The Cheapest Private Jets You Can Buy in 2026, New and Used

The cheapest private jet you can buy new in 2026 is the Cirrus Vision Jet, at about $3.5 million typically equipped. It is a single-engine, seven-seat jet built to be flown by its owner.

The cheapest twin-engine jet in full production is the Embraer Phenom 100EX at about $5.8 million. Four new jets cost less than $10 million: the Vision Jet, the Phenom 100EX, the Cessna Citation M2 Gen2 and the HondaJet Elite II.

Buy used and the floor drops below $1 million. A 1970s Learjet 35A or Cessna Citation I can list for around $525,000 to $550,000, though the purchase price is the smallest bill you will pay.

Rank	Jet (new, 2026)	Price, typically equipped	Max passengers	Max range
1	Cirrus Vision Jet G3	$3.5 million	7	1,275 nm
2	Embraer Phenom 100EX	$5.8 million	7	1,178 nm*
3	Cessna Citation M2 Gen2	$7 million	7	1,550 nm
4	HondaJet Elite II	$7.6 million	7	1,547 nm
5	Cessna Citation CJ3 Gen2	$11.7 million	9	2,040 nm
6	Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen2	$12.8 million	10	2,165 nm
7	Embraer Phenom 300E	$13.4 million	10	2,010 nm
8	Pilatus PC-24	$14.3 million	11	2,000 nm

How we ranked them

The ranking measure is one number: the 2026 “typically equipped” price from Business & Commercial Aviation’s Purchase Planning Handbook, as published by Flycraft. Using a single source keeps the comparison fair, because manufacturers quote list prices in different years and with different options.

Only jets that are in production and being delivered in 2026 make the main list. Used jets are ranked separately below, because a 1978 Citation and a new HondaJet are not the same purchase.

1. Cirrus Vision Jet G3: $3.5 million

The Vision Jet is the cheapest new jet by a wide margin, about $2.3 million less than the next jet on the list. Cirrus launched the third-generation G3 in February 2026, and Business Jet Traveler reported that deliveries are under way.

Business Jet Traveler put the G3 in its Arrivée trim at about $3.6 million, roughly $160,000 more than the G2+ it replaces. AOPA quoted $3.68 million with available options.

The low price comes from one engine, a Williams International FJ33-5A. Cirrus quotes a maximum cruise speed of 317 knots (365 mph) and a maximum range of 1,275 nm (about 1,470 miles), with seating for up to seven.

Cirrus designed it for the owner-pilot. Because it has one engine, its type rating needs no multi-engine rating.

2. Embraer Phenom 100EX: $5.8 million

The Phenom 100EX is the cheapest twin-engine jet in full production. Two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW617F1-E engines give it a high-speed cruise of 406 knots (467 mph).

It carries up to seven passengers. With four aboard and NBAA IFR fuel reserves, Business Jet Traveler lists a range of 1,178 nm (about 1,360 miles), enough for New York to Miami.

When the 100EX launched in 2024, Business Jet Traveler reported it kept the previous model’s $4.995 million price. The 2026 typically equipped figure is $5.8 million.

3. Cessna Citation M2 Gen2: $7 million

The Citation M2 Gen2 is Cessna’s entry-level jet. It seats up to seven, flies about 1,550 nm (about 1,780 miles) and tops out at 404 knots (465 mph) on two Williams FJ44-1AP-21 engines.

It costs about $1.2 million more than the Phenom 100EX. The Gen3 version first flew in June 2026, and as of July 2026 none of Cessna’s Gen3 jets was FAA certified, so the Gen2 is the M2 you can take delivery of today.

4. HondaJet Elite II: $7.6 million

The HondaJet Elite II has a top speed of 422 knots (486 mph). Its two GE Honda HF120 engines sit on pylons above the wings rather than on the rear fuselage.

Honda quotes a range of 1,547 nm (about 1,780 miles), and the jet seats up to seven. GlobalAir listed its factory price at $6.95 million in Q2 2025; the 2026 typically equipped figure is $7.6 million.

Honda’s larger HondaJet Echelon is years away. In September 2026 Honda said it now targets a first flight in 2028, with certification and first deliveries in 2031.

5. Cessna Citation CJ3 Gen2: $11.7 million

Above $10 million the jets get bigger, with more seats and longer legs. The Citation CJ3 Gen2 seats up to nine and flies 2,040 nm (about 2,350 miles) on two Williams FJ44-3A engines.

That range is enough for New York to Denver nonstop. Its top speed is 416 knots (479 mph).

6. Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen2: $12.8 million

The Citation CJ4 Gen2 seats up to 10, reaches 451 knots (519 mph) and flies 2,165 nm (about 2,490 miles) on two Williams FJ44-4A engines.

7. Embraer Phenom 300E: $13.4 million

The Phenom 300E is the fastest jet on this list, with a top speed of 464 knots (534 mph) from two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW535E1 engines. It seats up to 10 and flies 2,010 nm (about 2,310 miles).

It costs $7.6 million more than the Phenom 100EX, more than twice as much, for three more seats and a much longer reach.

8. Pilatus PC-24: $14.3 million

The Pilatus PC-24 is the priciest jet here, and Pilatus markets it for short and unmade runways: “grass, gravel, earth or snow.” It is certified for single-pilot operation and flies up to 2,000 nm (about 2,300 miles) at up to 440 knots (506 mph).

GlobalAir lists up to 11 passengers on two Williams FJ44-4A-QPM engines.

The cheapest private jets to buy used

The used market is where jet prices fall below $1 million. Every type below lists for under $3.5 million, and four start below $800,000.

Used jet	Years built	Typical asking price
Learjet 35A	1975 to 1999	$525,000 to $960,000
Cessna Citation I	1974 to 1982	$549,000 to $1.3 million
Cessna Citation II/SII	1978 to 1987	$692,000 to $1 million
Learjet 31/31A	1996 to 1999	$770,000 to $980,000
Eclipse 500/550	2007 to 2008	$900,000 to $1.9 million
Beechjet 400A/Hawker 400XP	1996 to 2008	$1.2 million to $1.6 million
Cessna Citation Mustang	2008 to 2013	$1.8 million to $2.1 million
Embraer Phenom 100	2009 to 2017	$1.9 million to $3.5 million
Cessna Citation X/X+	1997 to 2010	$3 million to $6 million

The cheapest jets are the oldest. A Learjet 35A or Citation I built in the 1970s brings old avionics, older engines and maintenance bills that do not scale down with the price.

The Eclipse 500 is the newest jet in the under-$1 million bracket, listing from about $900,000. Its 2007 and 2008 build years make it younger than any other jet that lists from under $1 million.

For a modern cockpit at a used price, the Citation Mustang and the original Phenom 100 are the usual picks. GlobalAir’s listings in October 2026 averaged about $2.1 million for a Mustang and $2.9 million for a Phenom 100.

At the top of the used list, a Citation X or X+ costs $3 million to $6 million. At the low end, that buys a larger, faster jet than a new Phenom 100EX for less money, with operating costs to match its size.

The purchase price is the small number

Flycraft puts the median variable cost of a very light jet at about $2,000 per flight hour, with fuel the biggest share at $866 an hour (Jet A at about $7.66 a gallon). A light jet runs about $3,400 an hour.

GlobalAir’s October 2026 operating cost reports put the Vision Jet at $1,905 per flight hour and the HondaJet Elite II at $2,218, both assuming 100 flight hours a year. Its PC-24 figure is $3,631 an hour, assuming 250 hours a year.

If those numbers rule out ownership, a turboprop is the next step down. Our guide to the cheapest turboprops covers aircraft that carry the same passengers for less money.

Why older “cheap jet” lists are out of date

Many lists of affordable private jets, including an earlier version of this article, still name jets you can no longer buy new. Four of them deserve a correction.

Embraer Legacy 600 and Legacy 650E

These are large-cabin jets, not budget ones, and the old lists priced the 650E at $25.9 million. The 650 is a longer-range version of the Legacy 600, and Forecast International reported in July 2020 that Embraer had withdrawn the Legacy 650E from production.

The Legacy 600, built from 2002, is now a used-market buy only. A low used price on a large jet is real, but so are large-jet running costs.

Cessna Citation XLS+

The XLS line is a midsize jet. Cessna still builds it as the XLS Gen2, but AIN reported in September 2025 that the new Citation Ascend will eventually replace it.

Learjet

Bombardier announced in February 2021 that Learjet production would end in the fourth quarter of that year. Every Learjet for sale today is used, which is why the 35A and 31A appear in the used table above.

Stratos 716X

The Stratos 716X is a single-engine jet like the Vision Jet. It made a 22-minute first flight on July 2, 2020, but Stratos lacks the funding to complete type certification, so there is no certified 716X to buy.

Cheaper ways to fly private

Most people who search for a cheap private jet will never buy one, and do not need to. Flycraft puts the middle range of published charter rates at $5,000 to $8,000 an hour for a very light jet and $7,500 to $9,500 for a light jet.

Empty legs cut that further: they are repositioning flights that an operator sells at a discount rather than fly empty. Our explainer on why empty legs are cheaper covers the economics, and the current empty leg deals list what is available now.

FAQ

What is the cheapest private jet you can buy?

The cheapest new private jet in 2026 is the Cirrus Vision Jet G3, at about $3.5 million typically equipped according to the Business & Commercial Aviation Purchase Planning Handbook. Used jets cost far less: a 1970s Learjet 35A or Cessna Citation I can list for around $525,000 to $550,000.

What private jets cost under $10 million new?

Four jets in production cost under $10 million typically equipped in 2026: the Cirrus Vision Jet G3 ($3.5 million), the Embraer Phenom 100EX ($5.8 million), the Cessna Citation M2 Gen2 ($7 million) and the HondaJet Elite II ($7.6 million). The next step up, the Citation CJ3 Gen2, costs about $11.7 million.

Can you buy a private jet for under $1 million?

Yes, on the used market. Flycraft’s listing estimates start at about $525,000 for a Learjet 35A, $549,000 for a Citation I, $692,000 for a Citation II and $900,000 for an Eclipse 500. Most of these jets were built in the 1970s and 1980s, so maintenance and avionics upgrades can cost more than the airplane.

What is the cheapest private jet to operate?

Very light jets are the cheapest to run, at a median of about $2,000 per flight hour in variable costs according to Flycraft. GlobalAir’s October 2026 reports put the Cirrus Vision Jet at $1,905 an hour and the HondaJet Elite II at $2,218 an hour, both at 100 flight hours a year.

Is the HondaJet cheaper than the Phenom 100?

No. The Embraer Phenom 100EX costs about $5.8 million typically equipped in 2026, against about $7.6 million for the HondaJet Elite II. That makes the HondaJet about $1.8 million more expensive.

What is a very light jet?

A very light jet is a small jet with a maximum takeoff weight of 10,000 pounds (4,536 kg) or less that can be flown by a single pilot, according to the British Business and General Aviation Association. The term is an industry convention rather than a regulatory category.

How much does it cost to charter a very light jet?

Flycraft puts the middle range of published charter rates at about $5,000 to $8,000 an hour for a very light jet and $7,500 to $9,500 an hour for a light jet in 2026. Empty leg flights, which reposition aircraft that would otherwise fly empty, are often sold for less.