Buying guide
Citation II, Bravo, V or Ultra: which to buy with up to US$1 million
Published November 9, 2026.
With up to US$1 million, a buyer of a used business jet usually ends up looking at four Cessna models: Citation II, Citation Bravo, Citation V and Citation Ultra. Below is what the official certification data sheet says about each one and what today's listings show about price and hours. The market figures come from listings we track every day, and the asking price is not the selling price.
The four families, from the official data sheet
All four models sit on the same FAA type certificate, A22CE, which EASA, the European aviation safety agency, reproduces in data sheet IM.A.207.1 The serial number tells you which variant an aircraft really is, and it is the best place to start any conversation.
| Model | Serials | FAA certification | Engines | Thrust per engine | Max. takeoff weight | Ceiling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citation II | 550-0001 to 0505 and 550-0550 to 0800 | 1978 | 2 × JT15D-4 | 2,500 lb | 13,300 lb (to 0626) · 14,100 lb (0627 on) | 43,000 ft |
| Citation Bravo | 550-0801 on | 1997 | 2 × PW530A | 2,887 lb | 14,800 lb | 45,000 ft* |
| Citation V | 560-0001 to 0259 | 1988 | 2 × JT15D-5A | 2,900 lb | 15,900 lb | 45,000 ft |
| Citation Ultra | 560-0260 to 0538 | 1988 | 2 × JT15D-5D | 3,045 lb | 16,300 lb | 45,000 ft |
* Early Bravos (550-0801 to 0820 and 0822 to 0823) have a 43,000 ft ceiling unless modified as described in the data sheet.1 All four models are certificated for up to 11 passengers and require two pilots.1 The Citation II/SP (551) and the S/II (S550) are different variants and are not part of this comparison.
What today's listings show
On November 9, 2026, our search robot was tracking about 95 listings of these four models on portals such as Controller, Trade-A-Plane, GlobalAir, AircraftExchange, AvBuyer and Sprinkle.2 For the Citation II, it only tracks serials 550-0600 and up, the newest ones.
| Model | Listings | With published price | Asking price range | Hours (median) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citation II (550-0600+) | 10 | 4 | US$0.9 to 1.5M | 7,900 |
| Citation Bravo | ~40 | 11 | US$1.0 to 2.8M | 4,900 |
| Citation V | ~15 | 3 | US$1.3 to 1.75M | 8,600 |
| Citation Ultra | ~30 | 5 | US$1.1 to 2.0M | 7,600 |
Most listings say "call for price", so the ranges above rest on few figures and are only a reference. Listings repeated on more than one portal were counted once, when the serial number allowed us to match them.2
What this means with up to US$1 million
This part is our reading as brokers.
- Asking price is not closing price. Of the 23 listings with a published price, only 3 ask US$1 million or less. In practice, deals in this range usually involve high-time aircraft, engines close to overhaul or a seller who does not advertise.
- The Bravo is the most sought-after and the most listed. It is the newest of the four, with a different engine generation (PW530A), and has the lowest median hours in the table. That is why a Bravo at up to US$1 million almost always comes with a condition: high hours, engines due or maintenance to be done.
- The later Citation II is heavier. According to the official data sheet, from serial 550-0627 the maximum takeoff weight rises from 13,300 to 14,100 pounds.1 It is worth checking the serial before comparing performance.
- The V and the Ultra are the same family. The Ultra has more powerful engines and a higher maximum weight.1 In today's listings many have over 7,000 hours, so the condition of airframe and engines matters more than the year.
- All four require two pilots. Since September 2026, the FAA no longer allows them to be flown single-pilot. We cover this in this post.3
Where to start
Before the model, it helps to define three things: how many hours a year the aircraft will fly, whether the buyer will take on an engine overhaul, and who the two pilots will be. With those answers, the choice between the four usually becomes clear. You can see examples on the pages of the Citation Bravo 550-0995 and the Citation V N560GT, which have been through our hands.
Sources
- EASA, type certificate data sheet IM.A.207, Cessna 500, 550, S550, 560 and 560XL, issue 10, July 6, 2022 (FAA type certificate A22CE): easa.europa.eu
- Gobbo Capital, daily tracking of Citation listings on industry portals, snapshot of Nov. 9, 2026 (our own data)
- FAA, "Notice of Policy Change and Rescission of Single-Pilot Training Exemptions for Certain Cessna Aircraft", Federal Register, Sept. 28, 2026: federalregister.gov