The Learjet 45 was Bombardier's most ambitious light jet project, a clean-sheet design that entered service in 1998, replacing the ageing Learjet 35/36 line with a modern supercritical wing, wide oval cabin, and state-of-the-art Honeywell Primus 1000 avionics. It was the first Learjet designed from the outset with a true stand-up-approaching cabin section and nine-passenger capacity, a decisive step toward midsize performance while retaining Learjet's extraordinary 51,000-foot ceiling and 465 KTAS cruise speed.
With about 2195 nautical miles in hand the Learjet 45 turns a two-stop itinerary into a single hop, comfortably flying London to Athens, nonstop and handing back the hours a fuel stop would cost. Crews plan a little under the book figure, since headwinds and a full cabin trim usable range, but on the sectors clients fly most this midsize jet reaches its destination without pause. On a midsize jet charter that reach is what buys back a whole half-day.
Reliability is why we place clients on the Learjet 45: powered by 2× AlliedSignal TFE731-20R (3,500 lbf each), it is a mature, well-supported design, and the smoothest charter is always the one that leaves on schedule. Redundant systems and a deep global spares network keep aircraft-on-ground surprises rare. When a trip has to happen, the aircraft is the sort of aircraft you bet on.
The Learjet 45 is happy on short and secondary runways, so a charter routes into the airfield nearest the meeting, the villa or the resort rather than the nearest airline gateway. That flexibility matters most where mountains, islands or short strips rule out bigger jets. Access, quietly, is one of the strongest reasons clients pick it.
Avionics matter more than passengers realise, and the Learjet 45 is well found, with Honeywell Primus 1000 (dual EFIS) giving the crew the tools for confident approaches into short, high or busy airports. Automation trims workload, and a rested crew flies a smoother, more punctual charter. That margin is part of why this midsize jet dispatches so reliably.
Economy is part of the Learjet 45 appeal: it delivers its class of cabin and range without the thirst of larger jets, which is why it prices so competitively for midsize jet charter. Sensible maintenance costs keep the hourly rate honest, and flexible dates unlock better still. Clients are often surprised how much aircraft it buys for the money.
Worth knowing: The 45 was the first clean-sheet Learjet in a generation, yet it kept the marque's trademark climb, reaching the mid-forties while heavier jets are still grinding upward. Small wonder it remains a favourite on charter fleets.
Disadvantages of the Learjet 45 as a charter aircraft, and how we weigh them:
The Learjet 45 cabin is generous for midsize jet work, though it will not pretend to the walk-about width of a heavy jet. For most trips that is the right trade, and where a client truly needs a stateroom we point them up a class.
No single aircraft wins on every count, and the Learjet 45 trades a little of one virtue for a lot of another; the trick is matching that trade to your actual route and party, which is exactly what we do.
As alternatives to the Learjet 45, it is worth weighing the Learjet 45XR and the Learjet 40, both able aircraft in the same bracket. Broadly the Learjet 45XR carries the longer legs, while the Learjet 45 has the stronger short-field manners, so the right pick comes down to your exact route, party and budget, which our advisors are glad to lay out side by side.
In short, few aircraft do transcontinental and medium-haul charter as gracefully as the Learjet 45, and where it is the right tool we place it on fully vetted, certified partners at a fixed all-in price, with an answer back inside 30 minutes.
Tell me your route, dates and party size and I will send a firm, all-in price on the Learjet 45. No commitment, no obligation.