The Cessna Citation III is a mid size jet seating up to 11 passengers, with a 4,019 km (2,170 nm) range and a 1,015 km/h cruise. Charter rates start around $3,200 per hour.
Textron Aviation introduced the Citation III in 1982. It belongs to the Mid Size Jet class, powered by 2 Garrett TFE731-3B-100S engines. With a 4,019 km range and seating for up to 11, it suits regional and medium-haul charter. 2Lun compares live availability and instant quotes for the Citation III with no membership fees.
Transparent hourly rates — crew, fuel, insurance and maintenance included.
Tracked from ADS-B position reports over the last 12 months (July 2025 – June 2026): we logged 2,038 movements by this type across 55 airports — about 170 a month, or 0.2% of all business aviation movements we observe.
Method: ADS-B position reports filtered to business jet and turboprop ICAO types, counted from aircraft on the ground at tracked airports. Figures reflect observed activity across our airport network, not the worldwide fleet total.
Real range-feasible routes with estimated charter cost.
We tracked 2,038 movements by this type over the last 12 months across 55 airports — roughly 170 a month, or 0.2% of all business aviation movements in our data.
The airports where this type turns up most are San Antonio, Budapest, Tel Aviv, Monterrey. Chartering from one of these usually means less positioning time added to your quote.
Its busiest tracked sectors are Austin–Dallas, Dallas–San Antonio, San Antonio–Dallas. Those pairings have the deepest availability for this type.
Charter rates for the Cessna Citation III typically run $3,200–$4,800 per hour, including crew, fuel, insurance and maintenance. A 2-hour daily minimum usually applies, plus positioning fees.
The Citation III has a maximum range of approximately 4,019 km (2,170 nautical miles) with 8 passengers — enough for regional and medium-haul routes.
The Cessna Citation III typically seats 8 passengers and up to 11 in a high-density layout, with 2 crew.
The Citation III cruises at up to 1,015 km/h (548 knots, Mach 0.83), with a service ceiling of 51,000 ft.
A pre-owned Cessna Citation III typically sells for $1,000,000–$2,500,000 (2025 market). Hourly operating cost runs around $2,600.
Aviation Specialist