Midsize Jets
Cessna Citation Sovereign
A midsize jet for nine to twelve, with 2,847 NM of range, a long cabin and 135 cubic feet of baggage and closet space.
Reviewed by Kevin Singh, Founder · Specifications checked against manufacturer and type certificate data · Last updated 14 September 2026
At a glance
Cessna Citation Sovereign specifications
Figures are representative of the type; individual aircraft vary with configuration, load and conditions.
Where it fits
Midsize seats and range from a short runway
The Citation Sovereign is Cessna's Model 680 midsize jet, delivered from September 2004 until production ended in March 2021. The original model's published range is 2,847 NM at maximum takeoff weight with full fuel, at high-speed cruise on NBAA IFR reserves, and it seats nine in the standard layout with up to twelve.
The cabin is 25 feet 3 inches long, 5 feet 6 inches wide and 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a dropped aisle rather than a flat floor. Behind it sits a 100 cubic foot heated tailcone hold, and closets in the cabin bring the total to 135 cubic feet.
Takeoff at maximum weight is 3,640 feet at sea level on a standard day. From December 2013 Cessna built the Sovereign+, adding winglets, PW306D engines with autothrottles and Garmin G5000 avionics for more range and a shorter takeoff.
Sectors longer than its 2,847 NM, or passengers who want a flat floor and full standing room. The 5 foot 8 inch cabin has a dropped aisle, so taller passengers stoop, and the main hold cannot be reached in flight. For a six-foot flat-floor cabin in the same class the Legacy 450 is the better tool; for longer sectors, step up to the Citation Longitude.
Missions
What the desk books it for
Los Angeles to Hawaii
At 2,217 NM of open water, Los Angeles to Hawaii sits inside the original Sovereign's published range. The desk plans winds, weight and reserves for the day before it quotes.
Europe to Africa and the Gulf
London to Cairo, Cairo to Nairobi and Nairobi to Dubai each sit under 1,920 NM, inside its range, with permits filed alongside the trip.
Larger groups in a midsize jet
Nine seats as standard and up to twelve, in a cabin 25 feet 3 inches long, for teams and delegations that have outgrown a light jet.
Shorter runways at full weight
A 3,640 foot takeoff at maximum weight, sea level and standard day opens shorter runways. The desk checks the specific airport, elevation and temperature for each trip.
Where it flies
Routes the desk flies on the Citation Sovereign
Sectors from our route guides that sit inside the Citation Sovereign's published range. Each opens to the flight time, the airports at both ends and what to know before you fly.
Cabin and baggage
A long cabin with a dropped aisle
The cabin measures 25 feet 3 inches from the flight compartment dividers to the aft pressure bulkhead, 5 feet 6 inches wide and 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a dropped aisle. It seats nine in the standard layout and up to twelve in total.
At the rear, a lavatory with sliding privacy doors has a flushing toilet, a vanity sink and a large closet. An 8 cubic foot forward coat closet and a 27 cubic foot aft cabin closet hold what passengers want during the flight.
The main hold is a 100 cubic foot heated tailcone compartment with an external door, not accessible in flight. Tell the desk what is travelling in it when you enquire, so the hold is planned before the aircraft is offered.
Performance and airports
Runways, climb and the airports it opens
Cessna published a takeoff distance of 3,640 feet for the original Sovereign at maximum weight at sea level on a standard day, and a landing distance of 2,650 feet at maximum landing weight. It is certified to 47,000 feet, with a maximum cruise of 458 knots at 35,000 feet and a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.80.
The desk checks those figures against the executive airports on the routes it 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 Sovereign against the other midsize jets
How the Citation Sovereign lines up against the other midsize jets we cover. The Legacy 450 flies further with a six-foot flat-floor cabin, and the Citation Latitude has a six-foot cabin and a slightly shorter takeoff; the Sovereign's case is a 25 foot 3 inch cabin, up to twelve seats and 135 cubic feet of baggage and closets.
| Aircraft | Passengers | Range | Cruise | Cabin height | Baggage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Learjet 60 | 6 to 7 | 2,405 NM | 453 kts | 5 ft 8.5 in | 48 cu ft |
| Hawker 800XP | 8 to 15 | 2,540 NM | 447 kts | 5 ft 9 in | 49 cu ft |
| Cessna Citation Latitude | Up to 9 | 2,700 NM | 446 kts | 6 ft 0 in | 127 cu ft |
| Cessna Citation SovereignThis aircraft | 9 to 12 | 2,847 NM | 458 kts | 5 ft 8 in | 135 cu ft |
| Embraer Legacy 450 | 7 to 9 | 2,904 NM | 462 kts | 6 ft 0 in | 150 cu ft |
Chartering with Icarus Jet
How we charter the Citation Sovereign
We source Citation Sovereigns 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 and baggage against the real party before it checks availability, and confirms whether the aircraft is a Sovereign or a Sovereign+, 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 number depends on where the nearest suitable aircraft is based, the dates and the airports, so we price your actual trip instead of publishing a rate.
Questions
Citation Sovereign questions the desk gets
How far can a Citation Sovereign fly nonstop?
Cessna published 2,847 NM for the original Sovereign at maximum takeoff weight with full fuel, at high-speed cruise on NBAA IFR reserves. That covers Los Angeles to Hawaii and London to Cairo. The later Sovereign+ was built for more range, and the desk will confirm the figure for the specific aircraft on your quote.
How many passengers does a Citation Sovereign seat?
Nine in the standard layout, with up to twelve possible. The desk plans long sectors around the actual headcount and bags, because weight trades against range.
Can you stand up in the cabin?
Partly. The cabin is 5 feet 8 inches tall with a dropped aisle, 5 feet 6 inches wide and 25 feet 3 inches long, so shorter passengers stand upright in the aisle and taller ones stoop. If full standing room matters, the desk will quote a Citation Latitude or Legacy 450.
How much luggage fits on a Citation Sovereign?
135 cubic feet in total: a 100 cubic foot heated tailcone hold that cannot be reached in flight, plus an 8 cubic foot forward coat closet and a 27 cubic foot aft closet in the cabin. Tell the desk about golf bags, skis or equipment cases when you enquire.
What is the difference between the Sovereign and the Sovereign+?
The Sovereign+ arrived in December 2013 with winglets, Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306D engines with autothrottles and Garmin G5000 avionics, giving it more range and a shorter takeoff. Both are the Model 680, and the desk will tell you which version is available for your dates.
Is the Citation Sovereign still in production?
No. Production ended in March 2021, and Textron's Latitude and Longitude replaced it in the lineup. Every Sovereign flying today was delivered between September 2004 and that date.
Can a Citation Sovereign fly Los Angeles to Hawaii nonstop?
The sector is 2,217 NM, inside the original Sovereign's published range. The desk plans the wind, weight and reserves for the specific day before it quotes, and will offer a longer-range jet if the margin is thin.
Related
Around the Citation Sovereign
Get your number
Charter the Citation Sovereign
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.