Citation XLS Charter from Miami
The Citation XLS charter Miami families book for a week in the islands is the most-quoted aircraft in South Florida for a reason that has nothing to do with speed. It carries 90 cu ft of baggage — more than anything else near its price — seats 9, and gets in and out of the short coastal runways that define this market.
It is not fast, at 441 kts, and it is not a stand-up cabin. What it is, is the aircraft that turns up when you need one: a large regional fleet, easy weekend availability and a rate band of $4,400–$5,600 an hour. Below is the full picture, including where a cheaper jet does the same job.
Why a Citation XLS charter in Miami gets quoted so often
Baggage first, because it decides more trips here than passengers admit. 90 cu ft swallows a family's suitcases plus golf clubs plus a stroller plus dive bags, and it does so in a compartment large enough that the bags go in flat rather than in a Tetris arrangement negotiated on the ramp. On an island week for eight people, this single number is the reason the XLS+ gets booked over faster aircraft.
Runway access is the second reason. South Florida and its natural destinations are full of short pavement: Key West at roughly 4,800 ft, Marco Island Executive at about 5,000 ft, and Boca Raton Airport with its 6,276 ft single runway where light and midsize jets comfortably; super midsize and above are runway-limited. The XLS+ is comfortable at fields where heavier types are weight-limited, which means you depart from the airport nearest your house rather than the one with the longest concrete.
The third reason is fleet depth. This is a common type on Florida Part 135 certificates. Deep fleets mean competitive positioning, a realistic recovery aircraft if your tail goes technical, and pricing that does not spike as violently in the December-to-April peak as scarcer types do. The super light jet class page puts that in context against the rest of the category.
The fourth is the cabin height. At 68 in this is the tallest cabin short of the midsize class, and while it is not a stand-up aircraft, the difference between it and a light jet at 57 to 59 in is obvious the moment you walk down the aisle to your seat.
Citation XLS+ specifications
The trade this data sheet describes is space and access against speed. 441 kts (Mach 0.75) is the slowest cruise of the aircraft on this batch of pages, and on a long northbound leg you will feel it as roughly a quarter of an hour. Everything else — height, width, baggage, seat count, runway manners — is at or near the top of its class.
| Specification | Figure |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Textron Aviation (Cessna) |
| Current generation, first delivery | 2008 |
| Typical passengers | 9 — 8 in the double club, 9 with the belted lavatory seat |
| Range, 4 passengers, IFR reserves | 2,100 nm |
| Typical high-speed cruise | 441 kts (Mach 0.75) |
| Certified ceiling | 45,000 ft |
| Cabin height | 68 in |
| Cabin width | 66 in |
| Cabin length | 18.5 ft |
| Stand-up cabin | No — seated cabin with a dropped aisle |
| Baggage volume | 90 cu ft |
| Lavatory | Enclosed, externally serviced |
| Connectivity | Gogo Avance on much of the charter fleet; confirm per tail |
| Typical market rate | $4,400–$5,600 per flight hour |
Inside the cabin
Seating for eight, and what the ninth seat means
The layout is 8 in the double club, 9 with the belted lavatory seat. A genuine double club is rarer than buyers expect at this price, and it is what makes the XLS+ workable for a group of eight travelling together rather than a group of six plus two people sitting apart. Seats swivel and track, the aisle is dropped but wide, and the cabin does not narrow sharply at the ends the way some designs do.
The ninth seat is on the lavatory. It is legal, it is used, and on a ninety-minute run to Nassau it is fine. On a four-hour leg it is not, and the honest planning number for a long day is eight.
Lavatory, galley and connectivity
The lavatory is enclosed, externally serviced, which on a multi-leg island charter matters as much as any comfort feature on the aircraft. The forward galley is real enough to hold catering and ice for a full cabin, though the crew serve it rather than a cabin attendant — there is no flight attendant on this class unless you specifically arrange one and pay for the seat.
Connectivity: gogo avance on much of the charter fleet; confirm per tail. Because the fleet spans many production years and refurbishment standards, the interior and equipment differ noticeably between tail numbers. Ask for photographs of the actual aircraft, not a stock image of the type, before a client trip.
Rates and what the invoice looks like
The typical market range is $4,400–$5,600 per flight hour. Because the type is plentiful in Florida, positioning is often small or zero on a based tail, which frequently makes the all-in number more competitive than the hourly rate alone suggests when compared with a scarcer aircraft. As always these are typical market ranges rather than quotes, and the cost guide sets out how each line is built.
| Line item | Typical treatment | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Flight hour | $4,400–$5,600 per flight hour | Peak season December to April sits at the top of the band |
| Positioning | Often minimal on a Florida-based tail | The strongest argument for a common type in a deep market |
| Daily minimum | Commonly 1.5–2.0 hours per day | The main cost on an island trip with a short outbound leg |
| Federal excise tax | 7.5% plus segment fees on domestic legs | Not charged on the international portion of a foreign leg |
| Landing, ramp and handling | Passed through | Island FBOs and Naples Municipal are higher than the Miami-Dade fields |
| Customs and agent fees | At cost on Bahamas and Caribbean trips | Includes island handling, landing permits and departure taxes |
| Crew overnight | Hotel and per diem | Two pilots; island hotel rates in season are not trivial |
The legs it flies best
Published super light and light jet block times below, gate to gate. The Miami to Turks and Caicos run is the archetypal XLS+ trip: eight people, a week of luggage, one leg each way. Trips to the Gulf coast are the other core mission, and the Naples charter page covers the noise-abatement programme and runway considerations that come with that end of the state.
| Route | Distance | Published block time | Typical one-way band |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami to Turks and Caicos | 505 nm | 1h 35m (light jet) | $8,500–$12,000 one way |
| Miami to Nassau | 160 nm | 35m (light jet) | $5,000–$7,000 one way |
| Miami to Key West | 115 nm | 30m (light jet) | $5,000–$6,500 one way |
| Miami to Orlando | 160 nm | 35m (light jet) | $5,000–$7,000 one way |
| Miami to Atlanta | 520 nm | 1h 30m (light jet) | $8,000–$11,500 one way |
| Miami to New York | 950 nm | 2h 35m (light jet) | $11,500–$16,000 one way |
XLS+ against the Learjet 60XR and the Hawker 800XP
The Learjet 60XR is the speed alternative inside the same class: 25 kts faster, 305 nm more range, and 31 cu ft less baggage. On a transcontinental attempt the Learjet is the better tool. On a family island week, the Citation wins on the thing that decides the trip.
The Hawker 800XP is the step into the midsize class and the cheapest genuine stand-up cabin in this market, but it carries only 49 cu ft of baggage — barely half the XLS+ figure — and it is an older airframe. If your reason for moving up is standing headroom, look at it. If your reason is luggage, moving up is the wrong direction.
| Cessna Citation XLS+ | Learjet 60XR | Hawker 800XP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passengers | 9 | 7 | 8 |
| Baggage | 90 cu ft | 59 cu ft | 49 cu ft |
| Cabin height | 68 in | 68 in | 69 in |
| Cruise speed | 441 kts | 466 kts | 448 kts |
| Range | 2,100 nm | 2,405 nm | 2,540 nm |
| Stand-up cabin | No | No | Yes, at the aisle |
| Typical market rate | $4,400–$5,600 per flight hour | $4,600–$5,800 per flight hour | $5,200–$6,400 per flight hour |
When something else is the better buy
Naming the limits saves everybody a phone call. When you have a date and a headcount, request a quote and we will price the tails that are genuinely available rather than the ones that look good on a chart.
- Two or three passengers on a short hop. A light or very light jet does Miami to Key West in the same 30m for materially less money.
- Transcontinental flights. 2,100 nm of range and 441 kts do not make 2,035 nm to Los Angeles a sensible plan.
- Passengers who need to stand. 68 in is tall for the class and still a seated cabin.
- A guaranteed new interior. Refurbishment standards across this fleet vary widely. Ask for tail-specific photographs.
- Speed-critical day trips. Faster types save ten to fifteen minutes an hour, which compounds on a same-day return to the Northeast.
Frequently asked questions
What does a Citation XLS+ charter cost from Miami?
The typical market range is $4,400–$5,600 per flight hour. As a guide to whole-trip pricing, the published light jet band for Miami to Turks and Caicos is $8,500–$12,000 one way one way and Nassau runs about $5,000–$7,000 one way; a super light aircraft sits a step above those figures. All of these are market ranges rather than quotes and move with season, positioning and availability.
How much luggage does it really take?
90 cu ft, which is the most in its class and the aircraft's main selling point in South Florida. In practical terms that is eight passengers' suitcases plus golf clubs, or a family's beach luggage plus dive bags and a stroller. Weight still matters alongside volume, so tell the operator what you are carrying if the trip involves a short runway or a hot afternoon departure.
Can a Citation XLS+ use Key West and Marco Island?
Yes, and that access is one of the reasons the type is so common here. Key West International has roughly 4,800 ft of runway and Marco Island Executive about 5,000 ft, both within the aircraft's normal operating envelope. The caveat is the departure at weight on a hot afternoon, which may mean less fuel and a stop. Your operator runs a performance analysis for each leg.
Is it a stand-up cabin?
No. Cabin height is 68 in, which is the tallest in the super light class and still requires a stoop in the aisle. Once seated, headroom and shoulder room are noticeably better than a light jet's. If standing matters to your passengers, the entry point is the midsize class, where the Hawker 800XP and the Citation Latitude begin.
How many passengers can travel with full luggage?
Eight comfortably. The published figure is 9 — 8 in the double club, 9 with the belted lavatory seat — and unlike most aircraft in this bracket, the seats and the baggage hold are matched, so a full cabin does not force bags onto a later flight. The ninth seat is fine for a short Bahamas hop and unpleasant on a four-hour leg.
Why do XLS+ quotes vary so much between operators?
Age and refurbishment. The type has been in service since the Excel and current-generation deliveries began in 2008, so interiors range from tired to recently refitted, and pricing follows. Positioning is the other variable: a Florida-based tail costs less to start than one ferried from the Northeast. Ask for the tail number, interior photographs and the positioning assumption in writing.
Related pages
- Super Light Jet CharterThe parent class: 7–8 passengers and 1,900–2,300 nm of range.
- Learjet 60XR charterThe faster, longer-legged aircraft in the same class.
- Embraer Phenom 300E charterOne class down, quicker, and cheaper per hour.
- Hawker 800XP charterThe cheapest stand-up cabin available from South Florida.
Sources and further reading
- Cessna Citation family — Manufacturer reference for the Citation family and current model specifications
- Boca Raton Airport Authority — Official runway, noise programme and operating information for a runway-limited South Florida field
- FAA — Regulator for aircraft certification and Part 135 commercial charter operations
Get a quote for your flight
Send us the route, the date and the number of passengers. You will get real options with all-in pricing, the operator's certificate and safety rating, and the aircraft's actual tail number — not a stock photo and a starting-from price.