The Cessna CitationJet family was the most popular private aircraft in the US for 2023. See all the varying models that make it so desirable.

The light-class family of aircraft, also known as CJ, was introduced in the 1990s and has been a consistently popular option for the ultrawealthy due to the fleet’s versatility.

Cessna’s series of CJ airplanes dominate the market share with 51%, followed by Embraer and Hawker aircraft at 19% and 14%, respectively, per JetSpy.

The Citation 1 used Pratt & Whitney JT15D-1 engines, which were expensive and made the jet uncompetitive. This caused the program to be canceled in 1985.

The first model was unveiled in 1989 and eventually delivered for the first time in 1993 to much fanfare as it outperformed the original Citation 1 thanks to its favorable speed, size, and price point.

Cessna’s CitationJet family is built upon the original design but learned from the mistakes of the Pratt & Whitney engines to create a more operationally favorable jet with a spacious and comfortable cabin.

Other improvements to the cockpit and cabin are visible in the current models coming off the assembly lines.

The M2, which has more efficient Williams FJ44-1AP-21 turbofans that propel it to about 465 mph, is still in production. The Citation 1, by comparison, could only fly up to about 405 mph.

The M2 jet also has an upgraded cockpit with Garmin avionics instead of those from Rockwell Collins and can climb faster and fly faster than its predecessor.

That means the aircraft is not quite tall enough for an adult to stand upright, but it is still spacious and comfortable enough for businesspeople to choose it over other options.

The plane is certified for a single pilot, so it can actually fit up to seven people in total with the second pilot’s seat open.

However, it most comfortably fits four or five. According to Textron, the fifth and sixth seats face sideways and are situated outside the main cabin, including one in the lavatory and one right in front of the exit door.

The CJ2 is five feet longer than the original CJ1 and was first delivered in 2000. It can fly up to 481 mph across about 1,375 miles, according to Business Jet Traveler.

The M2 and CJ3+ counterparts proved to be better suited for the market of the CJ2 model, a company spokesperson told Flying Magazine in 2016.

The aircraft is still available to charter or buy used, though. The average pre-owned cost is about $4.5 million, down from the original list price of $6.5 million before production ended.

According to Textron, the CJ3+ features a Garmin cockpit with advanced handling and fuel burn.

The CJ3 is lighter and faster than the CJ2 it was modeled after and is equipped with slightly better Williams turbofan engines.

The main configuration includes six seats in a “club-style” arrangement. Textron offers the option to add up to two more seats in the main cabin or a “custom extended refreshment center” in lieu of one in the front.

The aft lavatory can also be fitted with a vanity, if preferred, per Textron. The aircraft also has increased baggage space compared to the M2.

This means one person can sit in the first officer’s seat, bringing the total capacity to nine.

Textron has again kept the same cabin height and width and simply stretched the CJ4 to about 17 and a half feet.

The purchase price starts at about $9 million, also making it the most expensive of the CJ family.

The CJ4 can fly up to about 520 mph across some 2,500 miles, according to Textron.

That compares to the M2, which can fly up to 465 mph across 1,784 miles, and the CJ3+, which can fly up to 478 mph across 2,348 miles.

Textron offers a similar layout with six loungers, a seat in the lavatory, and a seat by the main cabin door. In the CJ4’s case, that can be a single seat or a couch.

The lavatory also has its own seat, with the option to add a vanity. Meanwhile, a galley can be installed toward the front.

The CJ3+ has a similar list of options, which includes “bisque” and “truffle” but not “toffee” like on the CJ4. Buyers can also customize the cabin.

The M2, by comparison, offers three interiors: cashmere, driftwood, and ebony.

According to JetSpy, the Cessna V/Ultra/Encore series flew 255,912 flights, and the Cessna Citation Sovereign flew about 200,100. Both are larger than the CitationJet series.

The Sovereign ended production in 2021 to make more room for the Citation Longitude and Citation Lattitude planes. The Encore family — which had been developed from the original V in the 1980s to the Encore+ in 2006 — ended production over a decade ago.