medicines, documents and chargers in the cabin.

• Four passengers: large suitcases, with room for skis or two or three golf bags beside them.
• Six passengers: a medium suitcase and a hand bag each.
• Malaga, Lisbon or Reykjavik: the operator checks the weight and may ask for lighter bags or plan a fuel stop.

Performance and airports

With every seat taken, economy cruise and NBAA IFR reserves for an alternate 370 km away, the Learjet 40XR covers about 3,290 km; westbound, against the prevailing wind, less. Landing at maximum landing weight takes about 720 m.

In standard conditions at sea level the runway need opens these airports:

• Cannes-Mandelieu with 1,539 m, though on hot days the operator may limit the weight.
• Sion, 2,000 m with a mountain approach.
• Samedan, only with a crew holding the mandatory airport training and with a lower take-off weight at about 1,700 m elevation.
• Not Courchevel: the 537 m sloped altiport is far too short, so the jet lands at Chambéry or Geneva.

Good to know before flying in Europe

Learjet 40XR routes from European hubs

One-way prices for the whole aircraft with crew, before airport fees and passenger taxes. Flight time is the great-circle distance at 790 km/h plus half an hour for taxi, climb and approach.

Under 2 hours: business cities and the Alps

From 2 to 4 hours: islands, Iberia and the North Atlantic

Mykonos allows about 40 minutes of parking in summer, so the jet leaves until your return.

The calculator shows an indicative price for this model or another light jet on your route.

Learjet 40XR charter prices

The rate starts at EUR 3,200 per flight hour for the whole aircraft, with two pilots and fuel, whatever the number of passengers. A one-hour trip costs well above that rate: Frankfurt to Samedan (1:00 h) starts at EUR 9,000, as the quote includes the operator's minimum charge, positioning and the fixed time for taxi, climb and approach.

The longer the leg, the closer the total comes to rate times hours. London Farnborough to Ibiza (2:16 h) starts at EUR 13,000, and Geneva to Reykjavik (3:50 h) at EUR 18,000.

Shared by the group, London Farnborough - Ibiza costs per person:

How to lower the price

• Return on the same day when the crew's duty time allows: no hotel and no second positioning.
• Let us compare a Phenom 300 or Citation CJ3 based nearer: a shorter positioning can outweigh a higher hourly rate.
• Give a departure window rather than a fixed hour.
• For several days away, compare two one-way trips with a quote where the aircraft waits.
• Accept a Learjet 40 without the XR suffix: the cabin is the same.

Empty Legs on this type

Fewer aircraft of this type were built than of other light jets, so Empty Legs on the Learjet 40XR are not frequent. Most appear on summer returns from the Riviera, the Balearics and the Greek islands, or winter returns from the Alps, at 30-60% below a regular charter. Date and route are fixed, and the operator may withdraw the leg if the aircraft gets a full charter.

Send the route and a window of dates to empty-legs@jets.flights or via the Empty Legs page. We search legs of the Learjet 45XR and other light jets at the same time.

Similar aircraft

Clients most often compare the Learjet 40XR with two Learjets of the same family and with the Phenom 300 and Citation CJ3, which are easier to find in Europe.

Booking the flight

Put into the request:

• route, date and preferred time;
• passengers and baggage, with skis and golf bags;
• pets, with breed, weight and carrier;
• airports with special rules, such as Samedan.

We check free Learjet 40 and Learjet 40XR aircraft with operators holding an AOC and, if none is close, add a jet of the same class. We always try to offer a choice, but each case depends on the operator's schedule and contract. EU citizens flying to the UK need an ETA, and within Schengen the operator still needs passport or ID details.

Learjet 40XR: questions and answers

• • How much does a Learjet 40XR flight cost?

  • From EUR 3,200 per flight hour for the whole aircraft. Paris to Nice costs from EUR 10,500, Munich to Palma from EUR 12,500 and Amsterdam to Lisbon from EUR 15,000 one way, before airport fees and passenger taxes.

• • What does the price consist of?

  • Flight hours at the rate, positioning, the crew's hotel on overnight trips, airport fees, passenger taxes, catering and winter de-icing.

• • How can I fly cheaper?

  • Return the same day, keep the departure time flexible, and allow us to quote a light jet based closer to your airport.

• • Are there Empty Legs on the Learjet 40XR?

  • Occasionally, mostly on returns from the Mediterranean in summer and from the Alps in winter. They can be 30-60% cheaper, but on the operator's date and route.

• • How many passengers fit in a Learjet 40XR?

  • Six in the seats, and a seventh on the belted toilet seat. Beyond three hours plan four or five, as with full tanks the payload covers about that.

• • Is there a toilet on board?

  • Yes, at the rear, with a belted seat used for take-off and landing when the cabin is full. A door or curtain and a washbasin depend on the aircraft.

• • How far can it fly without a stop?

  • Up to about 3,630 km, and about 3,290 km with every seat taken. The Canary Islands from northern Europe need a stop.

• • Can we take skis and golf bags?

  • Yes, in the tail hold: with four passengers skis or two or three golf bags fit next to the suitcases. With a full cabin the operator confirms.

• • Can my dog come along?

  • Usually, in the cabin, once the operator agrees. Within the EU it needs a microchip, a pet passport and a rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel; the UK, Ireland, Malta, Finland and Norway also require tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before entry.

• • Can the Learjet 40XR land at Cannes or Samedan?

  • At Cannes-Mandelieu yes, the runway is 1,539 m. At Samedan only with a trained crew and a lower take-off weight. The Courchevel altiport is too short.