Seating
Nine to twelve seats, usually a forward club of four, a conference or dining group of four and a divan opposite.
Bombardier Challenger 605 Private Jet Charter
A wide stand-up cabin for nine or ten, with the range to cross the Atlantic, usually non-stop, at the price of an aircraft built between 2006 and 2015.
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Photo: Duncan Kirk, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
- Passengers
- 9 to 10, up to 12
- Published range
- About 4,000 nm
- Speed
- Up to Mach 0.82
- Cabin height
- 6 ft
- Baggage
- 115 cu ft
- Category
- Heavy jet
Heavy jet · Bombardier
The Bombardier Challenger 605 business jet
The Challenger 605 is the heavy jet clients often picture for the Atlantic, chosen for a wide stand-up cabin at the price of an older aircraft.
Who it suits
A family or board of up to ten on flights of three to eight hours, such as New York to Los Angeles or London to Dubai. The 115 cu ft hold is reachable in flight, so the bag with a change of clothes need not travel in the cabin.
Against its rivals
The Challenger 650 that replaced it in 2015 has the same fuselage and range with newer seats, screens and Wi-Fi, for more money. A Legacy 650 gives a longer three-zone cabin and a far bigger hold but is a foot narrower; a Falcon 2000LXS is newer and far better on short runways such as London City.
Where it falls short
London to Los Angeles or New York to Dubai always needs a stop. Its take-off run is over 1,100 ft longer than a Falcon 2000LXS's. Bombardier built 288 between 2006 and 2015, so every one is eleven to twenty years old and interiors vary; we ask for recent photographs and the refurbishment date.
Challenger 605 specifications
Published figures for the type. Seating, beds and connectivity vary with each aircraft's layout and operator, and we confirm them for the actual aircraft before you book.
| Specification | Challenger 605 | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Heavy jet | |
| Passengers | 9 to 10 typical, up to 12 | |
| Published range | 4,000 nm | 7,410 km |
| Speed | Up to Mach 0.82; about 424 kn in typical cruise | 785 km/h |
| Cabin height | 6 ft | 1.83 m |
| Cabin width | 7 ft 11 in | 2.41 m |
| Cabin length | 25 ft 7 in | 7.80 m |
| Baggage | 115 cu ft, accessible in flight, behind the aft lavatory | 3.3 m³ |
| Take-off distance | 5,840 ft | 1,780 m |
| Crew | Two pilots, with a cabin attendant on most longer charters | |
| Connectivity | Varies by aircraft: Gogo Avance air-to-ground Wi-Fi on many US-based 605s, satellite systems of different speeds on others. Confirmed per aircraft. | |
| In service | 2007 (built 2006 to 2015) |
Range as published: About 4,000 nm with four passengers at long-range cruise and NBAA IFR reserves; AOPA's flight test gives 3,732 nm at Mach 0.80 with five. On the day it depends on passengers and luggage, winds, the airports, temperature and the reserves the operator carries.
Sources: Bombardier, Challenger 650 specifications (same fuselage: cabin, baggage), Bombardier, Certified Pre-Owned Challenger 605 factsheet (layout, equipment), AOPA, Turbine Pilot: Catching the 605 (range at Mach 0.80, take-off, windows), Jetcraft, Challenger 605 overview (range, speeds, take-off, production), Wikipedia, Bombardier Challenger 600 series.
Inside the Challenger 605 cabin
The floor is flat and the aisle runs the full length. A tall passenger ducks slightly under the 6 ft ceiling, but the width is what regular passengers notice first, with broad seats and space between them. Operators differ on how many seats berth fully, so if the whole party needs to lie flat on an overnight crossing, tell us and we will check each floor plan.
Sleeping
The divan berths as a full-length bed and the club seats pair into flat beds on most layouts. We confirm the count on the specific aircraft.
Windows
Larger than the 604's and set two inches higher, so a seated passenger looks out rather than down. AOPA reported about 30 per cent more daylight.
Galley
Forward, by the door. Many aircraft have an oven, a microwave and an espresso maker, and a cabin attendant is standard on longer charters.
Baggage
115 cu ft in a pressurised hold behind the aft lavatory, reachable in flight. Skis and golf bags fit; tell us the count when you enquire.
Connectivity
Varies more than on newer types. Many US aircraft use Gogo Avance air-to-ground Wi-Fi, which works over land only; others have satellite systems that work over the ocean.
Challenger 605 range and performance
The published 4,000 nm assumes four passengers and NBAA IFR reserves. AOPA's flight test found 3,732 nm with five, and a full cabin, a winter jet stream or a distant alternate each take more off. Plan on 3,500 nm with a normal load.
That crosses the North Atlantic eastbound with margin. Westbound, London to New York is usually non-stop with eight or fewer; on some winter days with a full cabin the crew plans a stop in Gander or Goose Bay, adding about an hour. At a hot or high airport such as Aspen in July, operators cut take-off weight, which can mean a stop on the way home.
- Non-stop New York to Miami, 2 h 45 More cabin than the trip strictly needs, often chosen for a family with luggage.
- Non-stop New York to Los Angeles, 5 h 30 Coast to coast with a full cabin, westbound into winter winds included.
- Non-stop London to Dubai, 6 h 45 Within range in both directions with a normal load.
- Non-stop New York to London, 6 h 45 Eastbound with the jet stream behind it, comfortably non-stop.
- Usually non-stop London to New York, 7 h 45 Westbound in winter with a full cabin, a stop in Gander or Goose Bay is sometimes planned.
- One fuel stop London to Los Angeles, 12 h 30 Beyond its range in one leg; usually a stop on the US East Coast or in Canada.
Routes and destinations for the Challenger 605
Trips this aircraft flies well, each with its own page: the airports at both ends, flight times and indicative prices by cabin.
Popular routes
- New York to LondonNon-stop eastbound in about six and three-quarter hours with room for ten.
- London to New YorkUsually non-stop westbound; with a full cabin in winter we check the forecast before confirming.
- New York to ParisNon-stop to Le Bourget in about seven hours with a normal load.
- London to DubaiNon-stop in under seven hours, with the hold reachable in flight.
- New York to Los AngelesCoast to coast non-stop with a wide cabin for a family or a team.
- New York to MiamiShort for the type, but a common choice when the party is eight or more.
Destinations and events
- Private jet to LondonFive airports take private flights into London, more than any other city in Europe, and the right one follows the rest of your day.
- Private jet to New YorkFour airports take private flights into New York, and Teterboro puts you twenty-five minutes from Midtown.
- Private jet to DubaiAl Maktoum's business terminal is open around the clock, and Dubai International puts you twenty minutes from Downtown when a slot is available.
- Private jet to AspenAspen-Pitkin County is ten minutes from town, but it limits wingspan and weight, closes at night and turns aircraft away in snow, so the right jet matters more here than anywhere else.
- Private jet to the Super BowlFrom New York or Miami into Van Nuys or LAX with ten seats; Hawthorne is better left to smaller jets.
Challenger 605 charter cost
A Challenger 605 is one of the less expensive ways into a heavy-jet cabin. The aircraft are older, many operators fly them on both sides of the Atlantic, and quotes tend to come in below a Challenger 650 or a newer Falcon of the same size. A return with the aircraft waiting costs well below two one-way flights. We quote a named aircraft with its year, refurbishment date and interior photographs.
As a guide, heavy jets charter at about $9,000 to $13,000 an hour for the aircraft, crew and fuel. Positioning, airport charges, overnight costs and the season are added for the trip, and the quote is one figure in writing.
Aircraft comparable to the Challenger 605
When the Challenger 605 is not available on your dates, or the trip asks for something slightly different, these are the aircraft we would put beside it.
Bombardier Challenger 605
A Challenger 605 for your dates
Tell us the route, the dates and how many are flying. We check which Challenger 605s are available near your departure, send priced options with photographs of each aircraft, and suggest a comparable type when that serves the trip better.
Photo: André Gerwing, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Frequently asked questions
Is the Bombardier Challenger 605 a good private jet to charter?
For up to ten passengers on flights of three to eight hours, yes. It has a wide stand-up cabin, a hold you can reach in flight and the range for New York to London without a stop. The trade-off is age: every example was built between 2006 and 2015, so we check the interior and refurbishment date of the specific aircraft before proposing it.
How many passengers does a Challenger 605 seat?
Most charter aircraft have nine to twelve seats, and ten is typical. For an overnight or transatlantic flight we suggest eight or fewer, so everyone has a seat that reclines fully and luggage is not the limit.
What is the range of the Challenger 605?
The published range is about 4,000 nm with four passengers and NBAA IFR reserves. With a normal load and real winds, plan on about 3,500 nm. That covers London to New York, New York to Los Angeles and London to Dubai, but not London to Los Angeles without a stop.
Can a Challenger 605 fly from London to New York non-stop?
Usually, yes. Eastbound it is comfortable. Westbound into a winter headwind with a full cabin, the crew may plan a fuel stop in Gander or Goose Bay, which adds about an hour, and we tell you at the quote stage if the forecast and your numbers make that likely.
What is the difference between the Challenger 605 and the Challenger 650?
The 650 replaced the 605 in 2015 on the same fuselage. It has a redesigned cabin, newer avionics and about 5 per cent more take-off thrust, which helps on hot or short runways; cabin size and range are essentially the same. On a charter, a 650 is newer inside and usually costs a little more.
Is the Challenger 605 a heavy jet or a super-midsize business jet?
It is sold as a large-cabin business jet and chartered as a heavy jet. The cabin is wider than the super-midsize Challenger 350's and the range longer, but it is much smaller than a Global 6500 or Falcon 7X.
How much luggage fits in a Challenger 605?
The hold is 115 cu ft, behind the aft lavatory and reachable in flight, and there is a wardrobe in the cabin. As a rough guide that takes a suitcase and a soft bag each for eight people; with skis or golf bags for a full cabin, tell us the count and we will check.
Does the Challenger 605 have Wi-Fi?
Most do, but the system varies by aircraft. Many US-based 605s use Gogo Avance air-to-ground Wi-Fi, which works over the continental United States only, while others carry satellite systems that work over the ocean. We confirm what the specific aircraft has before you book.
Request a Challenger 605 quote
Where from, where to, the dates and how many are flying. We come back with priced Challenger 605 options and comparable aircraft, usually the same day.