Citation Longitude vs Bombardier Challenger 350/3500

Over the following paragraphs we’ll consider key productivity parameters for the Cessna Citation Longitude, the Bombardier Challenger 350 and the Bombardier Challenger 3500. We will explore payload, range, speed, and cabin size to establish which aircraft provides the better value in the Super Mid-size Jet market.

Will a range difference of only 123nm when flying with a four passenger payload, there appears to be little to choose between the Challenger 3500 and Citation Longitude? But in what respect does each model excel?

Cessna Citation Longitude

The Cessna Citation Longitude is a transcontinental Super Midsize Jet utilizing twin FADEC-7 controlled Honeywell HTF7700L turbofans and offering fully integrated digital avionics. It features a swept wing with winglets and a ‘T’ style empennage.

A pressurized cabin with a flat floor accommodates eight passengers in executive configuration.

The Citation Longitude has been in production since 2019, and at the time of writing there were 37 wholly-owned units in operation worldwide, with one in shared ownership and 29 in fractional ownership. The total fleet stood at 67 units in operation. By continent, North America had the largest fleet percentage (95% at the time of writing), according to data from JETNET.

Bombardier Challenger 350/Challenger 3500

The Bombardier Challenger 350 started production in 2014. An upgrade on the earlier popular Challenger 300, the Challenger 350 features a new cabin design, longer range and lower direct operating costs.

Powered by a pair of Honeywell HTF7350 engines, the Chllenger 350 offers the fastest time-to-climb in Business Aviation, climbing directly to 43,000 feet, thus saving fuel and avoiding bad weather and traffic.

Over the years, the Challenger 350 has proven a hit on the market for Bombardier – particularly among the Fractional Ownership operators. Of a total fleet of 411 jets in operation at the time of writing, 29% (119) are Fractionally Owned.

A further 288 are wholly-owned, with four in shared ownership. By continent, North America had the largest fleet percentage (78%), followed by Europe (17%), for a combined total of 95%.

Having enjoyed eight years of success with the Challenger 350, Bombardier was set to begin deliveries of the new and upgraded Challenger 3500 imminently, as of this writing.

Bombardier claims the Challenger 3500 features the most technologically advanced cabin in its class with a raft of productivity enhancing features such as the industry’s first voice-controlled cabin, and the revolutionary Nuage seat, as well as the lowest direct operating costs in its class.

With increased range, outstanding field performance, and steep-approach capabilities, the Challenger 3500 can operate in and out of some of the most challenging airports around the world, and should continue to be a hit for the Canadian OEM.

No deliveries had occurred as of this writing, but a lengthy queue awaited deliveries, expected to begin in 2022.

Payload & Range Comparison

When comparing business jets, an important area for potential operators to focus on is payload capability, and especially the ‘Available Payload with Maximum Fuel’.

Table A shows the Challenger 350/Challenger 3500 ‘Available Payload with Maximum Fuel’ to be 1,905lbs, which is 305lbs more the Citation Longitude (1,600lbs).

Table A: Cessna Citation Longitude vs Bombardier Challenger 350 Payload Comparison

Cabin Comparison

As shown in Chart A, the cabin height is the same for each aircraft. The Cabin width is greater in the Challenger 350/3500 (which share cabin dimensions) at 7.2ft compared to the Longitude at 6.4ft.

The Challenger 350/3500’s cabin (16.6ft) is nominally longer than the Citation Longitude’s (16.5ft), while the cabin height for the three aircraft is the same, at 6.0ft.

Overall, the Challenger 350/3500 provide more overall cabin volume (930cu.ft.) than the Citation Longitude (755cu.ft.), largely due to their additional width.

The Citation Longitude provides room for eight seats in an executive configuration, while the Challenger 350/3500 provide room for nine passengers. Meanwhile, the Citation Longitude offers more internal luggage volume  (112cu.ft.) than the Challenger 350/3500 (106cu.ft.).

Chart A: Cessna Citation Longitude vs Bombardier Challenger 350 Cabin Comparison

Range Comparison

Using Wichita, Kansas, as the start point, Chart B shows the Citation Longitude has a range of 3,500nm with four passengers and available fuel. By comparison, the Challenger 350 (3,247nm) has 253nm less range than the Longitude, while the Challenger 3500 bridges the difference somewhat at 3,377nm.

Chart B: Cessna Citation Longitude vs Bombardier Challenger 350 Range Comparison

Note: For business jets, ‘Four Pax Range’ represents the maximum IFR range of the aircraft at long range cruise. The NBAA IFR fuel reserve calculation is for a 200nm alternate. This range does not include winds aloft or any other weather-related obstacles.

Powerplant Details

The Cessna Citation Longitude has two Honeywell HTF7700L engines, providing 7,665lbst each, and burning 247 gallons of fuel per hour (GPH).

The Bombardier Challenger 350/Challenger 3500 have two Honeywell HTF7350 engines producing 7,323lbst each, and burning 253GPH.

Cost per Mile Comparison

Chart C details the ‘Cost per Mile’ of each jet, and compares the comparative aircraft factoring direct costs and with all aircraft flying a 1,000nm mission with 800lbs (four passengers) payload.

The Cessna Citation Longitude ($6.33/nm) has a highest variable cost compared to the Challenger 350/Challenger 3500 ($6.22/nm).

Chart C: Cessna Citation Longitude vs Bombardier Challenger 350 Cost Per Mile Comparison

Variable Cost Comparison

The ‘Variable Cost’, illustrated in Chart D, is defined as the estimated cost of fuel, maintenance labor costs, scheduled parts, and miscellaneous trip expenses (e.g., hangar, crew, and catering).

These costs DO NOT represent a direct source into every flight department and their trip support expenses. For comparative purposes, the costs presented are the relative differences, not the actual differences, since these may vary from one flight department to another.

The Longitude ($2,075/hr) has a slightly higher variable cost compared to the Bombardier Challenger 350/Challenger 3500 ($2,049/hr), representing a difference of 1.3% in favor of the Challenger 350/Challenger 3500.

Chart D: Cessna Citation Longitude vs Bombardier Challenger 350 Variable Cost Comparison

Market Comparison Table

Table B contains the new 2022 prices (per B&CA) for the Citation Longitude ($29.965m) and the Challenger 350/Challenger 3500 ($26.7m). Also, listed is the long-range cruise speed and range numbers (per B&CA), and the number of aircraft in-operation, the percentage for sale, and average sold (JETNET).

Though the Challenger 3500 is not yet delivering, and therefore has no market data available, the average number of used transactions (units sold) per month over the previous 12 months was two for the Longitude and six for the Challenger 350.

Table B: Cessna Citation Longitude vs Bombardier Challenger 350 Market Comparison

Used Aircraft Retail Sale Transactions

As of September 10, 2022, there were four Bombardier Challenger 350s for sale. Two had pending offers. One aircraft with a pending offer had an asking price of $23m (2019 model).

There were no Cessna Citation Longitudes available for sale on the preowned market, according to JETNET.

While each aircraft serial number is unique, the Airframe Total Time (AFTT) and age/condition will cause great variation in the price of a specific jet – even between two aircraft from the same year of manufacture.

The final negotiated price remains to be decided between the seller and buyer before the sale of an aircraft is completed.

Depreciation Schedule

Aircraft that are owned and operated by businesses are often depreciable for income tax purposes under the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS).

Under MACRS, taxpayers can use accelerated depreciation of assets by taking a greater percentage of the deductions during the first few years of the applicable recovery period. 

In certain cases, aircraft may not qualify under the MACRS system and must be depreciated under the less favorable Alternative Depreciation System (ADS), based on a straight-line method meaning that equal deductions are taken during each year of the applicable recovery period.

In most cases, recovery periods under ADS are longer than recovery periods available under MACRS. There is a variety of factors that taxpayers must consider in determining if an aircraft may be depreciated, and, if so, the correct depreciation method and recovery period that should be utilized.

For example, aircraft used in charter service (i.e. Part 135) are normally depreciated under MACRS over a seven-year recovery period, or under ADS using a twelve-year recovery period. Aircraft used for qualified business purposes, such as Part 91 business use flights, are generally depreciated under MACRS over a period of five years or by using ADS with a seven-year recovery period.

There are certain uses of the aircraft, such as non-business flights, that may have an impact on the allowable depreciation deduction available in any given year. The US enacted the 2017 Tax Cuts & Jobs Act into law on December 22, 2017.

Under the Act, taxpayers may be able to deduct up to 100% of the cost of a new or pre-owned aircraft purchased and placed in service before January 1, 2023. This 100% expensing provision is a huge bonus for aircraft owners and operators. After December 31, 2022, the Act decreases the percentage available each year by 20% to depreciate qualified business jets until December 31, 2026.

Table C depicts an example of using the MACRS schedule for a 2022- model Cessna Citation Longitude in private (Part 91) and charter (Part 135) operations over five- and seven-year periods. The price is as published by B&CA at the time of writing.

Table C: Cessna Citation Longitude MACRS Tax Depreciation Sample

Table D depicts an example of using the MACRS schedule for a 2022-model Bombardier Challenger 350 in private (Part 91) and charter (Part 135) operations over five- and seven-year periods. The price is as published by B&CA.

Table D: Bombardier Challenger 350 MACRS Tax Depreciation Sample

Productivity Comparison

The points in Chart E are centered on the same aircraft. Pricing used in the horizontal axis is as published in B&CA. The productivity index requires further discussion since factors used can be somewhat arbitrary.

Chart E: Cessna Citation Longitude vs Bombardier Challenger 350 Productivity Comparison

Here, productivity is defined as the multiple of three factors:

1. Four Passenger Range (nm) with available fuel

2. The long-range cruise speed flown to achieve that range

3. The cabin volume available for passengers and amenities.

Others may choose different parameters, but serious business aircraft buyers are usually impressed with price, range, speed, and cabin size.

The Cessna Citation Longitude has the higher factory-new price ($29.965m vs $26.7m) compared to the Bombardier Challenger 350/Challenger 3500. For that price, it offers more range, with slightly lower hourly fuel consumption.

The costs per mile and hourly operating costs of the aircraft in this comparative field are very closely matched, with the Challenger 350/3500 marginally lower. With a wider cabin, the Challenger 350/Challenger 3500 offer greater overall cabin volume than the Citation Longitude, and also boast a higher ‘Available Payload with Maximum Fuel’, and higher speed.

Prospective buyers of one of these Super Mid-Size Jets would need to weigh the capabilities of each aircraft very carefully against their specific mission need to determine which one is the best fit for their flight operation.

Within these paragraphs we have touched upon several of the attributes that business jet operators value, although there are other qualities, such as airport performance, terminal area performance and time-to-climb that might factor in a buying decision.

Given the qualities shown by each aircraft in this highly competitive field of comparison, we would expect the Challenger 3500 to continue the market success of the Challenger 350 and its predecessor, the Challenger 300. And we see no reason why the Challenger 350 can’t continue to be a highly-prized asset on the pre-owned market after production has ended.

It will be interesting to see if Textron responds to the arrival of the Challenger 3500 with an upgrade of their own – perhaps with a Citation Longitude Gen2. One thing is for sure – this will be a fascinating market to watch in the coming months and years.

Find Cessna Citation and Bombardier Challenger 350 Large Jets for sale on AvBuyer.