Ownership Cost
Bombardier Challenger 604 Operating Costs & Cost per Hour
Everything you need to know about the costs to own and operate the Bombardier Challenger 604. Fixed and variable cost detailed breakdown.
BenedictPrivate Aviation ConsultantUpdated September 4, 2025 · Published December 20, 2024 · 2 min read
At a glance
- Fixed costs / year
- $1,064,867
- Variable / flight hour
- $6,617
- Total / hour at 200 hrs a year
- $11,941
- class rate, published rates
- Charter, large jet
- $14,500–$16,500/hr
- Passengers
- Up to 12
- Range
- 3,751 nm
- $2,860/hr in fuel today, est.
- Fuel burn
- 358 gal/hr
- Cruise speed
- 490 kts
CRAFT estimates in USD (how we estimate them is below). Operating costs vary with fuel price, region and mission. Fuel today at $7.99 a gallon, our estimate of the U.S. average FBO price for Jet A: jet fuel price today. Fuel burn: Conklin & de Decker average hourly fuel burn, via Private Jet Card Comparisons (June 2025).
Bombardier Challenger 604 price, value, specs and every tailFAA airworthiness directives for the Challenger 604
The Bombardier Challenger 604 is part of the popular Challenger 600 series of aircraft.
Deliveries began in 1996 and ran all the way to 2007. Today there are just over 360 Challenger 604 aircraft in service.
Flown 200 hours a year, the Bombardier Challenger 604 costs about $2,388,267 to own and operate: $1,064,867 a year in fixed costs plus $6,617 a flight hour, or about $11,941 an hour once the fixed costs are spread over those hours. These are CRAFT's own estimates, built the same way for every aircraft; how we work them out is at the end of this page.
On the pre-owned market the average price of the Bombardier Challenger 604 comes in at $8.3 million, with a low price of $7.3 million and a high of $9.3 million.
Naturally, this cost will vary depending on many factors – such as fuel price, region of operation, mission type, and more.
| Annual cost | 100 hours / year | 200 hours / year | 400 hours / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total fixed costs | $1,064,867 | $1,064,867 | $1,064,867 |
| Total variable costs | $661,700 | $1,323,400 | $2,646,800 |
| Total annual operating cost | $1,726,567 | $2,388,267 | $3,711,667 |
| Total per flight hour | $17,266 | $11,941 | $9,279 |
Bombardier Challenger 604 annual budget calculator
Set the hours you expect to fly each year to estimate the annual budget to own and operate the Bombardier Challenger 604. The total adds the annual fixed costs to the variable cost per flight hour multiplied by your hours. All figures are estimates in USD.
Annual budget calculator
$2,388,267 per year
$1,064,867 fixed + $6,617/hr × 200 hrs · about $11,941 per flight hour with the fixed costs spread over the hours. Bombardier Challenger 604, CRAFT estimate.
Flying 200 hours a year without the fixed costs? Compare the Fleet Jet Card rate
LRAIS / Shutterstock.com
Acquisition Cost & Depreciation
When it comes to the cost of acquiring a Bombardier Challenger 604, several factors come into play, including the year of manufacture, aircraft history, and flight hours.
When new, the Challenger 604 typically had a base price of $27 million. Naturally, this price could go higher depending on the options and configuration selected.
On the pre-owned market, the prices vary significantly, with a 1996 model of the Challenger 604 being able to be purchased for around $7.3 million.
Models from the last few years, such as those from 2005, costing around $9.1 million.
The AIRCRAFT experiences an annual depreciation rate of approximately 2.15%.
Overview of Bombardier Challenger 604
The Challenger 604 can accommodate up to 12 passengers, with a maximum baggage capacity of 115 cubic feet.
When in its optimum configuration, the Bombardier Challenger 604 can cruise non-stop for up to 3,751 nautical miles (4,317 miles / 6,947 km).
However, when configured for the fastest cruise speed, the Challenger 604 can maintain a cruise speed of 490 knots.
The Bombardier Challenger 604 can cruise at up to 41,000 feet. Additionally, the Challenger 604 has an average hourly fuel burn of 358 Gallons per Hour (GPH).
Thanks to its General Electric CF34-3B engines, the Challenger 604 has a total thrust output of 17,458 lbs.
LRAIS / Shutterstock.com
Fixed Vs Variable Costs
When you own a private jet, you have to deal with fixed costs and variable costs.
Fixed costs are the same every month, no matter how much you fly. These include things like hangar rental, insurance, crew salaries, and maintenance.
They stay the same whether you fly a lot or hardly ever.
Variable costs, on the other hand, change with how much you fly. They include fuel, landing fees, food for passengers, and unexpected repairs.
The more you fly, the more these costs add up. Knowing the difference helps you plan your budget and figure out if owning a jet is worth it.
Featured Image: Kristina Postnikova / Shutterstock.com
How we estimate these costs
These are CRAFT's own estimates, built the same way for every aircraft we cover. The Bombardier Challenger 604 is costed as a large jet with 2 engines, flown by 2 pilots and 1 flight attendant, based in the U.S. and professionally managed. Lines marked “estimate” are the midpoint of a stated range for the size class, not a quote; the others are worked out from published figures. Nothing here comes from another charter operator's or broker's budgets.
| Fixed costs | Per year | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Crew Salary | $704,897 | 1 captain at $232,140 (BLS median, airline pilots), 1 first officer at $190,440 (BLS 75th percentile, commercial pilots), 1 flight attendant at $70,700 (BLS median, flight attendants in nonscheduled air transportation), plus 43% for benefits and payroll costs (BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026). Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (released May 15, 2026); BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026 (released September 9, 2026) |
| Crew TrainingEstimate | $73,000 | One simulator-based recurrent course a year for each of 2 pilots, at $25,000 to $48,000 per pilot for a large jet. CRAFT estimate. Source: FAA task orders for recurrent pilot training with FlightSafety International (USAspending.gov) (orders 2024 to 2026) |
| HangarEstimate | $62,670 | A heated home-base hangar at $2,305 to $8,140 a month for a large jet, from published airport hangar rates; big-city airports cost more. Source: Published airport hangar rates (Concord-Padgett Regional, City of Concord NC; Naples Airport Authority FY2026; Pierce County WA; Smith Reynolds, Forsyth County NC) (read October 5, 2026) |
| InsuranceEstimate | $30,300 | Liability of $15,000 to $30,000 a year for a large jet, plus hull cover at 0.1% to 0.2% of a hull value of $5,200,000, the median of UseRadar's value data for this model (our aircraft data site). Midpoints used; pilot experience and claims history move it a lot. Source: BWI Aviation Insurance, "How much is aircraft insurance? A complete 2026 cost breakdown" (January 4, 2026); UseRadar aircraft value data |
| ManagementEstimate | $114,000 | A management company's fee of $7,000 to $12,000 a month for a large jet (crew, maintenance tracking, compliance and billing). CRAFT estimate. Source: Business Jet Traveler, "Is a management company right for you?" |
| Miscellaneous FixedEstimate | $80,000 | Navigation databases and charts, weather and flight planning, maintenance tracking, connectivity and office costs: $60,000 to $100,000 a year for a large jet. CRAFT estimate. Source: CRAFT estimate |
| Total | $1,064,867 |
| Variable costs | Per flight hour | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel Cost | $2,742 | 358 gallons an hour (Conklin & de Decker average hourly fuel burn, Challenger 604) at $7.66 a gallon, our estimated U.S. average FBO price for Jet A on 2026-10-04. Contract fuel usually costs less than the posted price. Source: Fuel burn: the manufacturer's published average, else Conklin & de Decker's average hourly fuel burn; CRAFT jet fuel price data |
| MaintenanceEstimate | $1,750 | Scheduled inspections, parts, labor and unscheduled repairs for the airframe and avionics: $1,300 to $2,200 a flight hour for a large jet. Older aircraft sit at the top of the range. CRAFT estimate. Source: CRAFT estimate, checked against Pilatus CrystalCare's published program rates |
| Engine OverhaulEstimate | $1,000 | An hourly engine reserve or engine program for 2 engines at $400 to $600 per engine per hour for a large jet. Engine makers do not publish program rates. CRAFT estimate. Source: CRAFT estimate (engine program rates are not published) |
| Crew/Landing/Handling FeesEstimate | $825 | Landing, ramp and handling fees and crew hotels, meals and transport on trips: $650 to $1,000 a flight hour for a large jet. CRAFT estimate. Source: CRAFT estimate |
| Miscellaneous VariableEstimate | $300 | Catering, cabin supplies, cleaning and de-icing: $200 to $400 a flight hour. CRAFT estimate. Source: CRAFT estimate |
| Total | $6,617 |
- Annual cost = fixed costs + variable cost per hour × hours flown. At 100, 200 or 400 hours a year that is $1,726,567 ($17,266 an hour), $2,388,267 ($11,941 an hour), $3,711,667 ($9,279 an hour).
- Fuel price: one price for every aircraft, $7.66 a gallon on 2026-10-04, from our jet fuel price data. Every dollar a gallon moves the hourly cost by about $358.
- Not included: the purchase price, financing, depreciation, sales and use tax, major one-off events beyond the reserves (paint, interior, avionics upgrades) and any charter revenue.
Crew pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage percentiles (May 2025), bls employer costs for employee compensation, private industry, june 2026. Class ranges and every source are on what it costs to own a private jet; all models side by side in the operating cost league table. Spot something wrong? Tell us.
Financing · illustration
Financing a Bombardier Challenger 604
Estimated loan payment
$37,391
a month
Operating at 200 hours
$199,022
a month, from the tables above
Monthly cost of ownership
$236,414
before depreciation and taxes
Assumptions, all examples: a price of $5.2 million (the median of UseRadar's value data for this model), 20% down ($1,040,000), $4,160,000 financed over 15 years at an example rate of the U.S. bank prime rate, 7.00% on October 2, 2026 (Federal Reserve H.15): a public benchmark, not an aircraft loan rate or an offer. CRAFT is not a lender. Your rate, term and payment come from a lender's approval.
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