The Cessna Citation X is one of the most notable business jets in theCessna Citation family. Prior to this aircraft’s development, the Citation jets were not known for their speed or range. However, with the introduction of the Citation X, Cessna shifted its image to now be known for fast and sleek business jets.

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The Citation X, also known as the 750 series, was produced from 1996 to 2018. Over 350 total aircraft were produced. The vast majority of these aircraft are still flying today, and the used aircraft market for these jets is still relatively strong. So, let’s take a look at the brief history of the type and whatnotable design featuresmade the Citation X so special. Let’s also look at how expensive these aircraft are in 2024 and what an operator might expect for operating costs.

Brief history

The Citation X began development in 1990. Cessna asked its Customer Advisory Council for recommendations, and the Citation X was born. The customer board wanted a faster jet with a pressurized baggage compartment in addition to other essential upgrades from previous Citation jets. After several years of development, the first prototype took flight on December 21st, 1993.

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Originally, the aircraft was scheduled to be certified in 1995. However, the Citation X program ran into several delays. Cessna had difficulty integrating the avionics and large engines into the aircraft. It had additional engine problems, such as low-speed flameout, and did not initially meet the bird strike criteria. However, Cessna was awarded its type certificate by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in June 1996.

Deliveries began in July 1996, with the first delivery going to the famous golfer Arnold Palmer. Other notable operators include:

• Sydney Pollack
• Fred Furth
• Larry Ellison
• Nelson Piquet
• Donald Trump
• NetJets
• XOJet

Due to the aircraft’s powerful engines and supercritical wings, the Citation X would go on to set numerous speed records. It was considered one of the fastest business jets in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Cessna eventually released an upgraded version of the aircraft in 2010, which was called the Citation X+. This upgrade came with enhanced engines, an autothrottle system, and Garmin G5000, which included three 14-inch screens. Cessna also added winglets that were previously optional.

Notable design features

The Citation X was designed with several features that improved the aircraft’s overall speed and range from previous Citation jets. Cessna engineers developed an entirely new wing, tail, landing gear, and multiple flight control systems. The new wing was a highly swept supercritical wing that reached a sweepback of 37 degrees. It was also installed below the aircraft’s fuselage. This allowed the wing to be manufactured in one piece and gave travelersmore space within the cabin.

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The Fastest Business Jet Of The 2000s: A Guide To The Cessna 750 Citation X

The private jet is still the joint-fastest civil aircraft in the world, with over 330 built.

Cessna chose Rolls-Royce AE 3007C engines to power the aircraft, with the Citation X being the first Rolls-Royce-powered Cessna jet. Additionally, the aircraft was designed with larger engine intakes to reduce noise and improve fuel efficiency. These engines provided just over 6,750 pounds of thrust each. The upgraded Rolls-Royce engines installed on the Citation X+ reached over 7,000 pounds of thrust each.

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The original Citation X jet came with the Honeywell Primus 2000 EFIS flight system. This was a glass cockpit composed of five different CRT screens. The Citation X+ upgrade came with the Garmin G5000 avionics system and utilized only three large screens. The Citation X was also the first Cessna Citation jet to include powered controls, which fit into the aircraft’s wings. These features allowed the aircraft to have the following specifications:

Cost in 2024

The Citation X sold for around $23 million per aircraft when it stopped being produced. The price overlapped with the larger Citation Longitude, which was sold at $26.9 million. However, the Longitude had a wider cabin and a longer range, so many customers unsurprisingly opted for that model instead.

However, since then, many Citation Xs have been on the market and are looking to be sold. The aircraft was produced for over 20 years, and the original customers have flown each of the aircraft in varying amounts. This means there is a wide range of prices for a used Citation X. PerLibertyJet, this range begins at just under $3 million and tops out at just over $13 million. PerEvoJets, the typical acquisition cost for a Citation X can range anywhere from $8.5 million to just over $10 million. These prices depend on the aircraft’s total time and landings as well as what features may have been upgraded.

The cost of operating a Citation X also has a wide range. LibertyJet states this costs approximately $1.2 million per year when flying 200 hours and just over $2 million per year when flying the aircraft 400 hours. These operating costs include variable costs such as fuel (approximately $7.23 per gallon), maintenance, engine overhaul, and other miscellaneous crew and handling charges. The operating costs also include the fixed costs of owning an aircraft. This includes crew for hire, crew training, hangar rental, insurance, and other fixed costs.