Cessna Citation III Private Jet Charter

About the Cessna Citation III

For its first decade, Cessna's Citation line was the butt of a pilot joke: the "Slowtation," an aircraft prized for economy and gentleness rather than performance. The Citation III, which entered service in 1983, deleted the joke in a single stroke. It was the first Citation built with a swept wing and a T-tail — a clean-sheet high-performance design that traded the straight-wing economy of its predecessors for genuine speed, and announced that Cessna intended to compete at the front of the field.

The transformation was emphatic. With a 1,006 km/h cruise, the Citation III was among the fastest business jets of its era — a different animal entirely from the economy Citations that came before it. Paired with 3,756 km of range and seats for nine, it flew the European working map and reached well beyond it, at speeds that finally made the Citation name competitive with the established performance jets.

The III founded a line — the VI and VII refined the same airframe — and at around €4,800 per flight hour it remains among the most affordable midsize jets that offer this combination of speed and cabin. For clients who appreciate that this is the aircraft where Cessna stopped apologising and started competing, the Citation III is the swept-wing turning point of the most prolific name in business aviation.

Performance Excellence

Nine passengers, 3,756 km of range, 1,006 km/h cruise — the figures that ended the Citation line's economy-only reputation and established it as a genuine performance contender in 1983. The swept wing and T-tail, both firsts for the Citation family, delivered the high-speed cruise that set the type apart, powered by two Honeywell TFE731 engines with widely supported maintenance economics. The airframe reaches and holds high cruise altitudes, contributing to ride quality and schedule. At roughly €4,800 per flight hour, the Citation III is among the most affordable midsize jets offering this speed-and-cabin combination — the aircraft on which Cessna's most prolific name made the leap from economy to performance, and the founder of the swept-wing Citation line.

Cabin Comfort

The Citation III cabin matched the airframe's new ambition: where the economy Citations before it were sized for short, modest missions, the III offered a genuine midsize interior built for the longer, faster sectors its swept wing made possible. Up to nine passengers travel in a club-plus arrangement, in a cabin whose proportions supported the type's move upmarket.

Most surviving charter examples have been refurbished, so the 1980s shell now carries contemporary leather, lighting and connectivity. A forward refreshment area serves the cabin, the aft lavatory is enclosed, and the externally serviced baggage hold handles a full cabin's needs. The high cruise altitudes the swept wing reaches keep the ride smooth and the cabin quiet over the type's three-to-four-hour sectors. What the Citation III cabin represents is the moment the brand's interiors grew up alongside its performance — a space designed not for the budget-minded short hop that defined the early Citations, but for clients who now expected the speed, range and comfort the wider midsize class delivered. It was the cabin that proved Cessna could build at the front of the segment, not just the bottom of it.

High-speed WiFi keeps you connected throughout your flight, allowing you to work or stay in touch. A full galley enables fresh catering service during your journey. A private lavatory ensures comfort on longer flights.

Why Choose the Citation III?

• Efficiency: Optimized fuel consumption at — liters per hour
• Reliability: Powered by proven jet engines
• Flexibility: Access to major airports worldwide
• Comfort: Pressurization altitude of 0 ft for a more comfortable cabin environment

Whether you're traveling for business or leisure, the Citation III delivers an exceptional private aviation experience.