Cessna Citation Sovereign
The Citation Sovereign and the improved Sovereign+ are twin-engine business jets in the medium jet category. U.S. manufacturer Cessna produced the models between 2004 and 2021 at the company's main plant in Independence, Kansas. From 2013, only the more powerful and modern Plus variant was produced. The internal type designation of the jets was Model 680, but to end customers they were advertised only as Citation Sovereign.
Midsize Jet
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Cessna |
| Category | Midsize Jet |
| Range* | 5273 km 2847 NM |
| Cruise speed | 824 km/h 445 kts |
| Seats** | 9 |
| Suitcases | 8 |
* with IFR reserves
** in standard configuration
Aircraft Pictures
History
The Cessna business jet, second only to the Citation X at the time, made its debut flight in February 2002 and was certified just 16 months later on 2 June 2004. With the first handovers in late September 2004, Cessna also announced the longer-than-announced range of the luxury jet: about 100 nautical miles (nm) farther than specified in the sales brochure, up to 12 passengers could travel in this Citation jet. At this point, Cessna had already received 100 orders for its approximately $15 million aircraft.
For a long time, the Sovereign was considered one of the most outstanding mid-size private jets in the industry. Due to its long range of over 5,000 kilometres, it made private business trips to more extensive destinations possible without a stopover.
In March 2021, Cessna announced the production stop of the Sovereign+. The decision was justified by market overlaps with the similarly performing but later introduced Citation Latitude and Citation Longitude models. In the approximately 17 years of production, 349 Sovereign and 94 Sovereign+ jets were manufactured.
Because of its size and reliability, the Sovereign is also a popular ambulance aircraft.
Technical Specifications
Performance
Capacity
Cabin
Advantages & Disadvantages
Advantages of a Citation Sovereign as a rental aircraft:
- Range: A Sovereign enables comfortable travel to more distant destinations. Thanks to its excellent short-haul performance, travellers can also choose to fly closer to their destination. An extra-large luggage compartment allows additional and particularly bulky items to be transported to destinations up to 5,900 kilometres away.
- Cost-effective: Its high prevalence in the midsize segment and the fact that it is a discontinued model also cause rental prices to drop. For this reason, the Sovereign often offers travellers a more favourable rental alternative than the Latitude and Longitude Citations, which are still in production. Of course, the rental price also depends on the production year of the machine and current demand.
- Voluminous: With a capacity to carry up to 12 passengers, travellers have flexible options in the Sovereign: travelling with a larger number of fellow passengers or carrying additional luggage. In a luxury configuration with eight passenger seats, longer trips are possible in a comfortable living room atmosphere.
- Luxury options: Starting with the precise control of the cabin temperature and a spacious bathroom to the modern fresh air system: a trip in the Sovereign with luxury equipment leaves nothing to be desired and allows even long flights with minimal signs of exhaustion.
- Reliability: Cessna is known for its first-class and worldwide service. Therefore, travellers can be assured of absolute reliability even in older models. The Sovereign is also valued in pilot circles for its reliability.
Disadvantages of a Citation Sovereign as a rental aircraft:
- Operating costs: Compared to smaller or more modern business jets, the cost of operating and maintaining a Sovereign jet is comparatively high. For example, the Citation Latitude's newer PW306D1 engine operates more efficiently, and smaller jets such as the Learjet 60 can cover the same travel distance with lower fuel consumption due to their lower weight.
- Discontinued model: If the latest comfort and safety features are important to you, you might prefer to travel in one of the two more current midsize Citations, the Latitude or the Longitude. The last Sovereign was delivered in 2021.
Overall, both Citation Sovereign and Sovereign+ offer first-class performance and exclusive luxury features. As one of the best-selling midsize jets of all time, it is an excellent travel option for extended-hour air travel and is equally suited for trips to and from small and large airports. In the words of one participant in a popular aviation forum, "I've always heard that the Sovereign is the best plane to fly if you're looking for a jet that can carry a lot, but still take off from short takeoff points."
The sales success of the popular midsize jet is also underscored by independent awards: Back in 2004, Cessna received the prestigious Editors' Choice Award from Flying magazine. The judges honoured Cessna's achievement in entering the midsize jet segment with a completely redesigned aircraft despite all the risks.
FAQ
Which airports can be served with a Cessna Sovereign?
The Citation combines a luxurious interior with outstanding performance - on both long and short runways. Compared to many competitors in the midsize jet segment, this gives it access to thousands of potential destinations. The Sovereign is also certified for steep approaches and lands comfortably at smaller airports such as London City, Geneva, or Lugano.
How many Citation Sovereign jets were sold?
If you add the original and Plus series, you get a total of 443 jets produced. Around 20 percent of these are accounted for by the newer Sovereign+, which was in production for just under eight years.
Who owns a Citation Sovereign jet?
Due to its size, high purchase, and operating costs, the Citation Sovereign is often not the first choice for wealthy individuals. Well-known owners of the spacious luxury aircraft include the legendary American actor Harrison Ford as well as Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle.
How much does a Cessna Citation Sovereign cost?
The average price for a used Cessna Citation Sovereign is about $8.2 million. The list new price in basic configuration was 19.2 million US dollars.
How does the Citation Sovereign differ from the Citation X?
The taxiin of the Citation Sovereign is essentially identical to that of Citation X, which became known as the fastest business aircraft. The difference between the two aircraft is that Cessna redesigned the Sovereign's wing to improve its suitability for short landings. In return, however, it has a reduced cruising speed.
Can the Citation Sovereign operate from shorter runways?
Yes. Despite being a super-midsize jet, the Citation Sovereign is known for strong short-field performance and can use runways shorter than many competitors in its class. In addition, the Citation Sovereign+ received steep-approach certification from both the FAA and EASA in March 2017, permitting approach angles of up to 6.65 degrees. This enables operations at airports with challenging profiles, such as London City, which are inaccessible to many other aircraft.
How does the Citation Sovereign compare to the Challenger 350?
The Challenger 350 is the successor to the Challenger 300, with updated avionics, cabin refinements, and an NBAA IFR range of about 5,926 km (3,200 nm). It also has one of the widest cabins in the super-midsize segment, giving passengers extra space. By contrast, the Citation Sovereign is known for its superior short-field performance, enabling it to operate from airports inaccessible to many jets of similar size. Both the Challenger 350 and the Sovereign+ are certified for steep-approach operations at London City Airport.
How does the Citation Sovereign compare to the Challenger 300?
The Citation Sovereign is slightly smaller than the Challenger 300 but is recognised for its short-field performance. The Sovereign typically seats up to 9 passengers in a double-club layout, though some configurations can accommodate as many as 12. Its NBAA IFR range is about 4,852 km (2,620 nm). The Challenger 300 carries up to 9 passengers with a wider cabin and extends range to around 5,741 km (3,100 nm). While the Challenger 300 provides more shoulder room, the Sovereign is appreciated for its versatility and ability to operate from shorter runways.
What is the range of the Citation Sovereign and Sovereign+?
The Citation Sovereign has an NBAA IFR range of about 5,273 km (2,847 nm), while the Sovereign+ extends to roughly 5,926 km (3,200 nm). In practice, the Sovereign handles flights like New York–Los Angeles (≈3,936 km) or London–Istanbul (≈2,508 km), whereas the longer‑range Sovereign+ can connect Paris–Dubai (≈5,247 km) without refuelling.
How does the Citation Sovereign compare to the Citation Sovereign+?
The Sovereign+ is an upgraded version introduced in 2013 with newer Pratt & Whitney engines, winglets for improved performance, and a Garmin G5000 avionics suite. Range and climb performance improved compared with the original Sovereign, while cabin layout remained similar. Both models seat 9 to 12 passengers, but the Sovereign+ delivers stronger efficiency and technology.
