Challenger 300 Charter from Chicago
A Challenger 300 charter is the default super midsize booking out of Chicago, and the reason is one number: 87 inches of cabin width. That is the widest cabin of the three aircraft in this class we quote most often, and it is what turns a double club from four pairs of facing seats into something you can genuinely work and eat in. Typical market rates run $7,600–$9,200 per flight hour.
The type covers both the 300, in service since 2004, and the later 350, which shares the fuselage and improves the wing, engines and avionics. Charter operators quote them close together and buyers rarely need to care which one arrives, though the newer aircraft usually carry better connectivity. Range is 3,200 nm, which is the shortest in this comparison and still more than any domestic trip from Chicago requires.
Why the Challenger 300 charter keeps winning on cabin
Bombardier built this aircraft around a wide, near-circular fuselage with a flat floor and no dropped aisle, and the 87 in width is what you feel first. In a double club, the extra inches go into the aisle and into shoulder room, so two people can pass in the middle of the cabin and nobody sits with an elbow against a sidewall for four hours. The cabin runs 28.6 ft end to end, which is nearly seven feet longer than the best midsize jets.
That length buys separation. There is a forward galley with real counter space, a proper crew and catering area ahead of the passengers, a full double club in the middle and an aft lavatory that is enclosed and externally serviced. On an early departure the cabin crew can work the galley without standing over a sleeping passenger, which sounds trivial until you have flown a red-eye where it is not true.
Seating is 8–9 in the double club with a forward galley. Nine is achievable but eight is the number that flies well, particularly on the western legs where people want to spread out. If your group is consistently nine or ten with baggage, look at the super midsize class overview and then at heavy jets, because you are near the edge of what this cabin does comfortably.
Challenger 300 and 350 specifications
Ka/Ku-band on many 350s; Avance L5 common on 300s. The connectivity gap between an early 300 and a late 350 is the most consequential difference between the two variants for a charter buyer, so if the flight is a working one, ask which variant and which system before you compare quotes on price alone.
| Specification | Figure |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Bombardier |
| Passengers, typical charter layout | 9 (8–9 in the double club with a forward galley) |
| Range, 4 passengers with IFR reserves | 3,200 nm |
| Typical cruise speed | 470 kts (Mach 0.80) |
| Certified ceiling | 45,000 ft |
| Cabin height | 73 in |
| Cabin width | 87 in |
| Cabin length | 28.6 ft |
| Baggage volume | 106 cu ft |
| Lavatory | Enclosed, externally serviced |
| Stand-up cabin | Yes |
| Cabin connectivity | Ka/Ku-band on many 350s; Avance L5 common on 300s |
| First delivery of this variant | 2004 |
| Typical market hourly rate | $7,600–$9,200 per flight hour |
Cabin, baggage and the way the aircraft is used
The 87-inch cross-section in practice
Width is the specification that changes a long flight and the one hardest to judge from a photograph. At 87 in the Challenger gives up about eleven inches to a true heavy jet and takes ten inches from the widest midsize cabins. In seat terms, that is the difference between a club where the table is a shared compromise and a club where two people can both open laptops and still eat.
Cabin height is 73 in with a flat floor, so almost everyone stands upright. The windows are large and sit at a sensible height relative to the seats, which matters more than most buyers expect on a daylight transcontinental leg.
Baggage and what fits
106 cu ft, accessible in flight on most airframes, which is a genuine operational difference from aircraft where the hold is sealed once the door closes. Eight passengers with skis and boots fit. A hockey or lacrosse team's equipment does not, and that is a heavy jet or a turboprop-plus-truck problem rather than a super midsize one.
Runway and airport behaviour
The type is well regarded at shorter and higher fields, and it is one of the aircraft that turns up regularly at Aspen/Pitkin County in ski season. Eligibility for the special-qualification approach there still belongs to the specific operator and crew rather than to the model in the abstract, so confirm it per tail. Out of Chicago, a full-fuel departure to the West Coast in summer heat is easier from DuPage than from Chicago Executive on runway length grounds.
What a Challenger 300 costs to charter from Chicago
The Challenger sits at the bottom of the super midsize range, which is unusual for the aircraft with the widest cabin in the group. The explanation is supply: there are a lot of 300s and 350s in the North American charter fleet, and a deep fleet keeps rates honest. That is the practical case for starting your search here rather than with the newer types.
As always, the hourly rate is one component. A trip price adds positioning legs to and from Chicago, landing and handling at both ends, crew duty and overnight costs, catering, any fuel surcharge and federal excise tax. Multi-day trips price on daily minimums with the aircraft waiting, and on this class the waiting option is frequently cheaper than sending the aircraft home and bringing it back. Our charter cost guide shows how those components add up.
| Aircraft | Typical hourly range | Range | Cabin width |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bombardier Challenger 300/350 | $7,600–$9,200 | 3,200 nm | 87 in |
| Cessna Citation Longitude | $7,800–$9,500 | 3,500 nm | 77 in |
| Gulfstream G280 | $8,200–$9,800 | 3,600 nm | 85 in |
| Super midsize class overall | $7,200–$9,800 | 3,000–3,700 nm | 5 ft 9 in – 6 ft 1 in |
Chicago routes for the Challenger 300
The West Coast pairings are where the class earns its premium over midsize: about 3h 55m to Los Angeles and 4h 05m to San Francisco, non-stop with the seats full and the hold loaded, in conditions that would have a midsize jet planning a fuel stop. That reliability, rather than the twenty minutes saved, is what buyers are actually paying for.
Chicago to Aspen at roughly 2h 25m is the other signature trip. The Challenger is a common sight at ASE in December and February, but the special-qualification approach is authorised operator by operator, so ask the question directly rather than assuming the type carries the approval. In the busiest ski weeks, slot pressure and parking at ASE bind harder than aircraft availability does.
| Route | Distance | Block time | Typical one-way band |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago to Los Angeles | 1,516 nm | 3h 55m | $33,000–$41,000 |
| Chicago to San Francisco | 1,590 nm | 4h 05m | $34,000–$43,000 |
| Chicago to Aspen | 869 nm | 2h 25m | $25,000–$32,000 |
| Chicago to Denver | 785 nm | 2h 15m | $22,000–$28,500 |
| Chicago to Las Vegas | 1,275 nm | 3h 20m | $31,000–$39,000 |
| Chicago to Miami | 1,080 nm | 2h 45m | $27,000–$34,000 |
Challenger 300 compared with the Citation Longitude and Gulfstream G280
The Citation Longitude is the newer aircraft with 300 nm more range and a higher cruise Mach, and it gives up ten inches of cabin width to do it. On any domestic route from Chicago that extra range is unused, so the comparison comes down to a wider cabin against a newer one. Buyers who fly with eight people regularly tend to keep choosing the width.
The Gulfstream G280 sits between them: two inches narrower than the Challenger, 400 nm longer legged, and the fastest of the three in the cruise at 482 kts. It also prices highest of the three. On a Chicago to San Francisco leg the speed difference is worth roughly ten minutes, which is not a reason to pay more on its own.
In practice the choice is often made for you by what is available on your dates out of Chicago, and that is a legitimate way to decide when the three aircraft are this close. Send the dates and headcount on a quote request and we will show all three side by side rather than steering you to one.
| Bombardier Challenger 300/350 | Cessna Citation Longitude | Gulfstream G280 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabin width | 87 in | 77 in | 85 in |
| Cabin length | 28.6 ft | 25.2 ft | 25.8 ft |
| Range | 3,200 nm | 3,500 nm | 3,600 nm |
| Typical cruise | 470 kts | 476 kts | 482 kts |
| Typical hourly range | $7,600–$9,200 | $7,800–$9,500 | $8,200–$9,800 |
Frequently asked questions
How wide is the Challenger 300 cabin?
87 inches, which is the widest of the three super midsize types we quote most often from Chicago and about ten inches wider than the best midsize cabins. Combined with 73 in of height and a flat floor, it means two passengers can pass in the aisle and a double club seats eight adults without shoulder contact.
What is the difference between the Challenger 300 and 350?
They share the same fuselage and cabin, so passengers rarely notice a difference. The 350 introduced improvements to the wing, engines and avionics, and later airframes generally carry better cabin connectivity. Charter rates for the two sit close together. If the flight involves real work in the air, ask which variant and which connectivity system is fitted.
What does a Challenger 300 charter cost per hour?
A typical market range is $7,600–$9,200 per flight hour for Chicago-based lift, which puts it at the lower end of the $7,200–$9,800 super midsize class. A full trip quote adds positioning, landing and handling, crew costs, catering, fuel surcharge and federal excise tax. Quotes vary with date and availability.
Can a Challenger 300 land at Aspen?
The type flies into Aspen/Pitkin County regularly in ski season, but the special-qualification approach there is authorised to specific operators and crews rather than to a model in general. Always confirm the individual tail number and operator hold the approval before booking travel around ASE. Eagle County is the usual alternative and adds roughly an hour of driving.
How far can a Challenger 300 fly non-stop from Chicago?
3,200 nm with four passengers and IFR reserves, which covers every domestic destination from Chicago non-stop, including Los Angeles at about 3h 55m and San Francisco at about 4h 05m. It is the shortest range of the three main super midsize types, and the difference only becomes relevant on transatlantic or Pacific routings.
Related pages
- Super midsize jet charterClass rate bands, range and the aircraft that fly Chicago's longest domestic legs.
- Citation Longitude charterNewer, faster and longer legged, with a narrower cabin.
- Gulfstream G280 charterThe longest range and highest cruise speed of the three, at the highest hourly rate.
- Private jet hourly ratesTypical market hourly ranges by class and the line items that sit on top.
Further reading from the blog
Sources and further reading
- Bombardier Challenger — Bombardier publishes current Challenger cabin dimensions, range and performance data for the family.
- Federal Aviation Administration — The FAA sets the Part 135 rules and the special-qualification airport requirements that govern where a charter aircraft may operate.
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.