The cheapest private jet to buy

The cheapest private jets, new and pre-owned

The two tables on this page rank the least expensive private jets. New, by manufacturer list price. Pre-owned, by our estimate for a representative aircraft of each type. They come from the same catalogue and valuation model as the rest of the site, so they move when a price moves.

The bottom of the new market belongs to very light jets: four to six seats, often a single pilot, and enough range for a domestic or short regional trip. Pre-owned, the light and very light jets of the 2000s and 2010s are the cheapest way into a jet at all.

The cheapest new private jet today is the Cirrus Vision Jet SF50 G2+, at about 3,25 Mio. $.

Berechnet aus unserem Katalog und Bewertungsmodell und bei jeder Preisänderung aktualisiert. Gebraucht: Richtspannen für ein repräsentatives, nicht besichtigtes Flugzeug.

What the low price leaves out

A very light jet is a different tool from a midsize jet, not a smaller copy of it. Cabins are short and often lack a full washroom. Range with every seat taken is limited, and baggage space runs out before the seats do.

Older aircraft add a second set of questions. Avionics that no longer meet airspace mandates, engines close to overhaul, an inspection programme that has lapsed. Each one can cost a large share of what the aircraft itself is worth.

Running costs do not shrink with the price

Crew, hangar, insurance and training cost much the same on a cheap jet as on a slightly larger one. That is why the annual budget falls far less than the purchase price as you move down the market.

Before financing and depreciation, a light jet flying 250 hours a year costs about 980.000 $ to operate. Set that against the purchase price before deciding that the cheapest aircraft is the cheapest choice.

An aircraft bought cheaply with a heavy inspection due next year is not cheap. Ask for the maintenance forecast before you ask the price.

When the cheapest is the right choice

For an owner pilot, or for regular one to two hour trips with two or three passengers, a very light jet is often the rational choice. It uses short runways, costs less per hour, and single pilot certification keeps crew costs down.

Beyond that, compare the cheapest jet with charter before buying. At a few hundred hours a year, charter usually costs less, and our cost guide shows the calculation line by line.