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If you are chartering a super-midsize jet, two names come up more than any others: the Bombardier Challenger 350 and the Gulfstream G280. Both seat up to 10, both cruise at 45,000 feet, both run on Honeywell engines, and both are mainstays of charter and fractional fleets across the country. So how do you choose? The short version: the Challenger 350 is about cabin and reliability, and the G280 is about range and speed. Here is how they actually compare, and how to pick the right one for your trip.
As always, your Jet Guys Flight Desk advisor can match the right aircraft to your specific route and group. But if you like to know the details first, read on.
Two of the Best in a Strong Class
The super-midsize category is a sweet spot of private aviation: enough range to cross the country nonstop, a true stand-up cabin, and operating costs well below the heavy-jet tier. The Challenger 350 and G280 sit at the top of that class. If you are weighing super-midsize against smaller cabins, our Light Jet vs. Midsize Jet guide covers the step below, and our Phenom 300 vs. Citation XLS comparison looks at two popular options a tier down.
Range and Speed
This is where the G280 pulls ahead. With about 3,600 nm of range, the Gulfstream G280 flies farther nonstop than the Challenger 350 and its roughly 3,200 nm. In practice, both comfortably handle transcontinental runs like the East Coast to Las Vegas, but the G280's extra range opens up longer hops and more margin against headwinds. The G280 is also a touch faster, with a maximum cruise around Mach 0.85 versus the Challenger's Mach 0.83, and it adds steep-approach certification that helps at challenging airports.
Cabin and Comfort
This is the Challenger 350's home turf. Its flat-floor cabin is consistently described as the widest in the super-midsize class, and the platform is so well regarded that its cabin carried straight over into the successor Challenger 3500. The G280 answers with comparable width, a little more stand-up height in most layouts, and Gulfstream's signature large oval windows. Both are quiet, both seat up to 10, and both deliver a genuine stand-up cabin. For most passengers the experience is excellent either way: the Challenger leans toward cabin width, the G280 toward light and headroom.
Reliability and Operating Cost
The Challenger 350 is the best-selling super-midsize jet of its generation, which means a deep charter fleet, broad parts and service support, and a strong dispatch-reliability record. That ubiquity also tends to make it easy to source on short notice. The G280 carries the Gulfstream support network and pedigree, with efficient operating economics for its range. Both are dependable. The Challenger's sheer fleet size often translates to more availability options on a given date.
Side by Side
Which Should You Charter?
Choose the Challenger 350 if cabin width, proven reliability, and easy availability matter most, and your trips are transcontinental or shorter. Choose the G280 if you want maximum range and speed in the class, value the Gulfstream name, or fly routes that push past what the Challenger can do nonstop. For many clients the deciding factor is simply which aircraft is best positioned for the trip on the day, and that is exactly the kind of call our Flight Desk makes every day.
Compare Both for Your Trip
Thinking About Owning One?
If you are flying enough to consider buying rather than chartering, both platforms are strong acquisition targets. We can help you source and vet a Gulfstream G280 on the pre-owned market, or the current-production Challenger 3500, the direct successor to the 350 with the same celebrated cabin. Our acquisition consulting team manages the search, pre-buy inspection, negotiation, and closing end to end. If you are still weighing ownership against chartering altogether, our Flight Desk can walk you through the tradeoffs first.
How The Jet Guys Help
Whichever you choose, every charter we book is sourced through vetted Part 135 operators. The Jet Guys is a WYVERN Registered Broker, so the aircraft we put you on meet a safety standard higher than the FAA baseline. You can see our full vetting process in the 7-Step Safety Process.
Tell our Flight Desk team your route and group size and we will recommend the right aircraft, or browse the full charter fleet.