Cessna Citation X: how 256 jets are really flown
The busiest 5% made more than 37 flights a month and the quietest 5% fewer than 3: over 12 times as many, on the same type.
The hardest-worked 5% log ≈908 h a year or more; the easiest-used, ≈52 h or less. The middle aircraft sits at ≈195 h.
The harder end, one aircraft in twenty, is at 88% or more; the easier end near none.
The harder end, one aircraft in twenty, is at 24% or more; the easier end near none.
Fatigue
What each landing and pressurization cycle costs the structure: landings per hour and short hops.
The middle Citation X flies 1.7 hours for every landing. One in twenty lands every 1.1 hours or sooner, the most cycles for its time.
Middle half 1.5–1.9 : 1Harder end: 5% at 1.1 : 1 or lessEasier end: 5% at 2.2 : 1 or more
Middle half 25–38%Harder end: 5% at 57% or moreEasier end: 5% at 15% or less
Middle half 448–721 nmLowest 5%: 237 nm or lessHighest 5%: 946 nm or more
Context, not graded: the tint marks the harder and easier end of the fleet.
Spread of trip lengths
All 256 Citation XsThe data behind it
Every measure for the 256 North America Citation Xs, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026.| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|
| Hours per landing Each aircraft’s average flight hours per landing | 1.7 : 1 | 1.5–1.9 : 1 |
| Short hops Share of legs under 300 nm | 29% | 25–38% |
| Leg length Median leg | 607 nm | 448–721 nm |
Corrosion
What the air around it does overnight: salt, damp and freeze–thaw.
The middle Citation X spends 3% of its nights within 2 km of the coast. One in twenty spends 20% or more of them there.
Middle half <1–8%Harder end: 5% at 20% or moreEasier end: 5% at 0%
Middle half 5.3–7.9 hHarder end: 5% at 10.5 h or moreEasier end: 5% at 3.2 h or less
Middle half 4–15%Harder end: 5% at 28% or moreEasier end: 5% at 1% or less
Context, not graded: the tint marks the harder and easier end of the fleet.
Salt air across the fleet
201 Citation XsThe data behind it
Every measure for the 201 of the 256 North America Citation Xs with enough nights at known fields, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026 (7 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 | 3% | <1–8% |
| Near the coast Nights within 10 km of the coast | 20% | 6–46% |
| Damp air Hours a day at 80% humidity or more, above freezing | 6.6 h | 5.3–7.9 h |
| Freeze–thaw Nights that froze and thawed within the day | 8% | 4–15% |
| Moisture in the air Average absolute humidity overnight | 9.8 g/m³ | 8.3–11.0 g/m³ |
Engines and brakes
What departures ask of engines, brakes and tires: heat and height, and runway length.
The middle Citation X leaves from a short runway on 27% of its departures. One in twenty does on 59% or more.
Middle half 19–34%Harder end: 5% at 59% or moreEasier end: 5% at 9% or less
Middle half 4–12%Harder end: 5% at 24% or moreEasier end: 5% at 0%
Middle half 1,311–1,846 ftHarder end: 5% at 2,906 ft or moreEasier end: 5% at 572 ft or less
Context, not graded: the tint marks the harder and easier end of the fleet.
Runway margin at departure
34,685 departuresThe data behind it
Every measure for the 256 North America Citation Xs, 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 | 27% | 19–34% |
| Hot, high takeoffs Departures at 5,000 ft density altitude or more | 8% | 4–12% |
| Density altitude Typical density altitude at takeoff | 1,534 ft | 1,311–1,846 ft |
Utilization
How steadily the fleet is used: flights, flying days and estimated hours.
The middle Citation X made 11 flights a month. The busiest 5% made 37 or more, the quietest 3 or fewer.
Middle half 6.0–22.0Harder end: 5% at 36.6 or moreEasier end: 5% at 3.0 or less
Middle half 4.2–12.4Harder end: 5% at 20.4 or moreEasier end: 5% at 2.4 or less
Middle half 112–503 hHarder end: 5% at ≈908 h or moreEasier end: 5% at ≈52 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, March 2026
The data behind it
Every measure for the 256 North America Citation Xs, 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 | 10.5 | 6.0–22.0 |
| Days flown a month Days with at least one flight | 6.7 | 4.2–12.4 |
| Estimated hours a year From time in the air | ≈195 h | 112–503 h |
Buying, selling or financing a Citation X?
See where your Citation X sits in the fleet.
Enter a tail number to place it against these 256 aircraft. TailCheck grades it on Fatigue, Corrosion, Engines and brakes, and Utilization, with every percentile shown.
Where Citation Xs are based and fly
Fort Worth Meacham is home to more Citation Xs than any other field, 11 of the 133 with a home base.
Teterboro–Van Nuys is the busiest route: 144 flights by 48 different aircraft.
Where Citation Xs are based
| Field | Share | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Worth Meacham | 11 | |
| Addison | 7 | |
| McClellan-Palomar | 6 | |
| Calgary | 5 | |
| Indianapolis | 5 | |
| Dallas Love | 4 |
Busiest Citation X routes
| Between | Flights |
|---|---|
| Teterboro ⇄ Van Nuys | 144 flights |
| Palm Beach ⇄ Teterboro | 118 |
| Washington Dulles ⇄ Teterboro | 97 |
| McCarran ⇄ Van Nuys | 87 |
| John Wayne -Orange ⇄ Van Nuys | 84 |
| Lawrence G. Hanscom ⇄ Teterboro | 80 |
Longest Citation X flights
| Between | Distance · time |
|---|---|
| Beverly → Oslo , Gardermoen | 3,024 nm · 7 h 07 min |
| John Wayne -Orange → Luis Munoz Marin | 2,911 nm · 6 h 33 min |
| Monmouth → Santiago de Compostela | 2,880 nm · 6 h 23 min |
| McCarran → Luis Munoz Marin | 2,795 nm · 5 h 45 min |
| Hickam → Calgary | 2,716 nm · 5 h 59 min |
Busiest Citation Xs this year
The busiest Citation X made 42 flights a month, three times the middle aircraft.
Even the tenth on this list made 38.
Ranked by flights a month · updated monthly
| # | Tail | Flights a month | Estimated hours a year | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N720XJ | 42 | 887 h | Check this tail → |
| 2 | N106PC | 40 | 997 h | Check this tail → |
| 3 | N971JS | 40 | 994 h | Check this tail → |
| 4 | N992MG | 39 | 979 h | Check this tail → |
| 5 | N818CF | 39 | 945 h | Check this tail → |
| 6 | N780XJ | 38 | 801 h | Check this tail → |
| 7 | N700LH | 38 | 1,007 h | Check this tail → |
| 8 | N957JS | 38 | 905 h | Check this tail → |
| 9 | N860TX | 38 | 977 h | Check this tail → |
| 10 | N954JS | 38 | 957 h | Check this tail → |
Citation X vs other aircraft of its size
Medians for each North America fleet, same window and method.
Of the 5 types in its size group, it flies most often.
| Type | Tracked | Flights a month | Hours a year | Median leg | Hours per landing | Short hops |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cessna Citation X | 256 | 10.5 | 195 h | 607 nm | 1.7 : 1 | 29% |
| Bombardier Challenger 300/350 | 755 | 9.8 | 194 h | 481 nm | 1.6 : 1 | 35% |
| Bombardier Challenger 600 series | 501 | 8.2 | 180 h | 498 nm | 1.7 : 1 | 34% |
| Gulfstream GIV/G450 | 495 | 8.5 | 189 h | 560 nm | 1.9 : 1 | 33% |
| Dassault Falcon 2000 | 409 | 6.5 | 135 h | 523 nm | 1.7 : 1 | 32% |
Citation X vs Challenger 300/350 →Citation X vs Citation Latitude →Citation X vs Citation XLS →Citation X vs G650 →
Do older Citation Xs fly differently?
Age matters: by year built, the median Citation X in each band flew between 160 and 380 estimated hours a year.
Show the tableHide the table
| Serial block | Built | Tracked | Hours a year | Median leg | Short hops |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 750-0001–7500054 | 1996–98 | 43 | 198 h | 622 nm | 30% |
| 750-0087–7500181 | 1999–01 | 72 | 380 h | 652 nm | 28% |
| 750-0202–7500234 | 2002–04 | 43 | 261 h | 607 nm | 29% |
| 184–7500275 | 2005–18 | 73 | 160 h | 545 nm | 30% |
US-registered aircraft only: the FAA registry gives serial number and year of manufacture for 231 of the 256 we track. Built = year of manufacture. Avionics upgrades are fitted by modification and the registry doesn’t show them, so check an aircraft’s records.
Citation X vs Citation X+: on paper
One page covers both models: the tracking data doesn’t tell them apart.
Certified figures come from the type certificate data sheet; the rest are the manufacturer’s.
| Measure | Citation X | Citation X+ | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum takeoff weight (certified) | 35,700–36,100 lb | — | EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.097 Issue 03, p.9 — Citation X: 35,700 lb (S/N 750-0001 to 750-0172 without SB 750-71-10 or SB 750-32-50) · 36,100 lb (S/N 750-0173 and on, or with SB 750-71-10 or SB 750-32-50) |
| Maximum ramp weight (certified) | 36,000–36,400 lb | — | EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.097 Issue 03, p.9 — Citation X: 36,000 lb (S/N 750-0001 to 750-0172 without SB 750-71-10 or SB 750-32-50) · 36,400 lb (S/N 750-0173 and on, or with SB 750-71-10 or SB 750-32-50) |
| Fuel capacity (certified) | 13,000 lb | — | EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.097 Issue 03, p.8 |
| Range (manufacturer) | — | ≈ 3,460 nm | Manufacturer (archived spec page, 5 Apr 2016) |
| Takeoff distance (manufacturer) | — | 5,250 ft | Manufacturer (archived spec page, 5 Apr 2016) |
| Passengers | — | — | EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.097 Issue 03, p.10 |
| Fuel capacity, US gallons (approx.) | ≈ 1,940 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) | — | 528 kt | Manufacturer (archived spec page, 5 Apr 2016) |
| Length (manufacturer) | — | 73 ft 7 in | Manufacturer (archived spec page, 5 Apr 2016) |
| Wingspan (manufacturer) | — | 69 ft 2 in | Manufacturer (archived spec page, 5 Apr 2016) |
| Height (manufacturer) | — | 19 ft 3 in | Manufacturer (archived spec page, 5 Apr 2016) |
What the Citation X’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 X files say, each item with its source.
Crewing a Citation X
| Item | What the file says |
|---|---|
| Type rating | C750ANAC OER Original, p.12 |
| Minimum crew | 2 pilotsEASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.097 Issue 03, p.10 |
Sources
| Document | Revision |
|---|---|
| EASA TCDS IM.A.097 — Cessna 750 (Citation X) | EASA · Issue 03 · 7 Jan 2016 |
| ANAC Operational Evaluation Report — Cessna 750 Citation X and X+ | ANAC · Original · 2 Jun 2015 |
Chartering a Citation X
160 of the 256 North America Citation Xs we track are on our charter list (63%).
Charter aircraft flew a median 412 estimated hours a year on 19 flights a month; the rest flew 108 hours on 6.
Where charter Citation Xs are based
| Field | Share | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| Addison | 6 | |
| McClellan-Palomar | 4 | |
| Calgary | 3 | |
| Arapahoe | 3 | |
| Indianapolis | 3 | |
| King | 2 |
Charter status is our own list, built from FAA records and public listings of charter aircraft. 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 X questions
How many hours a year does a Citation X fly?
The median North America Citation X flies about 195 estimated hours a year; the middle half sits between 112 and 503. About 1 in 20 flies more than 908.
How often does a Citation X fly?
11 flights a month on 7 flying days at the median. About 1 in 20 makes more than 37 flights a month.
How long is a typical Citation X flight?
The median leg is 607 nm. About 1 in 20 aircraft average more than 946 nm a leg.
How often do Citation X aircraft use short runways?
At the median, 27% 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 9% or less.
Is a high-hours Citation X 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 X fly across the Atlantic?
Yes. The manufacturer quotes 3,460 nm for the Citation X+. In our tracking window, 8 of the 256 North America aircraft flew 12 nonstop crossings between the Americas and Europe or Africa. The busiest were St. John's–Shannon (2 flights), Halifax Stanfield–Saint-Pierre (1 flights), Halifax Stanfield–Ponta Delgada-Joao Paulo II (1 flights).
Where are most Citation X aircraft based?
In North America, Fort Worth Meacham is home to the most, followed by Addison and McClellan-Palomar. 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 X fleet statistics.” Data to 31 July 2026. theaircraftledger.com/aircraft/cessna/citation-x
Method: Cessna Citation X 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. Corrosion measures cover the aircraft we can place on enough nights. Charter status is our own list, built from FAA records and public listings of charter aircraft. About our data