Super Midsize
Embraer Legacy 500
A fly-by-wire jet for up to twelve, with a six-foot flat-floor cabin, 155 cubic feet of baggage and 2,948 NM of range with eight passengers aboard.
Reviewed by Kevin Singh, Founder · Specifications checked against manufacturer and type certificate data · Last updated 14 September 2026
At a glance
Embraer Legacy 500 specifications
Figures are representative of the type; individual aircraft vary with configuration, load and conditions.
Where it fits
Six-foot cabin, short runway, fly-by-wire
The Legacy 500 flies 2,948 NM at Mach 0.80 with eight passengers aboard, or 3,125 NM at long-range cruise with four. Embraer calls it a midsize jet, but its cabin and range line it up against the super midsize class, which is where charter buyers compare it.
The cabin is six feet tall and six feet ten inches wide on a flat floor, with 155 cubic feet of baggage between an external hold and closets you can reach in flight. It takes off in 4,084 feet at maximum weight, less runway than any other super midsize jet in our guides.
Embraer certified it in August 2014 with full fly-by-wire flight controls, side-sticks and Honeywell HTF7500E engines. The Praetor 600 superseded it from 2019 as the same type with a design change that adds range, so the two share the same cabin dimensions.
Sectors beyond its range with a full cabin, or a party that needs every bag within reach. Range falls from 3,125 NM with four aboard to 2,948 NM with eight, and the 110 cubic foot external hold is not pressurised and cannot be reached in flight. For the longer legs, the Praetor 600, the same airframe with more range, is the better tool.
Missions
What the desk books it for
Short runways, long legs
A 4,084 foot takeoff at maximum weight widens the choice of airports at either end, and the jet still flies London to Cairo, around 1,900 NM, nonstop with eight aboard.
London City departures
Flexjet Legacy 500s completed certification for London City's 5.5 degree steep approach in May 2016. The desk confirms the operator and crew approval for the specific aircraft before it quotes the city airport.
Eight aboard, the long way
With eight passengers at Mach 0.80 it still flies 2,948 NM, enough for Los Angeles to Hawaii, over 2,200 NM of open water, and Nairobi to Dubai.
Luggage that matters
155 cubic feet of baggage, with a 110 cubic foot external hold for the big bags and a 35 cubic foot closet you can reach in flight for everything else.
Where it flies
Routes the desk flies on the Legacy 500
Sectors from our route guides that sit inside the Legacy 500's range, all of them inside the 2,948 NM it flies with eight aboard. Each opens to the flight time, the airports at both ends and what to know before you fly.
Cabin and baggage
Six feet tall, flat floor, closets in reach
The cabin is 27 feet 6 inches long (a Business and Commercial Aviation figure; Embraer publishes no length), 6 feet 10 inches wide and 6 feet tall, on a flat floor. Embraer lists eight seats as standard and up to twelve passengers.
A full-width lavatory at the rear closes with a solid pocket door and has an externally serviced vacuum toilet, with a belted toilet as an option. A 35 cubic foot aft closet and a 5 cubic foot galley closet are reachable in flight.
The main hold is a 110 cubic foot external bay, loaded from the ground, not pressurised and not reachable in flight (heating was an option). Keep what you need for the flight in the cabin, and tell the desk the bag count when you enquire, so the hold is planned before the aircraft is offered.
Performance and airports
Runways, climb and the airports it opens
Embraer publishes a takeoff distance of 4,084 feet at maximum weight at sea level on a standard day, and an unfactored landing distance of 2,122 feet with four passengers. It is certified to 45,000 feet, with a high-speed cruise of 466 knots at 43,000 feet and a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.83.
Those figures open the executive airports that matter on the routes the desk flies, including Teterboro, Dallas Love Field, Farnborough and Biggin Hill.
At London City, the Legacy 500 completed certification for the steep 5.5 degree approach in May 2016 on Flexjet aircraft; each operator and crew still needs its own approval. At Aspen and Lugano, the runway length available on the day depends on elevation, temperature and weight. The desk checks all of it for the specific aircraft before a quote goes out.
Compare the class
Legacy 500 against the other super midsize
How the Legacy 500 lines up against the other super midsize jets we cover. The Praetor 600, Citation Longitude, G200 and Challenger 350 fly further, and the Citation X flies faster; the Legacy 500's case is a six-foot flat-floor cabin, 155 cubic feet of baggage and a shorter takeoff distance than any of them.
| Aircraft | Passengers | Range | Cruise | Cabin height | Baggage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dassault Falcon 50 | 8 to 9 | 3,075 NM | Mach 0.80 | 5 ft 11 in | 115 cu ft |
| Embraer Legacy 500This aircraft | 8 to 12 | 3,125 NM | 466 kts | 6 ft 0 in | 155 cu ft |
| Bombardier Challenger 350 | Up to 10 | 3,200 NM | Mach 0.80 | 6 ft 0 in | 106 cu ft |
| Cessna Citation X | 8 to 12 | 3,242 NM | 527 kts | 5 ft 8 in | 82 cu ft |
| Gulfstream G200 | 8 to 10 | 3,400 NM | 459 kts | 6 ft 3 in | 150 cu ft |
| Cessna Citation Longitude | 8 to 12 | 3,500 NM | 483 kts | 6 ft 0 in | 112 cu ft |
| Embraer Praetor 600 | 8 to 12 | 4,018 NM | 466 kts | 6 ft 0 in | 155 cu ft |
Chartering with Icarus Jet
How we charter the Legacy 500
We source Legacy 500s 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 headcount, and baggage against what needs to be reachable in flight, 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 instead of publishing a rate.
Questions
Legacy 500 questions the desk gets
How far can a Legacy 500 fly nonstop?
Embraer publishes 3,125 NM at long-range cruise with four passengers on NBAA IFR reserves with a 200 NM alternate, and 2,948 NM at Mach 0.80 with eight. That covers Los Angeles to Hawaii and London to Cairo with a full cabin. Winds, temperature and weight decide the real figure, and the desk plans each leg against them.
How many passengers does a Legacy 500 seat?
Eight in the standard layout, and Embraer lists up to twelve. Embraer publishes a range with eight aboard, so eight is the load the desk plans long sectors around.
Can you stand up in the cabin?
Yes. The cabin is 6 feet tall on a flat floor and 6 feet 10 inches wide, so most passengers stand upright and walk its length without stooping.
How much luggage fits on a Legacy 500?
155 cubic feet in total. The 110 cubic foot external hold is not pressurised or reachable in flight, while a 35 cubic foot aft closet and a 5 cubic foot galley closet are. Tell the desk about golf bags, skis or equipment cases when you enquire.
Can a Legacy 500 fly into London City?
The type completed certification for London City's steep 5.5 degree approach in May 2016, on Flexjet aircraft. Each operator and crew still needs its own approval, so the desk confirms that for the specific aircraft before quoting the city airport.
What is the difference between the Legacy 500 and the Praetor 600?
The Praetor 600 is the same type with an approved design change that adds range, and it replaced the Legacy 500 from 2019. The cabin dimensions are the same, so for most charter trips the choice comes down to the length of the longest leg.
Is the Legacy 500 fly-by-wire?
Yes. It has full fly-by-wire flight controls with side-sticks, and two Honeywell HTF7500E engines of 7,036 pounds thrust each. High-speed cruise is 466 knots at 43,000 feet.
Related
Around the Legacy 500
Get your number
Charter the Legacy 500
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.