A turboprop is often the right aircraft for a Chicago trip that ends somewhere without a long runway.
Textron introduced the Cessna Caravan & C208 in 1986. It seats 9 to 14 with a published range of 964 nautical miles and a cruise speed of 186 knots. The aircraft has a service ceiling of 25,000 feet and 111 cubic feet of baggage volume.
Performance and Cabin
- Category: Turboprop
- Manufacturer: Cessna (Textron Aviation)
- Year introduced: 1986
- Seating: 9 to 14
- Crew: 1
- Range: 964 nautical miles
- Cruise speed: 186 knots
- Service ceiling: 25,000 feet
- Length: 41.6 feet
- Wingspan: 52.1 feet
- Height: 15.1 feet
- Baggage volume: 111 cubic feet
Why the Cessna Caravan & C208 Fits Chicago
For Chicago trips this aircraft earns its place on the shorter runs. With 964 nautical miles of published range, it covers trips from Chicago to destinations such as Traverse City, Kansas City and Boston, allowing for reserves and routing. Tower hours vary a great deal across the Chicago-area fields, and only Midway, DuPage and O’Hare are towered around the clock.
Around Chicago this opens up the smaller fields as well as the primary ones, including Chicago Executive (KPWK), Aurora Municipal (KARR) and Lewis University (KLOT), where tower hours are worth checking before a late departure. Whether it can use a particular airport on your date is the operator’s performance calculation for that aircraft, that weight and that day, and your advisor will confirm it before anything is booked.
How Chicago Clients Use the Cessna Caravan & C208
Turboprops earn their place on Chicago trips into Michigan, Wisconsin and downstate Illinois, where runways are shorter and the distances do not justify a jet. They also handle unpaved and short surfaces that most jets cannot, which is why they come up so often for camp, lake and site trips.
Tell us the route, the passenger count and what is traveling with you, and your advisor will confirm whether this aircraft is the right fit or point you to a better one. We will also tell you which Chicago-area field makes the most sense for the trip.
Gallery
Vetting Behind Every Trip
Every operator, aircraft, and crew goes through our internal due diligence before we present any options. Our internal standards meet or exceed what the FAA requires:
- FAR Part 135 charter operators for traditional private aircraft, or FAR Part 121 for airliner-size and group trips (or the foreign equivalent on international legs)
- Operator subscription to Wyvern and ARGUS reviewed where the operator participates.
- Pilot experience and operator incident history reviewed before we recommend an aircraft.
- Fewer than 60 brokers worldwide hold Premium Wyvern Broker Member status, and Air Charter Advisors is one of them.
Charter Pricing Reference
- Estimated hourly rate: $1,500 to $2,200 (as of 9/2026)
Contact
Call an advisor at +1-888-987-5387 at any hour, or send the trip through our contact page. You can read how we check operators, crews and insurance on our safety page.
The hourly rates provided are estimates based on 2026 market data and are for informational purposes only. These figures are subject to change and do not constitute a final offer. Final pricing is dynamic and depends on real-time factors including, but not limited to, specific itinerary requirements, aircraft positioning (“ferry” fees), fuel price volatility, and current market availability. These estimates exclude all applicable taxes, de-icing, landing and handling fees, special event fees, international surcharges, overnight crew expenses, and premium catering. Please contact Air Charter Advisors directly for a firm, all-inclusive quote tailored to your specific travel needs.