Cessna Citation Sovereign

The Cessna Citation Sovereign takes the cabin cross-section of the Citation Excel and XLS and stretches it to 7.70 m, which Textron called the longest cabin in its class for the Sovereign+. That length fits two club groups of four seats and a side seat by the door, so a family can eat at one table while colleagues work at the other.

Cabin layout, galley and toilet

The cabin of the Citation Sovereign is 1.73 m high in the aisle and 1.68 m wide, the same cross-section as the shorter Citation XLS. Tables fold out from the sidewalls between the facing seats, and the seats swivel, slide and recline but do not form beds. With nine on board every seat is taken; with six, three remain free for bags and coats.

• A microwave is optional, so catering is usually ordered as cold dishes
• A flight attendant is not standard; some operators add one on request, depending on the aircraft
• Some aircraft carry an internet system that works only over North America, so over Europe Wi-Fi depends on the aircraft

Baggage, skis and pets

The main hold of the Citation Sovereign sits behind the rear cabin wall and is loaded from outside, so it cannot be reached in flight. The rest of the volume is lockers and wardrobes in the cabin, where medicines, documents and chargers belong.

• Eight people: a large suitcase and a cabin bag each, and usually two or three pairs of skis or golf bags
• Four people: room for far more sports gear
• Tell us the number of skis and golf bags, and the operator checks them for the specific aircraft

On the longest legs weight, not space, sets the limit for the Citation Sovereign. For Frankfurt - Tenerife or London - Larnaca four to six passengers are the safe plan; on legs to the Alps or Spain weight does not matter.

Two versions, performance and airports

Operators fly two versions with the same cabin:

Textron quotes the range of the Citation Sovereign without a passenger count, so our table plans shorter non-stop legs with reserves for headwinds and detours. Two pilots always fly.

Runway figures apply at sea level and standard temperature:

• Cannes-Mandelieu (1,539 m): within limits, and the jet is well under the 35 t weight limit
• London City and Lugano: the Sovereign+ is certified by FAA and EASA for the steep approach, but the operator also needs approval for the airport; the original version lands at Luton or Farnborough
• Samedan and Sion: the crew needs training for the mountain approach, and the weather on the day sets the take-off weight
• Courchevel: the 537 m sloped altiport is too short for this jet and needs a special qualification

Rules and airports that matter in Europe

Citation Sovereign routes from European hubs

Thirty-one one-way routes from all thirteen hubs, from Munich - Samedan (0:49 h) to London - Larnaca (4:40 h), all non-stop, including London City, Lugano and Cannes for the short-runway strengths of the type. Prices cover the whole aircraft with crew, before airport fees and passenger taxes; flight times follow the great-circle distance plus taxi, climb and approach.

Up to two hours: short runways, the Alps and the Riviera

Two to four hours: Greece, Iberia, Morocco and the Gulf

Over four hours: the Canaries and the eastern Mediterranean

• Up to London - Madeira (3:35 h): non-stop with a full cabin and normal bags
• Geneva - Tenerife, Frankfurt - Tenerife and London - Larnaca: non-stop with up to six passengers; with nine on board and heavy luggage the operator may plan a fuel stop
• The Gulf from central Europe is at the edge of the range and depends on load and wind, and New York always needs a stop

On a short hop such as Paris - London City with two or three passengers, a light jet usually costs less than the Citation Sovereign.

The calculator gives an indicative price for the Citation Sovereign or another midsize jet on your route; the final figure depends on where the nearest free aircraft is based.

What a Citation Sovereign flight costs

The rate starts at EUR 5,000 per flight hour for the whole aircraft with two pilots and fuel. On short legs the total is well above the rate times the flight time, because positioning, the operator's minimum charge and handling weigh more on a one-hour trip: Paris - London City (0:55 h) starts at EUR 11,500 and Zurich - Cannes (1:04 h) at EUR 12,000.

On longer legs the flight hours dominate: London - Nice (1:49 h) is from EUR 16,000, Munich - Lisbon (3:01 h) from EUR 22,000 and Frankfurt - Tenerife (4:36 h) from EUR 29,000. A Citation Sovereign costs the same for two or nine passengers, so a full cabin brings the cost per person down sharply.

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

How to fly for less

• Same-day return on short legs such as Zurich - Cannes: no crew hotel and no second positioning
• For a return after several days, ask for the crew waiting and for two separate one-way trips
• Keep the departure time flexible, so an aircraft finishing a trip nearby can fly you
• Four or five passengers on a leg under three hours: a Citation XLS has a lower hourly rate
• A large group: one Citation Sovereign usually costs less than two smaller jets, and everyone flies together

Empty Legs on this type

Many European operators fly the Citation Sovereign, so Empty Legs appear fairly often, especially in summer between northern Italy, the Riviera, Switzerland and the islands, and in winter towards the Alps. They can be 30-60% below a standard charter.

Citation Sovereign or another Cessna

Clients choosing a Citation Sovereign usually compare it with the shorter Citation XLS, the newer Citation Latitude with a wider cabin and the faster Citation X.

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 a pet listed separately
• London City, Lugano, Samedan or Madeira, so that approvals are checked first

We check free aircraft with operators holding an AOC and send a quote with the operator, the version and year 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.

Cessna Citation Sovereign: questions and answers

• • How much does a Citation Sovereign flight cost?

  • The rate starts at EUR 5,000 per flight hour. London Farnborough - Nice costs from EUR 16,000, Paris - Athens from EUR 23,000 and London - Larnaca from EUR 29,000 for the whole aircraft one way. Airport fees and passenger taxes come on top.

• • Why is a one-hour flight so expensive?

  • Positioning, the operator's minimum charge and handling are paid on every departure. On Paris - London City (0:55 h) they make up most of the EUR 11,500; on a three-hour leg they weigh far less.

• • What is added to the table price?

  • Airport and handling fees, passenger taxes of the departure country, catering and de-icing in winter. A departure from Nice adds about EUR 420 per passenger 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); one from Milan EUR 100 per passenger up to 1,500 km.

• • How can I fly the Citation Sovereign more cheaply?

  • Return the same day on short legs, keep the time flexible and ask for Empty Legs. With nine passengers the cost per person is already low; with four on a short leg a Citation XLS has a lower hourly rate.

• • Are there Empty Legs on the Citation Sovereign?

  • Yes, fairly often, because many European operators fly the type. They can be 30-60% below a normal charter, with a fixed date and route. Send your route and dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.

• • How many passengers can fly?

  • Usually nine: eight in two club groups and one in the side seat. Eight travel most comfortably, and on legs from central Europe to the Canary Islands six is the safe number so that full fuel and bags fit.

• • Is there a toilet and a galley?

  • The toilet is at the rear with a wardrobe. By the door there is a refreshment centre with ice, coffee and hot water; hot meals only where a microwave is fitted.

• • Can the Citation Sovereign land at London City?

  • The Sovereign+ is certified for the steep approach, and the operator must also hold approval for the airport, so we look for a specific aircraft. The original version usually lands at Luton or Farnborough.

• • Will skis and our dog come along?

  • With eight passengers, usually two or three pairs of skis fit in the hold; with four, far more. A dog flies in the cabin next to you once the operator has agreed.