Cessna Citation Sovereign charter: rent the established medium jet
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.
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 June 2, 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 kilometers, 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.
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, travelers 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 5900 kilometers away.
- Cost-effective: Its high prevalence in the midsize segment and the fact that the is a discontinued model also cause rental prices to drop. For this reason, the Sovereign often offers travelers a more favorable 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, travelers have flexible options in the Sovereign: Traveling 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, travelers 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 honored Cessna's achievement in entering the midsize jet segment with a completely redesigned aircraft despite all the risks.
Aircraft data / Technical data
| Aircraft category | Midsize Jet |
| Manufacturer | Cessna |
| Model | Citation Sovereign/Sovereign+ |
| Number of pieces produced | 443 (Sovereign: 349, Sovereign+: 94) |
| Production period | 2004 - 2021 (Sovereign: 2004 - 2013, Sovereign+: 2013 - 2021) |
| Engine | Sovereign:2 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306CSovereign+:2 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306D |
| Price | Starting from 19.200.000 USD |
| Crew | 1 Pilot, 1 Co-Pilot |
| Toilet | 1 (back) |
Performance*
| Take-off route | 1.076 m |
| Landing distance | 792 m |
| Maximum speed | 852 km/h (Mach 0,80) |
| Range | 5.926 km |
| Maximum flight altitude | 14.326 m |
Capacity*
| Passenger capacity | 12 |
| Maximum payload with full tank | 510 kg |
| Capacity of the most common rental variant | 8 |
Cabin*
| Cabin volume | 16,17 m³ |
| Cabin (length x width x height) | 7,7 m x 1,68 m x 1,7 m |
*Citation Sovereign+
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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.
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 does the Citation Sovereign differ from the Citation X?
The cabin 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.
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.
Which airports can be approached 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.
