Embraer Legacy 500

The Embraer Legacy 500 is the larger of Embraer's two midsize jets with a flat floor. Its cabin is 8.38 m long, 1.83 m high and 2.08 m wide, and the usual layout has eight seats in two club groups of four. Fly-by-wire controls with sidesticks and two pilots in the cockpit are standard.

Two club groups, flat beds and a full galley

On most Legacy 500s the eight seats form two groups of four, one behind the other. With four or five people on board, the front group serves for work or a meal at the tables and the rear one for rest. In some cabins the rear group is replaced by two chairs and a three-seat divan, which takes the count above eight.

With eight on board and more than three hours in the air a flight attendant is worth booking; the operator provides one on request, usually at extra cost, if the aircraft has a crew seat. Wi-Fi is either Ka-band satellite or Gogo, which works only over North America, so over Europe it depends on the aircraft.

Baggage, skis and golf bags

In the Legacy 500 most of the volume is the external hold at the rear of the fuselage. A smaller compartment behind the toilet is pressurised and can be reached in flight. The external hold is heated only on some aircraft, so wine and medicines go in the internal compartment.

• Eight people: one large suitcase and a cabin bag each
• Four or five people: skis, snowboards or golf bags for everyone as well
• Bicycles and large instrument cases: send the dimensions before booking
• A full cabin to Tenerife, Cairo or the Gulf: the operator checks the total weight of people and baggage

Legacy 500 range, speed and airports

Two Honeywell HTF7500E engines power the Legacy 500, and Embraer quotes its range with four passengers and NBAA IFR reserves.

At maximum weight the Legacy 500 needs 1,245 m for take-off and 644 m for landing:

• Cannes-Mandelieu (1,539 m) is usable; Lugano (1,414 m, steep approach) needs an operator and crew approved for its procedures, and the take-off there can be limited by weight
• Sion and Samedan with a crew trained for the airport, and at Samedan instrument approaches only in daylight
• Courchevel no: the 537 m sloped altiport is too short for the type and needs a special qualification, so the jet lands in Chambéry or Geneva

The Legacy 500 is approved for the 5.5 degree steep approach that London City requires. The airport also needs approval of the specific aircraft and a trained crew, so mention London City in your request and we search only among approved aircraft; otherwise we propose Farnborough or Biggin Hill.

Practical rules in Europe

Legacy 500 routes and prices from European hubs

Thirty-one one-way Legacy 500 flights from all thirteen hubs, from Paris - Nice (1:22 h) to Milan - Doha (5:58 h), every one without a stop. The table leans towards legs of two hours and more, where two club groups make a difference for six to eight people.

Prices are for the whole aircraft one way with crew, before airport fees and passenger taxes. Flight times follow the great-circle distance with taxi, climb and approach added, at the type's planning speed.

Under two hours: Riviera, Alps and business cities

Two to four hours: Iberia, the Aegean and North Africa

Four hours and more: the Canaries, Cairo and the Gulf

Enter the route and the number of passengers, and the calculator gives an indicative price for the Legacy 500 or a similar midsize jet.

What a Legacy 500 charter costs

The Legacy 500 rate starts at EUR 5,000 per flight hour for the whole aircraft, with two pilots and fuel. One-hour legs carry fixed costs: Frankfurt - Nice takes 1:24 h and costs from EUR 14,000, while rate times time would be about half of that, because positioning, the minimum charge and handling come on top.

Paris Le Bourget - Marrakesh for the whole aircraft, and what it means per person before taxes and airport fees:

Ways to lower the price

• Request the Legacy 500 and Praetor 600 together: same cabin, more aircraft to choose from
• Give a time window instead of a fixed hour, so the flight can link to the aircraft's previous trip
• Fly back the same day when the crew's duty time allows, which avoids a hotel and a second positioning
• For six or seven people, ask for the shorter Legacy 450 too; for four, a light jet on legs under two hours

For a return after several days, we compare two one-way prices with a quote where the jet waits. Seat-by-seat sharing on this type is rare; an Empty Leg is the realistic way to a large discount.

Empty Legs with the Legacy 500

The Legacy 500 has fewer Empty Legs than the Challenger 350, simply because fewer aircraft fly in Europe. They show up mostly on positioning flights between Switzerland, the Riviera, the Balearics and the Canary Islands, and on returns from the Gulf and Cyprus, at prices that can be 30-60% below a normal charter.

Similar jets

Clients choosing the Legacy 500 most often compare it with the shorter Legacy 450, the Challenger 350 and the Citation Longitude, and for bigger groups with the Legacy 600.

Booking a flight

For a quote we need:

• route, date and departure time
• number of passengers, baggage, sports equipment and pets
• beds, a hot meal, a flight attendant or Wi-Fi if they matter, as they differ from aircraft to aircraft

We ask operators holding an AOC for free Legacy 500 aircraft and send a quote with the aircraft's layout and the price including positioning. The operator needs every passenger's passport or ID even within Schengen, and EU citizens flying to the UK need an ETA.

Embraer Legacy 500: questions and answers

• • How much does a Legacy 500 flight cost?

  • From EUR 5,000 per flight hour. In the table London Farnborough - Nice costs from EUR 16,000, Munich - Lisbon from EUR 22,000 and Amsterdam - Tenerife from EUR 29,000 for the whole aircraft one way, before airport fees and passenger taxes.

• • What makes up the price?

  • Flight time at the hourly rate, positioning of the aircraft, crew costs for overnight stays, airport and handling fees, and passenger taxes that depend on the departure country, such as about EUR 420 per passenger in France on a European route, more on a longer one (about EUR 1,015 at intermediate distances and EUR 2,100 beyond 5,500 km). Catering, de-icing and a flight attendant are extras.

• • What does a full cabin pay per person?

  • The price is per aircraft. Paris - Marrakesh from EUR 23,000 shared by eight passengers comes to about EUR 2,900 each before taxes and fees.

• • How can I fly the Legacy 500 for less?

  • Ask for the Praetor 600 and Legacy 450 at the same time, keep the departure time flexible and return the same day where the crew's hours allow. With open dates, an Empty Leg gives the biggest saving.

• • Are there Empty Legs on the Legacy 500?

  • Occasionally, mostly between Switzerland, the Riviera, the Balearics, the Canary Islands and on returns from the Gulf. They can be 30-60% below a normal charter, but the date and route are fixed and the leg can be cancelled.

• • How many passengers fit?

  • A typical Legacy 500 has eight seats in two club groups. With a divan and a belted toilet up to twelve, but then legroom and baggage space shrink. For a night flight six is the most comfortable.

• • Can we sleep on board?

  • Yes. The chairs recline flat and two of them join into a bed, usually four beds in total. The number depends on the layout, so for a night flight we ask the operator for the cabin plan.

• • What is the difference between the Legacy 500 and the Praetor 600?

  • The cabin is the same. The Praetor 600 is the successor, with larger tanks and winglets that add range.

• • Can we bring skis and golf bags?

  • Yes. With four or five passengers there is room for suitcases and equipment for the whole group in the 4.39 m³. Give the number of skis and golf bags, and the operator confirms before booking.

• • Can the Legacy 500 land at London City?

  • The type is approved for the 5.5 degree steep approach, but the airport requires approval of the specific aircraft and crew. If the free aircraft does not have it, we fly to Farnborough, Biggin Hill or Luton.