Answered by the MeghQuasar charter desk · Last updated 24 September 2026
Distance decides it first, party size second. The aircraft has to reach your destination without a fuel stop, because stopping usually costs more than moving up a size. Once range is satisfied, pick the smallest cabin that seats the party and carries the bags.
| Category | Typical seats | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Turboprop | 4-8 | Short sectors, small strips, lowest cost per hour |
| Light jet | 3-7 | Short to medium hops, small parties |
| Midsize jet | 6-9 | Medium sectors with a stand-up cabin on most types |
| Super-midsize | 8-10 | Longer sectors, more cabin, transcontinental on some types |
| Heavy jet | 8-16 | Long sectors, large parties, full cabin service |
| Ultra-long range | 10-19 | Intercontinental non-stop |
An aircraft that cannot make the sector has to stop for fuel. That adds landing and handling at the stop, crew time, and usually more than an hour of elapsed time, and it frequently costs more than simply taking the next size up. On the routes we publish, the aircraft that reach non-stop are listed on every page for exactly this reason.
An aircraft cannot carry full fuel, full seats and full baggage simultaneously. On a long sector the fuel load takes priority, so the weight left for people and bags falls. A party that fits the seat count on paper can still exceed what the aircraft may lift for that distance, which is why the honest answer to "how many seats" is always "over what distance".
Usually yes, because range and cabin size correlate. Past roughly 5,000 km the aircraft that can do it non-stop are materially larger, and past 8,000 km the field narrows to ultra-long range types.
Not worse, different. Turboprops are slower but cheaper per hour and can use shorter runways and smaller airfields, which on a short sector into a small strip can make one faster door to door than a jet that has to use a larger airport further away.
Turboprops and light jets have the lowest hourly cost, but only where the sector suits them. On a long route they need a fuel stop, and the stop usually costs more than taking a larger aircraft that flies it directly.
Send the route, the date and the number of passengers. We check operators with aircraft near either end and come back with named options and a price.
Seat ranges as typically configured; individual aircraft vary by operator. MeghQuasar is an independent charter broker and does not own or operate aircraft; flights are operated by licensed third-party operators. General information, not advice for a specific trip. Last reviewed 24 September 2026.