The Most Popular Private Jets by Usage

Looking at flight data from WINGX shows the most popular private jets in North America based on the number of flight departures.

The top 10 aircraft types represent 48 % of the total number of flight departures. You’ll see a common theme amongst the models that do the most flights. They are operated by the big fractional and charter operators who tend to work their aircraft very hard, putting on many more flights and hours than a typical operator.

The chart below shows the top 20 private jet platforms by number of departures in 2024, and below that is a more detailed discussion on the top 10.

1. Bombardier Challenger 300 / 350

The Bombardier Challenger 300 series, encompassing the Challenger 300, 350, and, more recently, 3500 models, has established itself as the leading super-midsize business jet. In 2024, this aircraft platform saw the most flights in North America, with 210,308 departures according to WINGX. The Challenger 300 series represented 8% of all North American private jet departures, and these numbers were up 6% over 2023 and 32% over 2019.

Introduced as the Bombardier Continental at the 1999 Paris Air Show, the Challenger 300 took its maiden flight in August 2001 and entered service in January 2004, offering a 3,100 nm range and seating for up to eight passengers. In 2014, Bombardier launched the Challenger 350, featuring enhanced engines, canted winglets, and a more luxurious cabin. The latest iteration, the Challenger 3500, debuted in September 2021 with further upgrades, including auto-throttles, an improved cabin experience, and a 3,400 nm range.

As of early 2025, Bombardier has delivered over 1,000 aircraft across the Challenger 300 series, with the Challenger 3500 reaching 100 deliveries faster than any previous model in the lineup. NetJets is the largest operator, having received its first Challenger 350 in 2014 and expanding its fleet to include 88 Challenger 350s / 3500s. Flexjet is another major operator, having been the initial launch customer for the Challenger 300 in 2004. Other customers include VistaJet, Airshare, and flyExclusive. The Challenger 300 series has consistently been the best-selling super-midsize business jet, capturing a significant market share due to its combination of performance, comfort, and reliability.

2. Embraer-Phenom 300

As of early 2025, Embraer has delivered over 830 Phenom 300 series aircraft, with operations spanning 40 countries and accumulating more than 2.5 million flight hours. In 2024 alone, 65 new Phenom 300 series jets were delivered, marking the 13th consecutive year it has been the world's best-selling light jet. In 2024, this aircraft platform saw the second-highest number of flights in North America, with 192,449 departures. The Phenom 300 represented 7% of all North American private jet departures, and these numbers were up 10% over 2023 and a huge 71% over 2019 – which really emphasizes the ongoing popularity of this model.

Launched in 2005 and entering service in 2009, the Phenom 300 was designed to offer high performance, efficiency, and comfort in a single-pilot certified aircraft. Embraer introduced the enhanced Phenom 300E in 2018, featuring a quieter cabin, advanced avionics, and offering a range of 2,010 nautical miles with five occupants and NBAA IFR reserves.

Major operators include NetJets, which announced an order for up to 100 Phenom 300Es in 2021 to expand its fleet in the United States and Europe. At the start of 2025, NetJets operated 148 Phenom 300s. Flexjet, was the first fleet customer for the Phenom 300 in 2010, and recently entered into a landmark deal with Embraer for 182 Phenom and Praetor executive jets, marking the largest order in Embraer's executive aviation history. Other significant operators include Airshare and Wheels Up, which just acquired 17 Phenom 300 and Phenom 300E aircraft at the end of 2024. These significant orders underscore the Phenom 300 series' strong market presence and its appeal among leading fractional ownership and charter operators.

3. Cessna-Citation Excel / XLS

The Cessna Citation Excel series, encompassing the Excel, XLS, and XLS+ models, has been a cornerstone in the midsize business jet market since its inception. Announced in October 1994, the original Citation Excel (Model 560XL) took its maiden flight on February 29, 1996, and received FAA certification in April 1998.

In 2004, the Citation XLS was introduced, featuring upgraded Pratt & Whitney PW545B engines and a glass cockpit with the Honeywell Primus 1000 avionics suite. The evolution continued with the Citation XLS+ in 2008, and the XLS+ Gen 2 in 2022, with over 1,000 deliveries since the initial launch. These aircraft have a range of 1,850 nm and seating for 6-8 in an executive layout.

In 2024 this aircraft platform saw the third-highest number of flights in North America, with 166,991 departures. The Excel / XLS series represented 6% of all North American private jet departures, and these numbers were down 2% over 2023 and up just 9% over 2019

Major operators include NetJets, with 67 aircraft and flyExclusive, where the Excel / XLS is the cornerstone of their fleet.

4. Cessna-Citation Latitude

The Cessna Citation Latitude, a midsize business jet developed by Textron Aviation, was unveiled at the 2011 NBAA convention. Its prototype took flight in February 2014, leading to FAA certification by June 2015 and the commencement of customer deliveries in August of the same year. Over 400 have been delivered.

Accommodating up to nine passengers, it boasts a range of approximately 2,700 nautical miles, making it suitable for coast-to-coast travel in the United States.

NetJets is by far the largest operator of the Latitude, with 231 planes in its fractional ownership fleet.

In 2024, this aircraft platform saw the fourth highest number of flights in North America, with 162,618 departures according to WingX. The Latitude represented 6% of all North American private jet departures, and these numbers were up 20% over 2023 and a massive 129% over 2019 – largely due to the increase in the size of the NetJets fleet.

5. Cessna-Citation CJ3

The Cessna Citation CJ3, was announced in September 2002, with its first flight in April 2003. It received FAA certification in October 2004 and entered service in December of the same year. The CJ3 was designed as an extension of the CJ2, featuring a longer fuselage, more powerful Williams FJ44-3A engines, and increased range and payload capacity. In 2014, Textron Aviation introduced the CJ3+, an upgraded version equipped with Garmin G3000 avionics, enhanced interiors, and improved systems, offering a range of up to 2,040 nautical miles and seating for up to nine passengers.

As of April 2021, Textron Aviation celebrated the delivery of the 600th aircraft in the CJ3 series, and by the end of 2024 had delivered over 700 aircraft in the series, underscoring its status as a best-selling light jet. The CJ3+ continues to be a popular choice among operators for its efficiency, comfort, and versatility. Major operators include flyExclusive, which announced an order for up to 30 CJ3+ jets in 2022, expanding its fleet to meet growing demand for private travel. AirSprint, the largest fractional operator in Canada, has 16 of these aircraft.

In 2024, the CJ3 platform saw the fifth-highest number of flights in North America, with 107,087 departures. The CJ3 represented 4% of all North American private jet departures, and these numbers were up 7% over 2023 and a huge 61% over 2019.

6. Bombardier-Challenger 600/601/604/605/650

The large cabin Challenger 600 series came in sixth in 2024, with 89,923 departures in North America. The series includes the original 600, first approved in 1980, through the 601, 604, 605 and the current 650, which has a 4,000 nm range and can have seating for up to 12.

7. Cessna-560 Encore / 5 / Ultra

The Cessna Model 560 series includes the Ultra, Encore and Citation V, which were in production from 1989 until 2011, with over 750 units produced. Despite being out of production for several years, this series still came in seventh with 89,607 North American departures in 2024.

8. Hawker 700/750/800/850/900

The midsize Hawker 700 series first started in the late 1970s, and evolved into the 750, then the 800, 850, and 900, with production ending in 2012. But they are still popular with hundreds of units in use, and came in eighth with 81,091 North American departures in 2024.

9. Gulfstream G300/350/400/450

Over 900 of the large cabin Gulfstream GIV family were produced from 1987 until 2018. Starting life as the G-IV, the models were later designated G400 and a later improved G450. The series came in ninth with 78,664 North American departures in 2024.

10. Gulfstream-GV/500/550

The GV series was Gulfstream's first ultra-long range business jet, with the final G550 version having a range of over 6,700 nm. The first GV entered service in 1997 and the last G550 was delivered in 2021. The series came in tenth with 78,480 North American departures in 2024.

A video of the top 5 models is included below:

Looking at the overall departure numbers for the largest OEM’s shows Cessna aircraft are consistently performing the most flights. You can see this from the individual platform numbers above, where Cessna aircraft come in at numbers 3, 4, 5 and 7 in the top 10. The table below sums up all the departure numbers for the last five years, 2019 to 2024, by OEM.

Cessna aircraft had 971,955 North American departures in 2024, while second-place Bombardier planes flew 397,670 departures. Combining Cessna numbers with Hawker Beechcraft (both Textron owned brands) puts them even further ahead.

The OEM showing the largest growth in flight departures over the last five years is Embraer, which is up 53% in 2024 compared to 2019. This reflects the ongoing popularity of the Phenom 300 and the growing popularity of the Praetor series. The right-hand side of the table above shows the growth in departures, indexed to 2019, with the red highlighted box showing the growth in 2024.