Cessna Citation Sovereign: how 287 jets are really flown
The busiest 5% made more than 25 flights a month and the quietest 5% fewer than 3: over eight times as many, on the same type.
The harder end, one aircraft in twenty, is at 85% or more; the easier end near none.
The hardest-worked 5% log ≈444 h a year or more; the easiest-used, ≈46 h or less. The middle aircraft sits at ≈113 h.
The harder end, one aircraft in twenty, is at 2,735 ft or more; the easier end at 657 ft or less.
Fatigue
What each landing and pressurization cycle costs the structure: landings per hour and short hops.
The middle Citation Sovereign flies 1.4 hours for every landing. One in twenty lands every 1.0 hours or sooner, the most cycles for its time.
Middle half 1.3–1.7 : 1Harder end: 5% at 1.0 : 1 or lessEasier end: 5% at 2.0 : 1 or more
Middle half 31–47%Harder end: 5% at 66% or moreEasier end: 5% at 20% or less
Middle half 324–543 nmLowest 5%: 206 nm or lessHighest 5%: 783 nm or more
Context, not graded: the tint marks the harder and easier end of the fleet.
Spread of trip lengths
All 287 Citation SovereignsThe data behind it
Every measure for the 287 North American Citation Sovereigns, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026.| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|
| Hours per landing Each aircraft’s average flight hours per landing | 1.4 : 1 | 1.3–1.7 : 1 |
| Short hops Share of legs under 300 nm | 39% | 31–47% |
| Leg length Median leg | 411 nm | 324–543 nm |
Corrosion
What the air around it does overnight: salt, damp and freeze–thaw.
The middle Citation Sovereign spends 0% of its nights within 2 km of the coast. One in twenty spends 17% or more of them there.
Middle half 0–4%Harder end: 5% at 17% or moreEasier end: 5% at -0%
Middle half 5.3–8.8 hHarder end: 5% at 11.0 h or moreEasier end: 5% at 2.8 h or less
Middle half 3–16%Harder end: 5% at 30% or moreEasier end: 5% at -0%
Context, not graded: the tint marks the harder and easier end of the fleet.
Salt air across the fleet
186 Citation SovereignsThe data behind it
Every measure for the 186 of the 287 North American Citation Sovereigns with enough nights at known fields, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026 (4 on their record since 1 Jan 2025: too few in the 12 months).| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|
| Salt air Nights within 2 km of the coast | 0% | 0–4% |
| Near the coast Nights within 10 km of the coast | 7% | 2–37% |
| Damp air Hours a day at 80% humidity or more, above freezing | 6.8 h | 5.3–8.8 h |
| Freeze–thaw Nights that froze and thawed within the day | 8% | 3–16% |
| Moisture in the air Average absolute humidity overnight | 9.3 g/m³ | 8.0–11.1 g/m³ |
Engines and brakes
What departures ask of engines, brakes and tires: heat and height, and runway length.
The middle Citation Sovereign leaves from a short runway on 3% of its departures. One in twenty does on 10% or more.
Middle half 1–5%Harder end: 5% at 10% or moreEasier end: 5% at -0%
Middle half 2–9%Harder end: 5% at 21% or moreEasier end: 5% at -0%
Middle half 1,282–1,835 ftHarder end: 5% at 2,735 ft or moreEasier end: 5% at 657 ft or less
Context, not graded: the tint marks the harder and easier end of the fleet.
Runway margin at departure
25,952 departuresThe data behind it
Every measure for the 287 North American Citation Sovereigns, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026 (2 on their record since 1 Jan 2025: too few departures in the 12 months).| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|
| Short runways Departures where the longest runway was under 1.25× the takeoff distance | 3% | 1–5% |
| Hot, high takeoffs Departures at 5,000 ft density altitude or more | 5% | 2–9% |
| Density altitude Typical density altitude at takeoff | 1,569 ft | 1,282–1,835 ft |
Utilization
How steadily the fleet is used: flights, flying days and estimated hours.
The middle Citation Sovereign made 7 flights a month. The busiest 5% made 25 or more, the quietest 3 or fewer.
Middle half 4.2–9.7Harder end: 5% at 25.2 or moreEasier end: 5% at 2.9 or less
Middle half 3.0–6.6Harder end: 5% at 12.3 or moreEasier end: 5% at 2.2 or less
Middle half 71–178 hHarder end: 5% at ≈444 h or moreEasier end: 5% at ≈46 h or less
Context, not graded: the tint marks the harder and easier end of the fleet.
Month by month
12 monthsMedian flights per aircraft that flew that month · darker bar is the busiest month, June 2026
The data behind it
Every measure for the 287 North American Citation Sovereigns, every active aircraft (no 40% tracking floor here: on this type it would change which aircraft are compared, not just drop undercounted ones), 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026.| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|
| Flights a month In the months it flew | 6.5 | 4.2–9.7 |
| Days flown a month Days with at least one flight | 4.7 | 3.0–6.6 |
| Estimated hours a year From time in the air | ≈113 h | 71–178 h |
Buying, selling or financing a Citation Sovereign?
See where your Citation Sovereign sits in the fleet.
Enter a tail number to place it against these 287 aircraft. TailCheck grades it on Fatigue, Corrosion, Engines and brakes, and Utilization, with every percentile shown.
Where Citation Sovereigns are based and fly
Dallas Love is home to more Citation Sovereigns than any other field, 7 of the 210 with a home base.
Austin-Bergstrom–Dallas Love is the busiest route: 101 flights by 29 different aircraft.
Where Citation Sovereigns are based
| Field | Share | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Love | 7 | |
| San Antonio | 6 | |
| Oakland | 5 | |
| Rogers | 5 | |
| Buchanan | 4 | |
| Norman Y. Mineta San Jose | 4 |
Busiest Citation Sovereign routes
| Between | Flights |
|---|---|
| Austin-Bergstrom ⇄ Dallas Love | 101 flights |
| El Monte ⇄ Henderson | 86 |
| Flying Cloud ⇄ St. Paul Downtown | 79 |
| Washington Dulles ⇄ Teterboro | 64 |
| San Antonio ⇄ Houston, Sugar Land / Hull | 59 |
| Arapahoe ⇄ Rocky Mountain Metropolitan | 58 |
Longest Citation Sovereign flights
| Between | Distance · time |
|---|---|
| Tokyo → Anchorage | 3,005 nm · 7 h 48 min |
| Anchorage → Cherokee | 2,931 nm · 7 h 14 min |
| Reykjavik → Edmonton | 2,668 nm · 7 h 02 min |
| John Wayne → Halifax Stanfield | 2,564 nm · 6 h 16 min |
| Shannon → Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau | 2,498 nm · 5 h 57 min |
Busiest Citation Sovereigns this year
The busiest Citation Sovereign made 39 flights a month, five times the middle aircraft.
Even the tenth on this list made 28.
Ranked by flights a month · updated monthly
| # | Tail | Flights a month | Estimated hours a year | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N315QS | 39 | 573 h | Check this tail → |
| 2 | N313QS | 34 | 513 h | Check this tail → |
| 3 | N357QS | 33 | 506 h | Check this tail → |
| 4 | N324QS | 32 | 505 h | Check this tail → |
| 5 | N320QS | 31 | 493 h | Check this tail → |
| 6 | N376QS | 30 | 467 h | Check this tail → |
| 7 | N380QS | 30 | 451 h | Check this tail → |
| 8 | N396QS | 29 | 426 h | Check this tail → |
| 9 | N334QS | 28 | 441 h | Check this tail → |
| 10 | N361QS | 28 | 411 h | Check this tail → |
Citation Sovereign vs other aircraft of its size
Medians for each North American fleet, same window and method.
| Type | Tracked | Flights a month | Hours a year | Median leg | Hours per landing | Short hops |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cessna Citation Sovereign | 287 | 6.5 | 113 h | 411 nm | 1.4 : 1 | 39% |
| Cessna Citation Latitude | 361 | 35.0 | 582 h | 363 nm | 1.4 : 1 | 43% |
| Bombardier Learjet 60 | 173 | 9.8 | 179 h | 444 nm | 1.4 : 1 | 36% |
| Gulfstream G200 | 129 | 8.3 | 151 h | 462 nm | 1.5 : 1 | 36% |
| Embraer Praetor 500 | 124 | 30.9 | 549 h | 420 nm | 1.5 : 1 | 37% |
Citation Sovereign vs Challenger 300/350 →Citation Sovereign vs Citation X →Citation Sovereign vs Phenom 300 →Citation Sovereign vs G150 →
Do older Citation Sovereigns fly differently?
Age matters: by year built, the median Citation Sovereign in each band flew between 88 and 121 estimated hours a year.
Show the tableHide the table
| Serial block | Built | Tracked | Hours a year | Median leg | Short hops |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 680-0002–680-0116 | 2004–06 | 62 | 88 h | 469 nm | 37% |
| 680-0119–680-0501 | 2007–12 | 124 | 112 h | 389 nm | 40% |
| 680-0340–680-0600 | 2013–26 | 69 | 121 h | 428 nm | 37% |
US-registered aircraft only: the FAA registry gives serial number and year of manufacture for 256 of the 287 aircraft behind the hours figures. Built = year of manufacture. Avionics upgrades are fitted by modification and the registry doesn’t show them, so check an aircraft’s records.
Citation Sovereign vs Citation Sovereign+: on paper
One page covers both models: the tracking data doesn’t tell them apart.
On paper they differ in weights and fuel. Certified figures come from the type certificate data sheet; the rest are the manufacturer’s.
| Measure | Citation Sovereign | Citation Sovereign+ | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum takeoff weight (certified) | 30,300 lb | 30,775 lb | EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.033 Issue 9, p.14 |
| Maximum ramp weight (certified) | 30,550 lb | 31,025 lb | EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.033 Issue 9, p.14 |
| Fuel capacity (certified) | 11,223 lb | 11,394 lb | EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.033 Issue 9, p.11 |
| Range (manufacturer) | ≈ 3,200 nm | ≈ 3,200 nm | Manufacturer (spec page, Web page, captured 26 Jan 2021) |
| Takeoff distance (manufacturer) | 3,530 ft | 3,530 ft | Manufacturer (spec page, Web page, captured 26 Jan 2021) |
| Passengers | Up to 12 certified | Up to 12 certified | EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.033 Issue 9, p.15 |
| Fuel capacity, US gallons (approx.) | ≈ 1,680 US gal | ≈ 1,700 US gal | From the certified pounds at 6.7 lb per US gallon of Jet A; actual density varies with temperature |
| High-speed cruise (manufacturer) | 460 kt | 460 kt | Manufacturer (spec page, Web page, captured 26 Jan 2021) |
| Length (manufacturer) | 63 ft 6 in | 63 ft 6 in | Manufacturer (spec page, Web page, captured 26 Jan 2021) |
| Wingspan (manufacturer) | 72 ft 4 in | 72 ft 4 in | Manufacturer (spec page, Web page, captured 26 Jan 2021) |
| Height (manufacturer) | 20 ft 1 in | 20 ft 1 in | Manufacturer (spec page, Web page, captured 26 Jan 2021) |
What the Citation Sovereign’s certification file says
Regulators publish an operational evaluation for each type: how pilots must be rated and trained, and what training must stress.
Here is what the Citation Sovereign files say, each item with its source.
Crewing a Citation Sovereign
| Item | What the file says |
|---|---|
| Type rating | C680EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.033 Issue 9, p.17 |
| Minimum crew | 2 pilotsEASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.033 Issue 9, p.14 |
Sources
| Document | Revision |
|---|---|
| EASA TCDS IM.A.033 — Cessna 680 (Sovereign) | EASA · Issue 9 · 25 Mar 2026 |
Chartering a Citation Sovereign
89 of the 287 North American Citation Sovereigns we track are on our charter list (31%).
Charter aircraft flew a median 142 estimated hours a year on 8 flights a month; the rest flew 93 hours on 6.
Where charter Citation Sovereigns are based
| Field | Share | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| Spirit of St Louis | 4 | |
| Arapahoe | 2 | |
| Rocky Mountain Metropolitan | 2 | |
| Buffalo Niagara | 2 | |
| The Francis S Gabreski | 2 | |
| Clark | 2 |
Charter status is our own list, built from FAA records and public listings of charter aircraft; aircraft flown by a fractional program (NetJets, Flexjet and the like) are counted as fractional, not charter. No charter rates: prices depend on the operator and the trip. Check a specific aircraft’s record with its tail number before you book.
Citation Sovereign questions
How many hours a year does a Citation Sovereign fly?
The median North American Citation Sovereign flies about 113 estimated hours a year; the middle half sits between 71 and 178. About 1 in 20 flies more than 444.
How often does a Citation Sovereign fly?
7 flights a month on 5 flying days at the median. About 1 in 20 makes more than 25 flights a month.
How long is a typical Citation Sovereign flight?
The median leg is 411 nm. About 1 in 20 aircraft average more than 783 nm a leg.
How often do Citation Sovereign aircraft use short runways?
At the median, 3% of departures are from fields whose longest runway is under 1.25 times the type’s takeoff distance. About 1 in 20 keep it to -0% or less.
Is a high-hours Citation Sovereign a bad buy?
Not by itself. High hours on long legs are gentler on the structure than the same hours on short hops. Look at hours per landing and short-hop share alongside hours.
Can a Citation Sovereign fly across the Atlantic?
Yes. The manufacturer quotes 3,200 nm. In our tracking window, 5 of the 287 North American aircraft flew 5 nonstop crossings between the Americas and Europe or Africa. The busiest were Shannon–Bangor (2 flights), Halifax Stanfield–Liverpool (1 flights), Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau–Shannon (1 flights).
What’s the difference between the Citation Sovereign and the Citation Sovereign+?
On paper, the Citation Sovereign+ is certified 475 lb heavier at takeoff and carries 171 lb more fuel (about 30 US gallons).
How many gallons of fuel does a Citation Sovereign hold?
About 1,680 US gallons for the Citation Sovereign and 1,700 for the Citation Sovereign+. The type certificate gives the capacity in pounds (11,223 and 11,394 lb); we convert at 6.7 lb per gallon of Jet A, so the gallons are approximate.
Where are most Citation Sovereign aircraft based?
In North America, Dallas Love is home to the most, followed by San Antonio and Oakland. A base is the field an aircraft touches on most of its flying days, month after month.
Cite this data
The Aircraft Ledger. “Cessna Citation Sovereign fleet statistics.” Data to 31 July 2026. theaircraftledger.com/aircraft/cessna/citation-sovereign
Embed a chart
<iframe src="https://theaircraftledger.com/embed/fleet/cessna-citation-sovereign/fatigue" title="Fatigue" width="100%" height="1180" style="border:0;max-width:960px" loading="lazy"></iframe>Method: Cessna Citation Sovereign aircraft with most departures in North America and at least 20 tracked flights in the latest twelve full months. Flight measures, bases, routes and rankings use ADS-B tracking 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026; corrosion and engines-and-brakes exposure use the same twelve months, or an aircraft’s record since 1 Jan 2025 when it had too few nights or departures in them. Estimated hours from time in the air. Tracking misses some flights, so counts and hours are minimums. ADS-B coverage grew over the window, so we don’t compare one year with the last. Tracking can’t tell one variant from another; the variant split, the busiest table’s variants and the age table use the FAA registry, so they cover US-registered aircraft only. We assume the longest runway at each field, so short-runway figures are conservative. Short-runway figures use the manufacturer’s published takeoff distance where our sources hold one for every variant (the longest, where tracking can’t tell variants apart), and a reference figure otherwise. Corrosion measures cover the aircraft we can place on enough nights, some over the longer window when the twelve months had too few. Charter status is our own list, built from FAA records and public listings of charter aircraft; aircraft flown by a fractional program (NetJets, Flexjet and the like) are counted as fractional, not charter. About our data