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Midsize Jet · Model

Cessna Citation Sovereign Charter

A midsize jet with heavy-jet range economics. 2,840 nm of range from a 1,113 m runway, nine seats in a stand-up cabin, and about 22 percent lower hourly cost than a Citation X.

RANGE
5,260 km
MAX PAX
9
TOP SPEED
445 kt
CABIN H.
1.73 m
Cessna Citation Sovereign exterior

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Overview

The Cessna Citation Sovereign at a glance

The Sovereign is chosen for three missions. First, long midsize legs: 5,260 km puts Frankfurt to Dubai and New York to Los Angeles inside range with nine seats filled. Second, short-field access, since 1,113 m at MTOW and 808 m landing beat every jet with comparable range. Third, running cost, at about 4,850 USD per hour all-in against roughly 6,050 USD on a Citation X for the same cabin cross-section. The trade-off is 445 kt cruise, about 80 kt slower than the Citation X.
Specifications

Cessna Citation Sovereign specifications & fast facts

Range
5,260 km
Passengers
9
Top speed
445 kt
Cabin height
1.73 m
Cabin width
1.68 m
Manufacturer
Textron Aviation (Cessna)
Country of origin
United States (Wichita, Kansas)
First flight
February 2002
In production since
2004, production ended 2021
Aircraft still built
No, replaced in the range by the Citation Latitude and Longitude
Units delivered
443 built (349 Sovereign, 94 Sovereign+)
Engines
2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306C, 5,770 lbf each
Avionics
Honeywell Primus Epic, Garmin G5000 on the Sovereign+
Max cruise altitude
47,000 ft
Cabin altitude
7,200 ft at FL470 (9.3 psi differential)
Baggage volume
3,823 L (135 cu ft), 1,000 lb limit
Takeoff distance
1,113 m (3,650 ft) at MTOW
Landing distance
808 m (2,650 ft)
Runway suitability
Works from 4,000 ft runways, unusually short for the range it carries
Certification
FAA type certificate 2 June 2004, EASA 31 March 2005
Lavatory
Aft enclosed lavatory with sink, externally serviced
Ownership & operating costs

Cost to charter, buy and operate a Cessna Citation Sovereign

Charter rate (EUR/hr)
€5,500 to 6,900
Ex-tax, European operators
Charter rate (USD/hr)
$5,500 to 7,000
North American operators
List price, new
~$17M
Factory-new, current model year
Pre-owned market
$5.0 to 12.0M
5-8 year old aircraft
Annual fixed cost
$620,000 to 700,000
Crew, hangar, insurance
Variable cost per hour
$3,000 to 3,400
Fuel, maintenance, fees
Crew required
2 pilots, cabin attendant on legs over four hours.
Fuel burn
283 gph typical cruise (about 1,071 L/h)
Typical cruise
Typical annual use
350 to 500 hrs/yr
Hangar footprint
19.0 m × 20.9 m

Production ran 2004 to 2021 across 443 aircraft. The Sovereign+ with Garmin G5000 and winglets is the version to buy, and the Citation Latitude took over the slot in the Textron range.

Compare

Cessna Citation Sovereign vs. similar midsize jets

How the Cessna Citation Sovereign stacks up against the other midsize jets we charter. Tap any linked model for the full spec sheet.

Aircraft Range Pax Top speed Cabin H × W Notes
Cessna Citation Latitude 5,560 km 9 446 kt 1.83 × 1.98 m The default modern midsize. Flat floor, best-in-class cabin height, single-club or double-club layouts.
Embraer Praetor 600 7,223 km 8 466 kt 1.83 × 2.08 m Officially super-midsize by range but midsize-priced by charter market. Best cabin altitude in class (5,800 ft at FL450).
Hawker 900XP 5,000 km 8 448 kt 1.75 × 1.83 m The classic midsize workhorse. Still popular for its cabin length; slightly older tails now retiring.
Learjet 60XR 4,630 km 7 464 kt 1.73 × 1.83 m Fastest in the midsize category. Preferred when time-to-destination matters more than cabin volume.
Embraer Legacy 450 5,371 km 9 466 kt 1.83 × 2.08 m The first fly-by-wire midsize. Six-foot stand-up cabin, Pro Line Fusion avionics, best-in-class cabin altitude.
Embraer Praetor 500 6,186 km 9 466 kt 1.83 × 2.08 m The Legacy 450 evolved. Winglets and additional fuel bring range to 3,340 nm. Class-leading cabin altitude of 5,800 ft.
Cessna Citation Latitude Embraer Praetor 600 Hawker 900XP Learjet 60XR Embraer Legacy 450 Embraer Praetor 500

Considering a different size? Browse the full midsize jet lineup, or step up to a midsize jet for longer legs.

Gallery

Cessna Citation Sovereign photos

Cessna Citation Sovereign midsize jet in cruise with winglets catching sunlight
Cessna Citation Sovereign midsize jet in cruise with winglets catching sunlight
Citation Sovereign cabin with double-club seating and aft three-place divan
Citation Sovereign cabin with double-club seating and aft three-place divan
Citation Sovereign parked on an alpine apron with baggage door open
Citation Sovereign parked on an alpine apron with baggage door open
Citation Sovereign Garmin G5000 flight deck in the Sovereign+ variant
Citation Sovereign Garmin G5000 flight deck in the Sovereign+ variant
Typical missions

Popular Cessna Citation Sovereign routes

London → Athens 3 h 25 min
Zurich → Moscow 3 h 30 min
Frankfurt → Dubai 6 h 20 min
Madrid → Athens 3 h 15 min
New York → Los Angeles 5 h 45 min
Nice → Sofia 2 h 20 min
Questions

Cessna Citation Sovereign FAQ

How many passengers can the Cessna Citation Sovereign seat?
Nine in the usual charter layout of double club plus a three-place divan, twelve at maximum certification. Nine seats and full baggage still leaves useful fuel for a four-hour leg.
What is the Cessna Citation Sovereign hourly charter rate?
European operators quote 5,500 to 6,900 EUR per hour ex-tax, with Sovereign+ aircraft at the top of that band. North-American rates start near 5,800 USD per hour and run to about 7,000 USD.
How much does a Cessna Citation Sovereign cost?
New list price was 17 million USD, rising to about 18 million USD for the Sovereign+. Pre-owned aircraft run 5 to 12 million USD, with the split between early Primus Epic airframes and post-2013 Garmin G5000 Sovereign+ jets.
What does it cost to own and operate a Cessna Citation Sovereign?
At 450 owner-operated hours the annual budget is about 2.1 million USD, roughly 700,000 USD fixed and 1.5 million USD variable. That is about 4,850 USD per hour all-in, some 22 percent below a Citation X.
How many crew does the Cessna Citation Sovereign need?
Two pilots. Charter operators add a cabin attendant on legs over four hours, which is common given the type is often used for Gulf and transcontinental missions.
Where is the Cessna Citation Sovereign built?
Textron Aviation built it in Wichita, Kansas, with Pratt & Whitney Canada supplying PW306C engines from Longueuil, Quebec. Support runs through the Textron Aviation service centre network.
When did the Cessna Citation Sovereign first fly?
The prototype flew in February 2002. FAA certification came on 2 June 2004 and EASA followed on 31 March 2005. The Sovereign+ was certified in 2013.
Is the Cessna Citation Sovereign still in production?
No. Production ended in 2021 after 443 aircraft. The Citation Latitude and Longitude now cover the same part of the Textron range, and Sovereign support continues through the factory network.
What engines does the Cessna Citation Sovereign use?
Two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306C turbofans rated at 5,770 lbf each. They are FADEC controlled and carry the thrust reversers that let the aircraft stop in 808 m.
How does the Cessna Citation Sovereign compare to an Embraer Praetor 500?
The Praetor 500 has a wider 2.08 m cabin, a 5,800 ft cabin altitude, fly-by-wire controls and about 400 nm more range. The Sovereign is far cheaper to buy and operate, and its 1,113 m field length is close to the Praetor's short-field figure. Cabin comfort favours the Praetor, cost per hour favours the Sovereign.
Can the Cessna Citation Sovereign use short runways?
Yes. It needs 1,113 m at MTOW and 808 m to land, which is exceptional for an aircraft with 5,260 km of range. Sardinia, Ibiza, Samedan and most Greek island fields are within limits.
What is the baggage capacity?
3,823 litres or about 135 cubic feet, split into 100 cubic feet external and 35 cubic feet accessible in flight. The weight limit is 1,000 lb.