Over the years, we always get the question, where does the bell curve meet in cost and time efficiency when from flying a slower type aircraft like the Pilatus Pc12 compared to a faster twin turbine Jet option like the Citation XLS or Phenom 300.
Choosing a program can be hard and require a lot of research. Considering things like speed, time, and money can be a hassle due to the variety of options private aviation programs entail. This analysis provides a direct comparison on where your time and money go when performing the same flights under different programs to give you a clear understanding of what would be your best fit.
Whether you’re a frequent traveler, a business executive managing a travel budget, or jetsetter seeking convenience without excess, knowing where your time and money are truly going matters. This analysis breaks down how different aircraft and membership programs perform over the same mission profile: a route from Addison, Texas, to Telluride, Colorado. From hourly rates and flight durations to the hidden implications of time savings, we aim to give you a more grounded, practical understanding of which options align best with your travel goals.
Private aviation programs vary widely in aircraft type and pricing models, which is why we selected five different aircraft that highlight meaningful distinctions in performance, capability, and cost structure. The Pilatus PC-12 stands out for its unique ability to land at smaller, remote airports—often bringing travelers closer to their final destination without sacrificing comfort or reliability. It’s a workhorse turboprop known for efficiency, safety, capacity, and flexibility.
The Citation XLS, on the other hand, represents a mid-jet category ideal for travelers prioritizing speed, safety, short field runway ability, and in-cabin comfort. With a reputation for reliability, safety, and sleek performance, it’s a widely used option in business aviation. T
The Phenom 300
The Phenom 300, known for its unmatched range and speed among single-pilot certified jets, is often chosen by those seeking performance and prestige as an alternate to the Citation XLS.
Phenom 100
The Embraer Phenom 100 is a light jet known for its innovative design, comfortable cabin, and efficient performance. This entry-level business jet typically seats four to seven passengers and offers a surprisingly spacious interior. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW617F1-E engines, it provides good speed and range for regional travel. Its advanced Garmin G1000 Prodigy avionics suite enhances pilot awareness. Overall, the Phenom 100 offers a stylish, comfortable, and economical option in the very light jet category.
LIVT’s membership program utilizes the Pilatus PC-12 due to the economic advantages that allow us to offer competitive hourly rates starting at $4,195. This hourly rate can be compared to the higher-tier jet options, such as the Citation XLS at $7,995 per hour and the Phenom 300 at $9,803 per hour. Over a standard 25-hour membership, this equates to costs of approximately $104,875—substantially lower than comparable programs like the Citation XLS at $199,875, the Phenom 300 at $245,075, or the Phenom 100.
For flyers looking for a less encumbering initial commitment, LIVT’s Elevated Flex Program provides exceptional value & flexibility. With an hourly rate of $4,895, you can purchase a 10-hour block at just $48,950. This option is a cost-effective and adaptable solution for less frequent travelers.
Making the decision on which program purely based on an hourly rate would be a crucial mistake, as each aircraft comes with its own performance, speed, & landing capabilities to suit your travel needs the way you want it to. At the end of the day, saving time is the goal. Covering a typical flight distance of 622 nautical miles, the Pilatus PC-12 achieves a true airspeed of approximately 265 knots, translating to a journey duration of about 2.55 hours. While slightly longer compared to jets such as the Citation XLS (1.79 hours) and the Phenom 300 (1.84 hours), the incremental difference in flight time is less than one hour. This minimal time variance becomes highly significant when assessed against operational and economic efficiency, illustrating that shorter flights on jets often come with disproportionately higher costs.
On-demand charters, as represented in our analysis under the King Air 200 at a seemingly attractive hourly rate of 2,800, may initially appear cost-effective. However, practical challenges such as additional repositioning hours, fees, unpredictable availability, and inconsistent service quality typically elevate actual expenses and inconvenience, significantly reducing the attractiveness of these options.
First we evaluated the cost for an individual trip from Dallas, Texas to Telluride, Colorado. This gives us a realistic view of how much you can expect to spend each trip, which in all honesty the differences in cost for one single trip is not overly excessive for the Pilatus PC12 to the Citation XLS: which is why we compared this same trip over an entire membership between these two aircraft and other program comparisons.
To provide a clearer perspective on cost efficiency, we broke down the analysis to reflect the cost of performing an individual trip between Dallas, TX and Telluride, CO under each membership program. This per-trip comparison offers valuable insights into how each aircraft option aligns with different financial and operational priorities:
• Elevated Pilatus PC-12: $12,098.48
• Flex Pilatus PC-12: $14,015.23
• Reserve Pro Citation XLS: $16,725.42
• Competitor Phenom 300: $21,471.93
• Competitor Phenom 100: $16,979.66
• Competitor King Air 200: $18,621.64
These figures highlight a significant range in cost per trip, with the Elevated Pilatus PC-12 emerging as the most cost-effective option. It delivers meaningful savings—more than $4,600 less per trip compared to the Citation XLS, and over $9,300 less per trip than the Phenom 300.
While faster jets like the Phenom 300 and Citation XLS may offer reduced flight times, the cost premium is substantial. For travelers or organizations focused on managing budgets without sacrificing reliability or safety, the Pilatus PC-12—particularly under the Elevated program—presents a compelling value proposition.
This granular view reinforces the importance of aligning aircraft selection not just with time preferences, but also with cost-effectiveness and long-term program value.
To illustrate the cost-effectiveness of our membership options for a route like Dallas to Telluride, the equivalent cost for the same number of trips would be as follows:
• Pilatus PC-12: $148,832.04
• Pilatus PC-12 Flex: $173,666.95
• Citation XLS: $199,875.00
• Phenom 300: $250,805.70
• Phenom 100: $200,722.59
• King Air 200: $176,812.24
This comparison clearly demonstrates the potential savings and value offered by each LIVT membership tier for this specific travel profile.
When evaluating which private aviation program delivers the most long-term value, it’s not enough to simply compare hourly rates or single trip costs. To get a full picture, we examined how each membership performs over time. Using a standardized trip route from Dallas, Texas to Telluride, Colorado, we calculated what a single flight would cost through each program based on their listed rates and aircraft performance.
But the real insight comes when we scale that trip across a full membership. We wanted to understand how the total program cost compares when performing the same number of trips—like those included in LIVT’s 25-hour Reserve Pro Citation XLS membership and other competitors using the Phenom 300 & 100—using each option.
First when comparing this type of programs, you have to get each program equal with the slower private jet options to perform the same number of trips so you can compare apples to apples. To do this for LIVT Pilatus PC12 Program’s one is required to buy more | how many hours required at what cost? Hours to perform the same number of trips as its faster competitors. This additional cost is represented in the chart comparison below.
This comparison reveals which programs provide the best balance of pricing and utility over time, and which may appear competitive up front but become cost-heavy when used at scale. Unsurprisingly, the Pilatus PC-12 continues to stand out as a cost-efficient performer, even when matched up over the an entire private jet membership program against more expensive jets.
This graph presents a true apples-to-apples comparison of the cost for each program to complete the same number of trips from Dallas, TX to Telluride, CO. For example, the Pilatus PC-12 program incurred a total cost of $148,832.00 to complete the same number of trips as its faster competition.
While this cost comparison provides a more balanced view of program performance, it doesn’t capture the full picture—particularly for individuals who place a premium on their time. To address this, we extended the analysis to include the cost of time, enabling a more comprehensive evaluation of overall value.
As mentioned before, cost is just one of several factors to consider when choosing the right private aviation solution. For most travelers, especially business-focused flyers, the ultimate currency isn’t dollars—it’s time. As Time is the Single Equal. Every hour saved in the air is an hour earned on the ground, whether it’s for work, rest, or family.
To illustrate this point, we analyzed how much time would be saved… or lost when flying the same route the same number of times, using each program. The Reserve Pro Citation XLS was used as the benchmark for time efficiency. While jets like the Phenom 300 offer slightly lower flight durations,
those time costs must be weighed against significantly higher costs. This chart compares the total time difference per trip across all programs, giving you a clearer view of how time factors into your travel decision (Negative is time spent, positive is time saved).
This is very important to understand as why else anyone would fly private, if it was not to maximize their time. Individuals and businesses do not fly private, just because of an ego, do they? Yet even with this value understood, it still does not tell the entire story or give a 100% accurate analysis for the buyer. Which is why we taking it one step further and viewed the value of this time over the program’s life.
The Time Value of Money (TVM) framework offers a powerful lens through which to evaluate aviation program choices. While the Pilatus PC-12 may involve slightly longer travel times, it delivers substantial financial savings—demonstrating that, depending on traveler priorities, more time in the air can translate into meaningful economic value.
To quantify this trade-off, we benchmarked each aircraft against the time-efficiency standard: the Reserve Pro Citation XLS. We then calculated the value of each option in terms of dollars saved—or spent—per hour of travel time gained or lost, relative to that benchmark.
The results are as follows (values reflect the time traded vs. Citation XLS & other competition for the same number of trips within a 25 program or program that equaled the same value of trips): (-Negative meaning additional time spent over the same number of trips & positive meaning time saved in hours)
• Pilatus PC-12: –10.48
• Pilatus PC-12 Flex: –10.48
• Citation XLS (Benchmark): 10.48
• Phenom 300: 9.89
• Phenom 100: 6.27
• King Air 200: –9.05
This is very helpful to understand how much time you really gain by going faster. Yet still again does not provide the complete picture still. I promise we are getting to what we believe really matters
The figures above indicate that while the Citation XLS and Phenom jets offer faster travel, the cost per hour of time saved is significantly higher.
In contrast, the Pilatus PC-12 delivers strong economic value, saving approximately $4,871 for each hour of additional travel time compared to the XLS. For travelers willing to spend just 30–45 more minutes in the air, this can result in tens of thousands, if not $100,000 of dollars in annual program savings.
On the flip side, choosing faster jets such as the Phenom 300 or Phenom 100 involves higher costs per hour of travel time saved, yet at a cost between $10,307 and $8,279 respectively for each hour saved. Meaning that for 9 to 10 hours of savings over the entire program you will spend $103,070 to $74,511 for this luxury of time. These figures highlight just how expensive it can be to prioritize speed alone, especially when that speed only trims minutes off a single leg.
In essence, TVM underscores a critical decision point: when speed is essential, jets offer clear advantages. But when cost-efficiency is prioritized, the PC-12 stands out as a compelling option—delivering a more measured, value-driven approach to private travel.
Ultimately, the TVM comparison reinforces the value of being strategic—not just fast. It proves that time is money, but money is also time well spent when the trade-off is optimized.
Ultimately, strategic private aviation, private jet membership program decisions are about more than just speed—they’re about optimizing your overall travel experience. That means evaluating how each program supports your priorities, whether that’s controlling costs, accessing more remote airports, or flying on your schedule. The Pilatus PC-12 stands out not because it’s the fastest or flashiest aircraft—but because it consistently delivers where it counts: financial value, operational flexibility, and dependable performance.
The primary motivations for choosing private aviation include bypassing the inefficiencies of commercial air travel, gaining enhanced flexibility, and accessing a wider network of departure and arrival locations, all without compromising safety. The resulting time savings represent a significant advantage. While other factors may occasionally take precedence, these elements are key drivers for individuals who frequently utilize private jet services. Consequently, a slightly longer flight duration of 30 to 45 minutes is often considered a worthwhile investment in overall time efficiency and convenience.
For instance, the Dallas, Texas to Telluride, Colorado route exemplifies this advantage. Private aviation transforms this journey from a potentially full day of demanding travel with numerous variables into a more streamlined and comfortable experience lasting approximately 2.5 to 3.0 hours, allowing passengers to utilize their time as desired.
The aviation insights shared in this article are grounded in the extensive real-world experience of a seasoned industry professional. With over 26 years in the private aviation sector, the author brings a deep, firsthand understanding of both operational and strategic considerations that impact aircraft selection, cost efficiency, and performance.
As a professional pilot for more than 28 years, he has logged over 9,000 flight hours across a wide range of aircraft types, operating in diverse environments—from domestic routes across the United States to international missions in varied and often challenging conditions. His flight experience spans everything from turboprops to midsize jets, providing a broad perspective on real-world aircraft capabilities and mission suitability.
In addition to his aviation background, the author holds a Master’s degree in Finance and Marketing, giving him a unique ability to analyze aviation programs not just from a pilot’s perspective, but through a strategic financial lens. This dual expertise allows him to bridge the gap between operational performance and economic impact—delivering insights that are both technically sound and financially informed.
This combination of deep flight experience and financial acumen forms the foundation of this article’s analysis, ensuring readers receive practical, data-backed insights they can trust when evaluating private aviation options.
During initial route planning, we evaluated the journey using both systems while factoring in wind conditions. This analysis revealed that the Pilatus PC-12 outperformed other aircraft, largely due to stronger headwinds encountered at higher altitudes, where jets typically operate.
Despite these findings, we excluded wind-related performance from the final comparison, as our intent was to focus solely on route distance and each aircraft’s average True Airspeed (TAS). A key advantage of the PC-12 is its ability to fly efficiently at lower altitudes, consuming less fuel than faster aircraft operating at higher levels.
Our goal in using system-derived TAS data was to ensure a fair and consistent comparison— effectively, an “apples-to-apples” approach. While jet aircraft can leverage favorable tailwinds on return legs at higher altitudes, our analysis is based on average cruise speeds across multiple trips, including climb, cruise, and descent phases.
We acknowledge that selectively highlighting certain data points could favor one aircraft over another. However, our objective was to maintain an unbiased methodology applied uniformly to all aircraft types. While results may vary within a margin of error—estimated at approximately 5%—the analysis remains a meaningful and reliable basis for comparison.
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