Heavy Jet Charter — Cabin Class + Popular Aircraft
Heavy jets are the workhorses of transatlantic + transcontinental luxury private aviation — 12-14 passenger cabins with true stand-up-tall + walk-around dimensions, 4,500-6,700 nm range, 490-510 knot cruise. Best-sellers: Gulfstream G450 + G550 (the market-standard heavy jets — G550 does 6,750 nm), Bombardier Global 5000 + 6000 (competes with G550), Dassault Falcon 900LX (three-engine safety), Embraer Legacy 650 (cheaper heavy entry-point). Empty legs 30-45% off. Dominant on Atlantic + Middle East routes: NYC ↔ London, London ↔ Dubai, US ↔ Europe transatlantic.
Specifications
Passengers
12-14
Range
4,500-6,750 nm (~10-12h)
Cruise speed
490-510 kts
Cabin height
6'1" – 6'2"
Cabin width
7'4" – 8'2"
Cabin length
28'6" – 45'0"
Empty leg discount
30-45% off charter rates
Popular aircraft in this class
| Aircraft | Manufacturer | Seats | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfstream G450 | Gulfstream | 14 | 4,350 nm | Long-serving heavy jet. Popular corporate charter workhorse. Being phased out slowly. |
| Gulfstream G550 | Gulfstream | 14 | 6,750 nm | The reference-standard heavy jet. Longest range in the category. Excellent transatlantic + Asian direct routes. |
| Bombardier Global 5000 | Bombardier | 13 | 5,200 nm | Global family entry-point. Larger cabin than G450, less range than G550. |
| Bombardier Global 6000 | Bombardier | 13 | 6,000 nm | Longer-range Global variant. Direct competitor to G550. |
| Dassault Falcon 900LX | Dassault Aviation | 12 | 4,750 nm | Three-engine reliability + short-field capability. Preferred for city-airport approaches (LCY, Aspen KASE). |
| Embraer Legacy 650 | Embraer | 13 | 3,900 nm | Cheapest heavy jet entry-point. Older Legacy-family jet. |
Best for
- • Transatlantic non-stop: NYC ↔ London / Paris / Rome
- • US ↔ Middle East: NYC → Dubai (fuel stop typically)
- • Long US transcon with 12+ passengers: Miami → LA
- • European long-range: London → Dubai / Riyadh / Cairo
- • Corporate boards + full-cabin missions
Compare to adjacent classes
One step up: ultra-long-range (G650, Global 7500, Falcon 10X) for 6,000+ nm intercontinental. One step down: super-midsize (Challenger 350, Praetor 600) for 3,000-4,000 nm domestic.
Popular routes for heavy
FAQs
Heavy vs super-midsize — where's the real difference?
Range + cabin comfort. Heavy jets add ~40% cabin volume vs super-midsize, plus true bedroom + galley + shower on some layouts. Range: heavy 4,500-6,750 nm vs super-mid 3,200-4,000 nm. For NYC → London: super-mid handles it. For NYC → Dubai non-stop: heavy jet minimum. For 12+ passenger corporate boards: heavy is the practical minimum.
G450 vs G550 — book G450 for savings?
G450 is significantly cheaper hourly (~$1,500-2,500 less) but shorter range (4,350 vs 6,750 nm). For most missions under 4,000 nm, G450 saves real money. For anything approaching G450's range limit or requiring true transatlantic reliability: book G550. G450 is being retired from many charter fleets — G550 supply better long-term.
Falcon 900LX — why the three-engine premium?
Two reasons: over-water safety (ETOPS requirements less restrictive), and short-field capability. The 900LX can operate into airports G550 + Global 5000 can't (LCY London City, Aspen KASE, St Barts). Premium worth it for those specific missions; otherwise G550 is comparable.
Empty legs on heavy jets — realistic supply?
Moderate. Heavy jet empty leg supply concentrated on Atlantic + Middle East corridors. Weekly empty leg listings for London ↔ Dubai, London ↔ NYC, London ↔ Nice heavy jet fleet positioning. Discounts typically 30-45% off charter — not as deep as light + midsize but represent much higher absolute savings.
Other aircraft classes: