Headroom
About 5 ft 9 in, more than any light jet in production today. Taller passengers still stoop a little.
Learjet 55 Private Jet Charter
A 1980s Learjet with more headroom than any modern light jet, still flying charter on short US sectors where it is available.
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Photo: Cory W. Watts, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Passengers
- 6 to 7, up to 10
- Published range
- About 2,040 nm
- Speed
- 402 kn cruise
- Cabin height
- 5 ft 9 in
- Baggage
- 60 cu ft
- Category
- Light jet
Light jet · Learjet
Why charter a Learjet 55
The Learjet 55 is a 1980s light jet with more headroom than any built today, chosen for short sectors in the Americas when one is close by and the price is right.
Who it suits
A party of up to six on a one- to three-hour leg that values headroom and price over a young airframe. The baggage compartment at the back of the cabin is reachable in flight, and some clients who know the type ask for it.
Against its rivals
Pick the Phenom 300 for a larger hold, shorter runways and an airframe decades newer, though you stoop inside. Pick a Citation XLS+ to stand up; it seats eight and costs a little more on most sectors. The Learjet's case against either is price, and only when one is close by.
Where it falls short
Gates Learjet built 147 between 1981 and 1990, so every aircraft is 35 to 45 years old, and finish, soundproofing and avionics vary enormously; we say when one is not up to the trip. It needs about 5,800 ft of runway at maximum weight, which rules out Aspen and the short strips a Phenom uses.
Learjet 55 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 | Learjet 55 | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Light jet | |
| Passengers | 6 to 7 typical, up to 10 | |
| Published range | 2,040 nm | 3,780 km |
| Speed | About 402 kn in typical cruise | 745 km/h |
| Cabin height | 5 ft 9 in | 1.75 m |
| Cabin width | 5 ft 11 in | 1.80 m |
| Cabin length | 16 ft 8 in | 5.09 m |
| Baggage | 60 cu ft, about 40 cu ft at the back of the cabin, reachable in flight, and 20 cu ft in an external locker | 1.7 m³ |
| Take-off distance | 5,800 ft | 1,768 m |
| Crew | Two pilots | |
| Connectivity | Uncommon on a type this age; a few US aircraft have air-to-ground Wi-Fi. Ask before you book, and assume none unless confirmed | |
| In service | 1981; production ended in 1990 |
Range as published: Learjet 55C with full fuel and NBAA IFR reserves, as listed by Business Jet Traveler; about 1,870 nm with every seat filled. On the day it depends on passengers and luggage, winds, the airports, temperature and the reserves the operator carries.
Sources: Business Jet Traveler: Learjet 55C, Wikipedia: Learjet 55, GlobalAir: Learjet 55 (baggage).
Inside the Learjet 55
Learjet introduced the 55 in 1981 as its answer to complaints that its earlier jets were fast but cramped, and the cabin, about 5 ft 9 in high, is still roomy for the class. Most aircraft seat six or seven in a club of four and a divan. Nearly every survivor has been refurbished at least once, some well and some not recently.
Seating
Six to seven in most layouts: a club of four and a divan. Listed maximums of ten assume a dense layout few charter aircraft use.
Baggage
An internal compartment at the rear of the cabin, reachable in flight, plus a small external locker; about 60 cu ft in all.
Lavatory
At the back of the cabin. Its size and privacy vary with the layout, so tell us if it matters and we will check the aircraft.
Condition
Varies from aircraft to aircraft more than on any modern type. We send photographs of the actual aircraft with the quote.
Learjet 55 range in practice
Business Jet Traveler lists about 2,040 nm for the Learjet 55C with full fuel and 1,870 nm with every seat taken, before winds and reserves; earlier 55s have less, and the ER and LR versions a little more. For charter, treat it as a one- to three-hour aircraft.
Runway length is the real limit. At about 5,800 ft for a take-off at maximum weight, it needs more than a Phenom 300 or Citation XLS+, and hot or high airports make that worse. A short sector rarely loads it to maximum weight, but mountain and short-field airports are out.
- Non-stop Los Angeles to Las Vegas, about 50 minutes Van Nuys to Las Vegas, where the type is still seen on charter.
- Non-stop Washington to New York, about 55 minutes Dulles or Reagan National to Teterboro.
- Non-stop New York to Chicago, about 2 hours Teterboro to Midway or Chicago Executive with six aboard.
- Non-stop New York to Palm Beach, about 2 hours 30 Within range with a full cabin, into a long runway.
Routes and destinations for the Learjet 55
Trips this aircraft flies well, each with its own page: the airports at both ends, flight times and indicative prices by cabin.
Popular routes
- Los Angeles to Las VegasA short sector where an older, roomier light jet makes sense.
- Washington to New YorkUnder an hour, with more headroom than the newer light jets.
- New York to BostonAbout 50 minutes, when an aircraft is already in the north-east.
Destinations and events
- Private jet to Las VegasForty-five minutes from Los Angeles, five hours from the East Coast, and a car to the Strip ten minutes after wheels down.
- Private jet to New YorkFour airports take private flights into New York, and Teterboro puts you twenty-five minutes from Midtown.
- Private jet to FloridaSeven airports take private flights into Florida, from Opa-locka for South Beach to Naples Municipal for the Gulf coast, and the East Coast is under three hours away in a light jet.
Learjet 55 charter cost
A Learjet 55 can price below a Phenom 300 on the same sector, because it costs its owner less. The saving is not guaranteed. It burns more fuel than a modern light jet, and with so few left the nearest may be a long positioning flight away. We quote it when it is already at or near your airport, with the modern alternative beside it so you can see what the extra money buys.
As a guide, light jets charter at about $3,500 to $5,500 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 Learjet 55
When the Learjet 55 is not available on your dates, or the trip asks for something slightly different, these are the aircraft we would put beside it.
Learjet 55
A Learjet 55 for your dates
Tell us the route, the dates and how many are flying. We check which Learjet 55s 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: JTOcchialini, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Frequently asked questions
How many passengers fit in a Learjet 55?
Six to seven in most charter layouts, in a club of four and a divan. The type is listed for up to ten, but only in a dense layout that almost no charter aircraft uses.
Can you stand up in a Learjet 55?
Almost. The cabin is about 5 ft 9 in high, so most people move about with a slight stoop. That is more headroom than any light jet built today, which is much of the type's appeal.
What is the range of a Learjet 55?
About 2,040 nm for the 55C with full fuel, and about 1,870 nm with every seat filled, before winds and the operator's reserves. In practice it flies one- to three-hour sectors such as New York to Palm Beach or Los Angeles to Las Vegas.
Is the Learjet 55 still in production?
No. Production ended in 1990 after 147 aircraft. Those still on charter are mostly based in the Americas, and each has been refurbished to a different standard, so we send photographs of the actual aircraft.
Is an older jet like the Learjet 55 safe to charter?
Age is not the measure; maintenance and the operator are. Every aircraft we propose is flown by an operator holding a commercial air operator certificate, and we check the operator before we quote. If an aircraft's condition does not suit the trip, we say so.
Can a Learjet 55 land at Aspen?
We would not propose one. It needs about 5,800 ft of runway at maximum weight at sea level, and Aspen's high, short runway calls for aircraft with better field performance, such as the Phenom 300 or Citation XLS+.
Request a Learjet 55 quote
Where from, where to, the dates and how many are flying. We come back with priced Learjet 55 options and comparable aircraft, usually the same day.