Light Jets
Cessna Citation XLS
A light jet with a stand-up cabin for eight, and 1,539 NM of range with every passenger seat filled.
Reviewed by Kevin Singh, Founder · Specifications checked against manufacturer and type certificate data · Last updated 14 September 2026
At a glance
Cessna Citation XLS specifications
Figures are representative of the type; individual aircraft vary with configuration, load and conditions.
Where it fits
A stand-up cabin in a light jet
The Citation XLS is Cessna's Model 560XL, built from 2004 to 2008 with Pratt & Whitney Canada PW545B engines and often marketed as a super light jet. Aviation Week describes it as an eight to nine passenger stand-up cabin.
No Cessna specification for the original XLS was retrievable, so the figures here come from Business Jet Traveler and Aviation Week. Business Jet Traveler gives 1,539 NM at long-range cruise with every passenger seat filled on NBAA IFR reserves, which is the load the desk plans around.
Aviation Week counts 330 XLS aircraft delivered. The XLS+ followed in 2008 and the XLS Gen2 in 2022 on the same certificate, and the Model 560XL line has passed 1,000 deliveries over 25 years.
Sectors beyond its 1,539 NM full-seat range, or parties of more than twelve. The cabin is 5 feet 8 inches tall, so taller passengers will stoop. For longer legs with a full cabin and more headroom, the Citation Latitude is the better tool.
Missions
What the desk books it for
Dallas to Mexico
Dallas to Cancún is 886 NM, one leg with every seat filled and permits filed alongside the trip.
Europe with a full cabin
Rome to London (791 NM) and London to Marbella (891 NM) sit comfortably inside the full-seat range.
Egypt to the Gulf
Cairo to Riyadh is 870 NM in a single sector, well inside the range with eight aboard.
Eight people who want to stand
Board trips and family groups where moving about the cabin matters, in a stand-up cabin with 80 cubic feet of baggage stowage.
Where it flies
Routes the desk flies on the Citation XLS
Sectors from our route guides that sit inside the Citation XLS's range with every seat filled. Each opens to the flight time, the airports at both ends and what to know before you fly.
Cabin and baggage
Five feet eight tall, room for eight
Business Jet Traveler gives the cabin as 18 feet 6 inches long, 5 feet 6 inches wide and 5 feet 8 inches tall. Aviation Week calls it a stand-up cabin, so passengers up to that height stand upright.
The type certificate allows up to twelve passengers with two crew. Eight is typical, and Aviation Week describes the cabin as seating eight to nine.
Aviation Week cites 80 cubic feet of baggage stowage. How that splits between internal and external space, and what can be reached in flight, is not confirmed by a primary source, so tell the desk the bag count and any golf bags or skis when you enquire.
Performance and airports
Runways, altitude and the airports it opens
Business Jet Traveler gives a balanced field length of 3,940 feet for the XLS, and Aviation Week attributes 3,560 feet to the later XLS+, so the desk checks runway length for the specific aircraft. The type is certified to 45,000 feet, with a maximum cruise of 433 knots.
Those figures suit executive airports on the routes the desk flies, including Teterboro, Dallas Love Field and Farnborough.
High and hot fields change the answer. At Aspen, the runway length available on the day depends on elevation, temperature and weight, and London City requires a type and crew approved for its steep approach. The desk checks both for the specific aircraft before a quote goes out.
Compare the class
Citation XLS against the other light jets
How the Citation XLS lines up against the other light aircraft we cover. The Phenom 300 publishes a longer range on a lighter load and a faster cruise, and the Hawker 400XP cruises faster; the XLS's case is the only stand-up cabin in the group and up to twelve seats.
| Aircraft | Passengers | Range | Cruise | Cabin height | Baggage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain | Up to 9 | n/a | 205 kts | n/a | n/a |
| Hawker 400XP | 7 to 9 | 1,464 NM | 450 kts | 4 ft 9 in | 46 cu ft |
| Beechcraft King Air B200 and 350i | 8 to 9 | 1,535 NM | 312 kts | 4 ft 9 in | 71 cu ft |
| Cessna Citation XLSThis aircraft | 8 to 12 | 1,539 NM | 433 kts | 5 ft 8 in | 80 cu ft |
| Cessna Citation V | 7 to 11 | 1,920 NM | 427 kts | 4 ft 10 in | n/a |
| Embraer Phenom 300 | 6 to 10 | 2,010 NM | 464 kts | 4 ft 11 in | 84 cu ft |
Chartering with Icarus Jet
How we charter the Citation XLS
We source Citation XLS aircraft from ARGUS-audited and Wyvern-certified operators, and the operator's name and audit status are on the quote. The desk checks range against the real routing with the real headcount, and baggage against the real party, before it checks availability, so the aircraft offered is one that genuinely fits the trip.
Quotes are all-in and itemised: aircraft and crew, positioning, landing and handling, fuel and taxes, with nothing added after the flight that was not on the page. The figure depends on where the nearest suitable aircraft is based, the dates and the airports, which is why we price your actual trip rather than publish a rate.
Questions
Citation XLS questions the desk gets
How far can a Citation XLS fly nonstop?
Business Jet Traveler gives 1,539 NM at long-range cruise with every passenger seat filled, on NBAA IFR reserves with a 200 NM alternate. Lighter loads go further. Winds, temperature and weight decide the real figure on the day, and the desk plans each leg against them.
How many passengers does a Citation XLS seat?
Eight is typical, and Aviation Week describes an eight to nine passenger cabin. The type certificate allows up to twelve passengers with two crew, and the desk confirms the layout of the specific aircraft.
Can you stand up in the cabin?
Yes. The cabin is 5 feet 8 inches tall, 5 feet 6 inches wide and 18 feet 6 inches long, and Aviation Week describes it as a stand-up cabin. Passengers taller than 5 feet 8 inches will stoop slightly.
How much luggage fits on a Citation XLS?
Aviation Week cites 80 cubic feet of baggage stowage for the Excel and XLS family. Tell the desk about golf bags, skis or equipment cases when you enquire, so the hold is planned before the aircraft is offered.
What is the difference between the Citation XLS, XLS+ and XLS Gen2?
All three are Model 560XL aircraft. The XLS was built from 2004 to 2008, the XLS+ was certified in 2008 with PW545C engines, and the XLS Gen2 was certified in 2022; the line was later succeeded by the Citation Ascend. The desk will tell you which one is available for your dates.
Can a Citation XLS fly Dallas to Cancún nonstop?
Yes. The sector is 886 NM, well inside the 1,539 NM Business Jet Traveler quotes with every seat filled. The desk still plans the leg against the day's winds and weight, and files the permits alongside.
How fast is the Citation XLS?
Business Jet Traveler gives a maximum cruise of 433 knots, and Aviation Week says the change from the Excel to the XLS added about 33 knots. It is certified to 45,000 feet.
Related
Around the Citation XLS
Get your number
Charter the Citation XLS
Send the route, the dates and the passengers. The desk checks range and baggage against the trip, then comes back with the aircraft that genuinely fit and an itemised quote.
Prefer to talk? Call +1 888 277 7203. The desk is staffed 24/7.
Comparing aircraft? Browse the Aircraft Guides in the Aviation Library, 600+ guides on chartering and operations.