Gulfstream G200

Israel Aircraft Industries designed the Gulfstream G200 as the Galaxy, and Gulfstream sold it under its own name after taking over the programme. The wing comes from the smaller Astra, but the fuselage is new and much wider: the cabin is 1.91 m high and 2.18 m wide, so most adults stand upright. Two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306A engines give a top cruise speed of 870 km/h.

Cabin: three layouts, galley and toilet

The G200 cabin is 7.44 m long, 1.91 m high and 2.18 m wide. Its height comes from a dropped aisle along the floor.

The design studio Henry Dreyfuss Associates drew three layouts. Charter aircraft almost always have eight seats, less often nine or ten:

• The galley by the door has a microwave, coffee maker, sink and ice drawer: enough for breakfast and heated dishes.
• The toilet at the rear has a rigid sliding door, with the baggage hold behind it.
• A flight attendant and satellite Wi-Fi depend on the aircraft; where fitted, the internet is usually an older system.

Baggage: 4.25 m³ inside the cabin

The hold of the G200 is part of the pressurised cabin, so a change of clothes or a laptop can be fetched at any time. Six people take large suitcases, four leave room for skis and golf bags, and with eight on board plan one medium case each.

Engines, range and runways

Each PW306A gives 26.9 kN of thrust, and the usual cruise is about 850 km/h. Gulfstream quoted 6,297 km with four passengers at Mach 0.75; with eight on board and NBAA IFR reserves the figure is about 5,037 km.

The long take-off run is the weak side of the G200:

• Cannes-Mandelieu (1,539 m): landing is fine, but the jet leaves with less fuel, so send both legs if you fly straight on.
• Sion (2,000 m) and Samedan: a crew trained for the mountain approach and a weight set for the day, lower still at Samedan, about 1,700 m above sea level.
• Lugano (1,414 m, steep approach): rarely an option, Milan Linate is the usual choice.
• London City: no, the type lacks the steep-approach approval; London flights use Farnborough, Luton or Biggin Hill.
• Courchevel: the 537 m sloped altiport is too short and needs a special qualification, so the jet lands at Chambéry or Geneva.

Flying an older super-midsize in Europe

G200 flights from European hubs

Prices are for the whole aircraft one way with crew, before airport fees and passenger taxes. Flight time is the shortest route plus taxi, climb and approach.

Up to 2 hours: the Alps, Riviera and Balearics

2 to 4 hours: islands, Morocco and Cyprus to the Gulf

Over 4 hours: the Canaries and the Gulf non-stop

• The G200 flies every route in the table without a fuel stop, including Frankfurt to Tenerife (4:33 h) with a full cabin.
• Dubai from Geneva (6:40 h) or Milan (6:20 h) works non-stop with four to six people. With a full cabin or a headwind the operator may plan a stop, and the routing depends on which airspace is open.
• Mykonos gives private aircraft about 40 minutes of parking in summer, so the jet waits on another island.
• New York needs a fuel stop, usually in Iceland or Canada.

Enter departure, destination and the number of passengers: the calculator gives an indicative price for the G200 and for other classes suited to the distance.

What a Gulfstream G200 charter costs

The rate starts at EUR 6,300 per flight hour for the whole aircraft with two pilots and fuel. A short leg costs more than the rate times the flight time: London Farnborough to Geneva takes 1:27 h and starts at EUR 14,000, because the price also covers the operator's minimum charge and the positioning flights to and from the jet's base.

On long sectors these fixed costs weigh less per hour. Geneva to Mykonos (2:50 h) starts at EUR 23,000, Zurich to Tenerife (4:20 h) at EUR 32,000 and Geneva to Dubai (6:40 h) at EUR 46,000. The hourly rate is below the G280 and the Challenger 350, as the aircraft are older, but positioning from a distant base can eat up that saving.

The price is for the aircraft, so on London Farnborough - Nice the share per person falls with each seat taken:

How to pay less

• Return the same day if the crew's duty time allows: no hotel and no second positioning.
• Let us compare the G200 with a G280 or Challenger based closer to you; a higher hourly rate can still give a lower total.
• Give a window of departure times, so the operator can link your flight with another trip.
• For three or four people on a leg under two hours, a midsize jet is usually cheaper.

Empty Legs on this type

With few G200s in Europe, empty legs on this type are not frequent. They appear mostly when the jet returns to base after a one-way trip to the Gulf, Israel, the Canaries or the Greek islands. Such a leg can cost 30-60% less than a regular charter, but the date and route are fixed, and the operator can cancel it if the aircraft gets a full charter.

Send your route and a range of dates to empty-legs@jets.flights or through the Empty Legs page, and we add G280 and Challenger legs to the search.

G200, G280 or a Challenger

The G200 is compared most often with its successor and the Challengers.

How to book the aircraft

Tell us in the request:

• route, date and departure time;
• number of passengers and baggage, especially skis and golf bags;
• a dog or cat travelling with you, with breed and weight;
• if you prefer the conference table or a divan that converts into a bed.

We check free G200s with operators holding an Air Operator Certificate and compare them with jets based closer to you. We always try to get the layout you ask for, but each case depends on the aircraft and the operator's contract.

Questions about the Gulfstream G200

• • How much does a Gulfstream G200 flight cost?

  • From EUR 6,300 per flight hour. London Farnborough to Nice starts at EUR 16,500, Amsterdam to Marrakesh at EUR 28,000 and Milan Linate to Dubai at EUR 44,000, for the whole aircraft one way. Airport fees and passenger taxes are added.

• • What makes up the price?

  • Flight time, positioning from the jet's base, the crew's hotel on trips of several days, airport fees, passenger taxes, catering and, in winter, de-icing.

• • How can I fly the G200 for less?

  • Return the same day where duty time allows, give flexible times and let us quote the nearest G280 or Challenger too: on short legs positioning often outweighs the difference in hourly rate.

• • Are there Empty Legs on this type?

  • Occasionally, mostly on returns from the Gulf, Israel or the Canaries. A matching leg can be 30-60% cheaper, but the date is fixed and it can be cancelled.

• • How many passengers fit?

  • Usually eight, ten with a divan. For a night flight four is more realistic, so two can lie down.

• • Is there a toilet and can we reach the bags?

  • Yes to both. The enclosed toilet is at the rear, and the 4.25 m³ hold behind it is inside the pressurised cabin, open throughout the flight.

• • How far does it fly without a stop?

  • Gulfstream quoted 6,297 km with four passengers, about 5,037 km with eight. That covers Europe, Morocco, the Canaries, Israel and, with a smaller group, Dubai. New York needs a fuel stop.

• • Can I bring my dog?

  • Yes, in the cabin next to you once the operator knows the breed, weight and carrier. The EU requires a microchip, a rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel and a pet passport; the UK, Ireland, Malta, Finland and Norway also require tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before entry.

• • Can the G200 land at Cannes or London City?

  • Cannes-Mandelieu yes, but its 1,539 m runway is shorter than the 1,854 m needed at full weight, so the jet leaves with less fuel. London City no, as the type has no steep-approach approval.