HondaJet HA-420

The HondaJet HA-420 is a twin-engine very light jet built by Honda Aircraft Company. It is easy to recognise: the two GE Honda HF120 engines sit on pylons above the wings instead of on the rear fuselage. That leaves more room inside the fuselage for the cabin and the baggage hold. The typical layout has four club seats and a side seat, and four people travel most comfortably.

From European hubs the HondaJet works best for two to four passengers on legs of one to three hours:

• a day trip such as Paris - Geneva (1:05 h) or London Farnborough - Geneva (1:35 h)
• summer weekends from London to Nice (1:59 h) or from Paris to Palma (2:00 h)
• longer legs such as London - Malaga (2:51 h) or Munich - Lisbon (3:20 h), beyond the practical range of the Phenom 100

Cabin, seats and toilet

Honda gives the cabin as 5.43 m long, 1.52 m wide and 1.47 m high. Behind the cockpit four club seats face each other in pairs, and on newer aircraft they swivel and slide. In the typical layout a side seat by the door is added.

The HondaJet seats do not convert into beds, and Wi-Fi depends on the aircraft and the operator. With five or six on board the cabin gets tight, so for more than two hours four passengers is the right number.

Baggage: a large tail hold for the class

The tail hold of the HondaJet is large for an aircraft of this size because the engines do not take up the rear fuselage. Both holds are loaded from outside, so medicines, documents and chargers go into the cabin.

• Four passengers: a medium suitcase and a cabin bag each
• Two or three passengers: large suitcases as well
• Skis and golf bags: give the number and length, because the length of the hold decides what fits
• Five or six on board with luggage: the operator may load less fuel and plan a short stop on the longest legs, such as London - Malaga

HondaJet versions, speed and runways

Four versions fly under the HA-420 type designation, all with the same cabin. In charter you fly the one the operator has, and the quote names it:

Honda quotes the range with NBAA IFR reserves, including fuel for an alternate airport, and with four people on board including the pilot. The HondaJet is approved for a single pilot, but many operators fly it with two, which leaves two passengers within the published figure. At maximum weight and sea level it takes off in 1,128 m and lands in 829 m; older aircraft need a little more runway.

Airports to keep in mind:

• Cannes-Mandelieu with its 1,539 m runway is within the jet's figures
• Samedan, about 1,700 m above sea level, only with a crew trained for the airport and a reduced take-off weight on warm days
• Not Courchevel: the 537 m altiport is too short, so the jet lands at Chambéry or Geneva
• London City: EASA approved steep approaches for the Elite, but each operator and crew also needs approval for the airport, so we usually plan Farnborough, Luton or Biggin Hill and check London City on request

European details for a jet under 5.7 t

HondaJet routes from European hubs

The table lists thirty one-way flights from all thirteen hubs, from Nice - Calvi (0:45 h) to Munich - Lisbon (3:20 h), all non-stop. Most are one- to two-hour hops; the longer rows show where the Elite II reaches further than other very light jets.

Prices are for the whole aircraft one way with crew, without airport fees and passenger taxes. Flight time is the great-circle distance plus taxi, climb and approach.

Up to two hours: business cities, ski airports and islands

Two hours and more: Iberia, Greece, the Balearics and Morocco

The calculator shows an indicative price for the HondaJet or another very light jet on the route you choose.

HondaJet charter price

The rate starts at EUR 2,600 per flight hour for the whole aircraft with crew and fuel. On short legs the hour costs more: Paris - Geneva takes 1:05 h and costs from EUR 8,500, because positioning, the operator's minimum charge and airport handling weigh the same on a one-hour trip as on a three-hour one. London - Nice (1:59 h) is from EUR 11,000, Paris - Lisbon (2:35 h) from EUR 12,500 and Munich - Lisbon (3:20 h) from EUR 14,500.

You pay for the aircraft, not per seat, so the price per person is lowest with four on board.

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

Ways to pay less

• Out and back on the same day avoids the crew hotel on short trips such as Paris - Geneva or Milan - Paris
• A flexible departure time lets an aircraft that finishes a trip nearby take the flight
• On hops of up to two hours the Phenom 100 and Citation M2 have the same hourly rate, so asking for all three increases the choice
• An original HondaJet can cost less than an Elite II where its range is enough for the route

Splitting a flight with strangers is rarely possible in this class; an Empty Leg is the more realistic way to save.

Empty Legs on the HondaJet

Fewer HondaJets than Phenoms or Citations are based in Europe, so Empty Legs on this type appear now and then rather than every week. They are usually short legs between business cities, the Alps and the Mediterranean, and can be 40-65 % cheaper than a normal charter.

Similar jets to compare

Clients considering the HondaJet usually compare it with two rivals of the same class, the Citation M2 and the Phenom 100, and with the larger Citation CJ3.

Booking a flight

For a quote we need:

• route, date and preferred departure time, and if you return the same day
• number of passengers and baggage, with skis, golf bags and pets listed separately
• airports with special rules such as Samedan or London City, so that we ask only approved operators

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

HondaJet HA-420: questions and answers

• • How much does a HondaJet flight cost?

  • From EUR 2,600 per flight hour for the whole aircraft. In the table London Farnborough - Geneva costs from EUR 9,500, London - Nice from EUR 11,000 and Paris - Lisbon from EUR 12,500 one way. Airport fees and passenger taxes are added.

• • What makes up the price?

  • Flight time with fuel and crew, positioning of the aircraft, airport and handling fees and passenger taxes of the departure country, for example about EUR 420 per passenger in France on a European route, more on a longer one (about EUR 1,015 to places such as Turkey or the Gulf and EUR 2,100 beyond 5,500 km). Catering, de-icing and crew hotels for a later return are listed separately in the quote.

• • How can I fly a HondaJet more cheaply?

  • Return the same day on short trips, keep the departure time flexible and let us check the Phenom 100 and Citation M2 at the same rate. With flexible dates an Empty Leg gives the biggest saving.

• • Are there Empty Legs on the HondaJet?

  • Occasionally, because fewer of them are based in Europe than Phenoms or Citations. When one fits, it can be 40-65 % 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?

  • Four sit best in the club seats. The fifth seat is the side seat, and on Elite versions the belted toilet seat is a sixth place. For more than four people on a trip of over two hours, a larger light jet is better.

• • Is there a toilet on board?

  • Yes, at the rear in its own compartment with a solid door. On Elite versions one person can sit there with a belt for take-off and landing when all seats are taken.

• • How far does the HondaJet fly without a stop?

  • According to Honda the Elite II reaches 2,865 km with four on board, the Elite 2,661 km and the original 2,265 km. The longest row in the table, Munich - Lisbon (1,984 km), needs an Elite or Elite II and normal baggage.

• • Will skis or golf bags fit?

  • Usually yes, in limited numbers. The tail hold is 1.50 m³, large for the class. Give the number and length of the bags, and the operator confirms that they fit with the suitcases.

• • Can I bring my dog?

  • Usually a small dog can travel in the cabin once the operator has approved it. In the EU it needs a microchip, a pet passport and a valid rabies vaccination; Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway and the UK also require tapeworm treatment before entry.

• • What is Emergency Autoland?

  • A Garmin system available on the Elite II. If the pilot becomes incapacitated, it flies the aircraft to the nearest suitable airport and lands there.