The Premier 1, certified in 2001, broke new ground with a carbon-fibre composite fuselage that gave it one of the widest cabins in the light-jet class. Fast and roomy, it redefined expectations for entry-level jets.
The Raytheon Premier 1 was built to work hard, its 2x Williams FJ44-2A (2,300 lbf each) and redundant systems giving the dispatch reliability that keeps a charter day on the rails. Mature types carry a known maintenance rhythm, which means fewer last-minute swaps and cleaner scheduling. That predictability is worth as much to a client as any cabin feature on the type.
The Raytheon Premier 1 pairs its airframe with Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21, and that flight-deck capability means fewer weather delays and more direct routings on the average charter. Datalink and enhanced vision let crews pick the smoothest altitude and slip into airfields others divert from. It is a layer of quiet capability the aircraft carries on every flight.
The Raytheon Premier 1 covers roughly 1500 nautical miles nonstop, enough for London to Athens, nonstop, which on a light jet charter is the difference between arriving for dinner and arriving for breakfast. Range like this collapses connections that an airline itinerary would force on the same journey. In practice it lets a client leave late and still land the same evening, fresh.
There is prestige in the Raytheon Premier 1 that goes beyond the badge: a Raytheon aircraft with a following among owners who could fly anything, a quiet marker of arrival for charter clients who notice such things. A large in-service fleet also keeps parts and expertise close at hand worldwide. Provenance like that is reassurance you can feel boarding it.
Worth knowing: The Premier was the first jet with an all-composite carbon fuselage wound by robots, a trick that gave it one of the widest cabins in the light class without the weight of metal. Details like that are why the type has such a loyal following.
Airport flexibility is a real advantage of the Raytheon Premier 1: it slips into tight, close-in runways that larger jets must overfly, turning a long transfer into a short one. With slots easier to secure at private terminals, departures stay on your clock rather than an airline's. Few things make a charter feel more private than watching the aircraft taxi straight to the FBO door.
The Raytheon Premier 1 as a charter aircraft, the honest trade-offs:
The Raytheon Premier 1 is honest about distance: near 1500 nautical miles it is superb across its home region, but the longest intercontinental legs call for a bigger tank, and on those we will match you to a larger jet rather than sell you a fuel stop.
No single aircraft wins on every count, and the Raytheon Premier 1 trades a little of one virtue for a lot of another; the trick is matching that trade to your actual route and party, which is exactly what we do.
As alternatives to the Raytheon Premier 1, it is worth weighing the Raytheon Premier 1A and the Cessna Citation CJ2, both able aircraft in the same bracket. Broadly the Raytheon Premier 1A offers the newer cabin, while the Raytheon Premier 1 has the stronger short-field manners, so the right pick comes down to your exact route, party and budget, which our advisors are glad to lay out side by side.
All told the Raytheon Premier 1 remains one of the smarter ways to fly short-haul and regional charter, and Fly with Andreea handles catering, transfers, pets and every detail around you, quoting one firm price and replying within the half hour.
Tell me your route, dates and party size and I will send a firm, all-in price on the Raytheon Premier 1. No commitment, no obligation.