Turboprop Charter Chicago: Aircraft and Rates
Turboprop charter Chicago buyers are usually solving one of three problems: too many people for a very light jet, a destination with a runway too short for a jet, or a budget that stops below the jet bands. Turbines driving propellers do all three well at $1,900–$3,400 per flight hour.
This is the most underrated class in the Midwest. 6–9 passengers, 1,000–1,800 nm of range and 270–330 kts of cruise covers the great majority of trips flown out of Chicago in a year, and it does it from fields a light jet cannot always use.
What defines the turboprop class
A turboprop uses the same kind of turbine engine as a jet, but instead of pushing exhaust out of the back it spins a propeller. Propellers are extremely efficient at low and medium altitude and lose out to jets high up and fast, which is why the class settles around 270–330 kts in the mid-twenties and low-thirties of flight level rather than at 45,000 feet.
The practical consequences are all favourable for regional flying. Fuel burn per hour is roughly half a light jet's on the same leg. The wings and props are certified for icing with de-icing boots, so winter dispatch is strong. And the aircraft are designed to work out of 3,000 to 4,000 ft strips, which in Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa and Michigan means dozens of fields that turn a two-hour drive from the nearest jet airport into a five-minute one.
Cabins are honest about what they are. 4 ft 9 in typical means seated, not standing, but the width of a Pilatus PC-12 NGX cabin at 60 inches feels considerably better than the numbers suggest, and both common models seat passengers in facing club pairs rather than in a row. The King Air 350i carries 71 cubic feet of baggage, more than most light jets, and the PC-12's cargo door swallows things no jet will accept.
- Passengers: 6–9 passengers with real bags, not a theoretical maximum.
- Non-stop from Chicago: Chicago to Denver, Nashville, Toronto or the Carolinas non-stop.
- Best for: Regional Midwest trips, short unpaved or short-runway fields, freight-friendly cabins.
- Runway: the class advantage. Short, wet and occasionally unpaved fields are normal operations here.
- Noise and vibration: louder than a jet in cruise. Real, and the most common complaint from first-time turboprop passengers.
Turboprop charter Chicago rates and specifications
Note what the table does to the usual assumption that jets cost more. The bottom of the very light jet band, $2,600, sits below the top of the turboprop band, $3,400. A well-equipped King Air 350i and a small jet can quote within a few hundred dollars an hour of each other. The turboprop wins that comparison on seats and baggage; the jet wins on speed and cabin altitude. Neither answer is automatic, which is the whole argument for pricing both — see the class-by-class breakdown on hourly rates.
Turboprop quotes are also less volatile than jet quotes. There is more of this equipment based in the Midwest than anywhere else in the country because it was built for exactly these distances, so you are less likely to be paying for a long positioning leg from a coastal base. That structural advantage is worth more on short-notice bookings than any rate negotiation. For how the rest of a quote is assembled, see the charter cost guide.
| Aircraft | Passengers | Range | Cabin height | Typical Chicago hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pistons (class below) | 3–5 passengers | 300–900 nm | Under 4 ft 2 in — seated only | $750–$1,600 |
| Turboprops | 6–9 passengers | 1,000–1,800 nm | 4 ft 9 in typical | $1,900–$3,400 |
| King Air 350i | 8 | 1806 nm | 57 in | $2,600–$3,400 |
| Pilatus PC-12 NGX | 8 | 1803 nm | 58 in | $1,900–$2,700 |
| Very light jets (class above) | 4–5 passengers | 1,100–1,400 nm | 4 ft 2 in – 4 ft 9 in | $2,600–$3,800 |
Choosing a turboprop versus the classes either side
Step down to a piston when the trip is under 300 nm and the budget is fixed
A piston aircraft charter runs $750–$1,600 per hour, roughly half the turboprop floor. On a 250 nm leg with four people and light bags the time penalty is around twenty minutes and the saving is meaningful. Below 300 nm, with good weather and a flexible schedule, the piston is a defensible choice.
Above that, the turboprop's pressurization and turbine dispatch reliability start earning their money, and the gap in total trip cost narrows because the faster airplane bills fewer hours. The piston option also thins out sharply in winter and on short notice, since there are only a handful of certificated tails in the region, so treat it as an opportunistic saving rather than a plan you can build a quarter of travel around.
Step up to a very light jet for speed, altitude and quiet
A very light jet charter at $2,600–$3,800 per hour cruises 340–400 kts at 41,000 feet — above most weather and most of the turbulence. On a 900 nm leg that is close to an hour saved each way, and the cabin is materially quieter.
What you give up is seats and baggage. A Embraer Phenom 100EV carries 4 passengers against the King Air's 8. If passenger six exists, the jet stops being an option and the choice makes itself.
Three Chicago routes where turboprops win
Chicago to Denver — 785 nm at the top of the class
The King Air and PC-12 both make this non-stop with a normal load, in a little over three hours. A light jet does it faster, but on a route where the destination is often a mountain field rather than the main airport, the turboprop's short-field performance and its comfort with high density altitude count for more than thirty minutes of cruise. Details and airport pairings on Chicago to Denver.
Chicago to Dallas — 685 nm with eight seats
Eight people in a King Air 350i for a day of meetings is one of the class's strongest cases, because the equivalent jet seating capacity costs materially more per hour. Departing from Lewis University or DuPage keeps positioning short. See Chicago to Dallas for the field-by-field comparison at the Texas end.
Chicago to Nashville — 355 nm, the everyday leg
Under ninety minutes of block time, well inside a comfortable day trip, and priced low enough that a group of six splitting the cost lands somewhere near business-class fares with none of the airport. This is the leg that converts first-time charter buyers into repeat ones. Route detail on Chicago to Nashville.
Who books this class out of Chicago
The passenger mix in a Midwest turboprop is different from the mix in a Chicago light jet, and knowing which group you belong to is a fast way to sanity-check whether the class fits your trip. Broadly, three kinds of buyer keep this fleet busy year-round, and none of them are booking for the badge on the tail.
Manufacturing, agriculture and multi-site operations
A plant manager visiting three facilities across Illinois, Iowa and Indiana in a day is the archetypal turboprop trip. Those sites sit near small county fields, not near jet airports, and the aircraft that lands closest wins on total travel time regardless of cruise speed. Six people, work clothes, sample cases and a schedule that has the airplane on the ground for two hours in the middle: the King Air was designed for precisely this and has been flying the mission out of the Midwest for five decades.
Time-critical freight, parts and medical work
The PC-12's cargo door and flat floor make it the default aircraft when the payload is not people. Production-line parts, laboratory samples, organ transport support and equipment that has to be somewhere before a shift starts all move this way out of Chicago-area fields. Charter for freight prices differently from passenger charter because the aircraft is often already positioned, so ask about one-way rates rather than assuming a round-trip minimum applies.
Team, university and event travel on a budget
Eight people is an awkward number. It overflows a very light jet, fills a light jet uncomfortably once bags are counted, and does not justify a midsize aircraft. A turboprop absorbs it comfortably for a fraction of the midsize rate, which is why coaching staffs, university departments and touring parties across the Big Ten footprint use the class more than any brochure would suggest. For groups above nine, look at our group charter options instead.
Turboprop models flown from Chicago
King Air 350i — specifications and rates. 8 in a double-club layout, 9 with the belted lavatory seat, 1806 nm, 312 kt cruise, $2,600–$3,400 per hour. Two engines, the biggest baggage hold in the class at 71 cubic feet, and the deepest fleet in the Midwest, which is why it is usually the first tail offered.
Pilatus PC-12 NGX — specifications and rates. 6 in executive club, 8 with the commuter interior, 1803 nm, $1,900–$2,700 per hour. A single turbine, a 60-inch-wide cabin that is the roomiest in the class, and a cargo door that takes freight, hunting gear and oversized equipment. Buyers who object to one engine should know it is the same engine family that has flown this mission for decades under Part 135; buyers who do not object get the cheapest turbine hour on the market.
Both quote quickly out of Chicago. Send dates, passenger count and the bag list through request a quote and you will get both priced against a very light jet so the comparison is on the table rather than in an argument.
Frequently asked questions
Is a turboprop slower than a jet in real terms?
Yes, by roughly 100 to 150 knots in cruise, but the gap in door-to-door time is smaller than it looks. On legs under 400 nm the climb and descent dominate, so a turboprop loses only ten to twenty minutes. Past 800 nm the difference grows to an hour or more each way, which is the point where a light jet starts justifying its higher rate.
What does turboprop charter from Chicago cost?
The typical market range is $1,900–$3,400 per flight hour, with the Pilatus PC-12 NGX at the lower end and a well-equipped King Air 350i toward the top. Add taxes, segment fees, FBO handling and any daily minimum. Actual quotes vary with date, aircraft and availability, and short-notice trips price better here than in any jet class.
Can a turboprop use small airports near my destination?
That is the class's main advantage. Both common models operate comfortably from runways in the 3,000 to 4,000 ft range, including many Michigan, Wisconsin and downstate Illinois fields where light jets are weight-restricted or unavailable. Give your broker the destination address rather than an airport code and the right field is usually closer than you expect.
Is there a lavatory on a King Air or PC-12?
Both carry one, but neither is a fully enclosed cabin lavatory in the sense a jet buyer expects. The King Air 350i has a belted, curtained lavatory seat at the rear; the PC-12 has a curtained unit. On legs beyond two hours with mixed passengers this is worth raising before booking rather than discovering in flight.
How many bags fit?
More than in most light jets. The King Air holds 71 cubic feet and the PC-12 40 cubic feet with a large cargo door that takes awkward items whole. Golf bags, ski gear and trade-show cases are routine. Send a bag list with your quote request so the operator can confirm weight and balance rather than estimate it.
Do turboprops fly in winter weather?
Yes. Both models carry certified ice protection and operate through Midwest winters as a matter of routine, which is a major step up from piston equipment. They cruise lower than jets, so a long leg through a frontal system can be bumpier, and severe icing forecasts still drive delays for every class of aircraft.
Related pages
Further reading from the blog
Sources and further reading
- Pilatus PC-12 — Pilatus published specifications for the PC-12 NGX airframe and cabin
- Textron Aviation King Air — Textron Aviation published specifications for the King Air family
- NBAA — National Business Aviation Association guidance on business aircraft operations and airport access
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.