Bombardier Challenger 3500 vs Cessna Citation Longitude: Super-Midsize Showdown (2026)

In the super-midsize class, two of the best-known jets are the Bombardier Challenger 3500 and the Cessna Citation Longitude. Both seat around 10 passengers in a stand-up cabin, both fly coast to coast across the US with room to spare, and both cost around US$30 million. The differences are in the details.

Quick answer: the Challenger 3500 wins on cabin width, cabin altitude and price: 7 ft 2 in wide, 4,850 ft cabin altitude, about US$27.2 million. The Longitude wins on range, speed and seats on paper: 3,500 nm, Mach 0.84 and up to 12 occupants, with low published operating costs. Choose the Challenger for comfort, the Longitude for flexibility.

Figures come from the makers’ pages for the Challenger 3500 and Citation Longitude, with prices from Wikipedia. Read the full reviews: Challenger 3500 review and Citation Longitude review.

Challenger 3500 vs Citation Longitude at a Glance

Sources: Bombardier: Challenger 3500, Textron Aviation: Citation Longitude; prices and Longitude cabin altitude from Wikipedia: Challenger 300 and Wikipedia: Citation Longitude. Each maker measures range its own way.

Background

The Challenger 3500 is the latest step in a long line: the Challenger 300 family led to the 350 and then, in September 2022, the 3500. Wikipedia says the 3500 added autothrottles and an upgraded cabin, and AIN reports that the 300-series family passed 1,000 deliveries in 2025. The 3500 was the fastest super-midsize model to reach 100 deliveries, in October 2024.

The Citation Longitude (Model 700) is Cessna’s largest and longest-range jet. It first flew on 8 October 2016 and was FAA-certified on 21 September 2019, according to Wikipedia. It shares the Citation Latitude’s cross-section but adds a longer cabin, a new swept wing, a T-tail and more powerful engines. NetJets is a major operator.

Cabin: Same Length, Different Width

Remarkably, both cabins are exactly 25 ft 2 in long and 6 ft tall with a flat floor, so most adults can stand. The difference is width: the Challenger 3500 is 9 in wider (7 ft 2 in against 6 ft 5 in), which you notice in the aisle and in the space between facing seats.

• Challenger 3500: Bombardier’s Nuage seats with a “zero-gravity” recline, a 24-inch 4K screen, a voice-controlled cabin and wireless chargers; a three-seat divan converts into a bed.
• Citation Longitude: room for up to 12 occupants including the pilots, a large baggage area reachable in flight (112 cu ft), and what Textron calls a six-foot stand-up cabin.

Cabin Altitude: A Clear Win for the Challenger

Bombardier says the Challenger 3500 cabin feels like 4,850 ft when cruising at 41,000 ft, about the same as Denver. Wikipedia lists 5,950 ft for the Longitude. Both are better than most airliners, but a lower cabin altitude means more oxygen and less tiredness on a five- or six-hour flight. Read more in why planes fly at 35,000 feet.

Range and Speed

Textron quotes 3,500 nm for the Longitude and Bombardier 3,400 nm for the Challenger 3500. Bombardier’s figure is for 4 passengers at Mach 0.77 with NBAA IFR reserves; Textron does not say what payload or reserves its figure assumes, so treat the 100 nm gap with caution. Either jet links New York with Los Angeles or London with the Gulf nonstop.

On speed, the Longitude has a Mach 0.84 maximum limit speed and a 483 ktas maximum cruise; the Challenger 3500 tops out at Mach 0.83 with a Mach 0.82 high-speed cruise. In practice the difference is a few minutes on a typical trip.

Runways, Engines and Running Costs

• Runways: take-off distances are almost the same (4,835 ft against 4,810 ft), but the Challenger needs much less runway to land (2,364 ft against 3,170 ft).
• Engines: both use Honeywell turbofans: HTF7350 (7,323 lbf) on the Challenger, the more powerful HTF7700L (7,665 lb) on the Longitude.
• Operating cost: Textron publishes an hourly cost of US$2,903 for the Longitude and maintenance intervals of 800 hours or 18 months, which it calls the longest in the segment. Bombardier does not publish a comparable figure.

Price

Wikipedia lists the Challenger 3500 at about US$27.2 million new and the Citation Longitude at about US$29.995 million equipped, both 2023 figures. The Challenger is the cheaper aircraft to buy; the Longitude’s published hourly cost suggests it is competitive to run.

Which Should You Choose?

• Choose the Challenger 3500 if cabin comfort matters most: wider aisle, lower cabin altitude, a shorter landing run and a lower purchase price.
• Choose the Citation Longitude if you want a little more quoted range and speed, room for up to 12 occupants, more baggage space and published low running costs.
• Also consider the Embraer Praetor 600E, which flies 4,018 nm with 4 passengers and has full fly-by-wire.

Our Verdict

These two jets are closer than any other pair in the super-midsize class: same cabin length, same height, similar range and similar price. The Challenger 3500 edges it for passengers, with its wider cabin and lower cabin altitude, and costs a little less. The Citation Longitude edges it on paper for range, speed and seats, and Textron’s published running costs are attractive. If comfort decides, take the Challenger; if flexibility decides, take the Longitude. For the wider picture, see private jet sizes explained.

Key Takeaways

• Both cabins are 25 ft 2 in long and 6 ft tall; the Challenger 3500 is 9 in wider.
• The Challenger 3500 has a lower cabin altitude: 4,850 ft against 5,950 ft.
• The Longitude quotes 3,500 nm against 3,400 nm, and Mach 0.84 against Mach 0.83.
• Prices (2023): about US$27.2 million for the Challenger 3500 and US$30 million for the Longitude.

Frequently Asked Questions

Featured image: FlyingFuel graphic using a photo of a Bombardier Challenger 3500 landing at Berlin Brandenburg Airport by André Gerwing, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.