Aircraft category
Turboprop: Charter Cost, Range, and Best Uses
At a glance
Seating, speed, range, and cost
Typical passengers
4 to 8
Cruise speed
~280 kt
Planning range
~1000 nm
Hourly cost range
$1,600 to $3,200
Charter planning
How this type shows up on quotes
- Turboprop hourly bands are the lowest on this site. Northeast island hops (ACK, MVY, HPN) and mountain resort feeders often quote King Air or PC-12 before a jet is offered.
- Daily minimums still apply—a forty-minute hop may bill two hours. Compare total trip cost, not hourly rate alone.
- Runway and weather matter more than brochure range. Operators decline turboprops on legs where jet climb and icing margins are required.
Methodology
Methodology and sources
Every figure on this page is a planning estimate, not a quote. We do not track live aircraft availability or market prices.
Hourly bands, seating, speed, and range on this page are broad category planning values informed by typical charter market structure and public aircraft category descriptions. A specific tail number, operator, and age can sit above or below the band.
A final invoice can move up or down based on aircraft availability, repositioning, taxes, federal excise tax and segment fees, landing and FBO or handling fees, crew overnights and duty limits, de-icing, fuel surcharges, international permits and customs, and peak demand.
Use the range to compare aircraft, routes, or access models before you speak with a licensed operator or broker.
Sources and reference points
Estimates here are cross-checked against public and industry reference material for structure and terminology, not scraped from live charter pricing feeds.
- 14 CFR Part 135 (eCFR)
Federal operating rules for on-demand charter and commuter operations in the United States.
- FAA
U.S. aviation safety, certification, and operator oversight relevant to private and charter flying.
- NBAA (National Business Aviation Association)
Industry context on business aviation operations, access models, and planning.
- IRS Form 720 (excise tax filings)
How federal excise taxes on transportation are reported; many domestic charters include FET on the invoice.
- NBAA aircraft operating information
High-level industry framing for how aircraft categories are used in business aviation.
- FAA airport operations
How airports are run; landing, ramp, and FBO handling fees are set locally, not by this site.
Category hourly bands and aircraft notes reflect typical charter market structure and published aircraft class characteristics—not quotes for a specific tail. Drafting may use AI-assisted tools. A human reviews every page before publish: airport codes, distances, regulatory references, and the rule that estimates are not quotes. We strip templated filler phrases at render time on route pages and block new content that reuses them in CI. Editorial policy.
Last reviewed May 2026. Pricing assumptions are broad planning ranges and should be confirmed with a licensed operator or broker.
Models
Popular turboprop models
These specific aircraft types are commonly chartered in this category. Each page explains typical use, limits, and planning cost context for that model.
Use
What this aircraft is used for
Turboprops are efficient short haul aircraft that excel on regional trips and can use shorter runways and smaller fields that jets cannot.
Most cabins seat about four to eight passengers comfortably, with room for reasonable baggage on shorter trips.
Best uses
Best route types
- Short regional hops under about two hours
- Trips into small or remote airports with shorter runways
- Cost sensitive flights where jet speed is not essential
Tradeoffs
Limitations to keep in mind
- Slower cruise than jets, so flights take longer on the same route
- Lower cabins and less soundproofing than jet categories
- Limited range for long or overwater trips
Alternatives
Similar aircraft and categories
Common questions
Are turboprops safe and modern?
Modern turboprops are well regarded and widely used in charter. They use turbine engines like jets and many have current avionics and comfortable cabins.
When is a turboprop the right choice?
On short regional trips, into smaller airports, or when you want the lowest hourly cost and do not need jet speed.
How fast is a turboprop compared with a jet?
Cruise speeds are lower, so a turboprop takes longer than a jet on the same route. On short hops the difference is small.
Routes this aircraft commonly flies
- New York to NantucketShort hop from Teterboro to ACK: minimum hours, summer ramp limits, turboprop versus jet, and when private beats the ferry.
- New York to The HamptonsPlanning charter cost range, aircraft fit, and routing notes for New York to The Hamptons.
- Los Angeles to Las VegasPlanning charter cost range, aircraft fit, and routing notes for Los Angeles to Las Vegas.
Estimate a trip on this aircraft
- Charter CostFree private jet flight cost calculator: estimate charter cost from flight time, aircraft category, trip type, and extras. Planning ranges only—not quotes.
- Aircraft Hourly RateSee planning hourly rate ranges by aircraft category and estimate a flight cost from hours, with a reference table across all categories.
- Split CostSee per person and per group cost when a group shares a single private charter, including host subsidies.
- AircraftCompare aircraft categories by passengers, speed, range, and planning hourly cost.
Last reviewed May 2026. Estimates use planning assumptions that we revisit periodically.