Embraer Praetor 600E vs Bombardier Challenger 3500: Which Super-Midsize Jet Wins? (2026)

The Embraer Praetor 600E and the Bombardier Challenger 3500 are two of the most popular super-midsize jets, and they take very different approaches. Embraer bets on range and technology, with full fly-by-wire controls; Bombardier bets on a wide, refined cabin from a family with more than 1,000 deliveries.

Quick answer: the Praetor 600E flies about 600 nm further (4,018 nm against 3,400 nm with 4 passengers), has fly-by-wire with turbulence reduction, more baggage space and shorter runway needs. The Challenger 3500 has the wider cabin (7 ft 2 in against 6 ft 10 in), a 4,850 ft cabin altitude at 41,000 ft and a huge support network. Range and tech point to the Praetor; cabin width points to the Challenger.

Figures come from the Embraer Praetor 600E brochure and Bombardier Challenger 3500 page, with dates and prices from AVweb and Wikipedia. Full reviews: Praetor 600E review and Challenger 3500 review.

Praetor 600E vs Challenger 3500 at a Glance

Sources: Embraer Praetor 600E brochure, Bombardier: Challenger 3500; dates from AVweb and AIN; prices from Wikipedia: Praetor 500/600 and Wikipedia: Challenger 300.

Background

The Praetor 600E is an update of the Praetor 600 (itself developed from the Legacy 500). It keeps the 600’s range, engines and fly-by-wire, and adds a new cabin with a 42-inch curved OLED “Smart Window”, new seats, voice commands and a bigger galley. It was certified in April 2026 and first delivered to Flexjet in September 2026.

The Challenger 3500, in service since September 2022, is the latest of the Challenger 300 family, which passed 1,000 deliveries in 2025. It added autothrottles and a refreshed cabin with Nuage seats, a 24-inch 4K screen and a voice-controlled cabin.

Range: The Praetor’s Big Advantage

With 4 passengers and NBAA IFR reserves, the Praetor 600E flies 4,018 nm; Bombardier quotes 3,400 nm for the Challenger 3500 with 4 passengers at Mach 0.77. That extra 600 nm matters on transatlantic trips: Embraer says the 600E is the only super-midsize jet that can fly London to New York nonstop consistently. Our great-circle calculation puts Heathrow to JFK at about 2,990 nm, but westbound headwinds add a lot in winter.

Cabin: The Challenger Is Wider

Both cabins are 6 ft tall with a flat floor. The Challenger 3500 is 4 in wider (7 ft 2 in against 6 ft 10 in), which gives a little more room in the aisle and between seats. The Praetor fights back with the Smart Window, a 42-inch curved 4K OLED touchscreen on the cabin wall that shows films, video calls or views from outside cameras, seats with a lounge position and flat beds for up to four. The Challenger offers Nuage zero-gravity seats, a 24-inch 4K screen and a divan that becomes a bed.

On baggage, the Praetor wins clearly: 155 cu ft against 106 cu ft on the Challenger, where the bag area is reachable in flight.

Fly-by-Wire and Cabin Altitude

The Praetor 600E has full fly-by-wire controls with side-sticks and active turbulence reduction, which Embraer says makes it the first and only super-midsize jet with these features. The Challenger 3500 uses conventional flight controls, and Bombardier focuses on its autothrottles and proven systems instead.

For cabin altitude, Bombardier quotes 4,850 ft at 41,000 ft and Embraer 5,800 ft at 45,000 ft, which Embraer calls the lowest in the class at that altitude. Because they are measured at different cruise heights, the numbers are not directly comparable. More on this in why planes fly at 35,000 feet.

Runways and Engines

The Praetor needs less runway at both ends: 4,717 ft to take off and 2,165 ft to land, against 4,835 ft and 2,364 ft for the Challenger. Both use Honeywell engines: HTF7500E (7,528 lbf) on the Praetor and HTF7350 (7,323 lbf) on the Challenger. The Praetor’s engines are flat rated to ISA+18°C, which helps on hot days.

Price

Wikipedia lists the Challenger 3500 at about US$27.2 million new and the earlier Praetor 600 at about US$21.995 million equipped (both 2023). Embraer has not published a 600E price; expect it to sit above the 600. On these figures the Praetor family has been the cheaper aircraft to buy.

Which Should You Choose?

• Choose the Praetor 600E if you need the range for transatlantic or US coast-to-Europe trips, want fly-by-wire with turbulence reduction, carry lots of luggage or use shorter runways.
• Choose the Challenger 3500 if you want the widest super-midsize cabin, a quoted 4,850 ft cabin altitude and the support network of a family with over 1,000 aircraft delivered.
• Also consider the Cessna Citation Longitude; see Challenger 3500 vs Citation Longitude.

Our Verdict

On paper the Praetor 600E is the more capable aircraft: 600 nm more range, fly-by-wire, more baggage space, shorter runways, and the Praetor 600 it is based on cost less. The Challenger 3500 answers with the wider cabin and the reassurance of the best-selling super-midsize family. For owners who cross the Atlantic, the Praetor is hard to beat; for owners who mostly fly within North America or Europe and value cabin space, the Challenger remains a superb choice. For the full picture, see private jet sizes explained.

Key Takeaways

• The Praetor 600E flies 4,018 nm with 4 passengers against 3,400 nm for the Challenger 3500.
• The Praetor has full fly-by-wire and turbulence reduction; the Challenger has conventional controls.
• The Challenger cabin is 4 in wider (7 ft 2 in against 6 ft 10 in); both are 6 ft tall.
• The Praetor has more baggage space (155 against 106 cu ft) and needs less runway.

Frequently Asked Questions

Featured image: FlyingFuel graphic using a photo of the Embraer Praetor 600 demonstrator PR-ZTX at the 2019 Paris Air Show by Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.