The Citation Excel has earned its place as one of the most trusted platforms in the midsize market. Buyers are drawn to it for good reason: a stand-up cabin, short-field capability, and operating costs that are hard to argue with at this price point. It’s not a flashy story, it’s a practical one, and practical sells.
Fleet Size and Availability
There are currently 18 Citation Excel aircraft available for sale, representing 5.2% of the fleet.
Inventory has been steady, ranging between 15 and 20 aircraft over the past six months before settling at 17 in May and 18 today. At just over 5% of the fleet, there’s enough selection to give buyers options without overwhelming the market.
Market Listings
Current asking prices range from $1,200,000 to $4,000,000, with active listings averaging 195 days on market.
The pricing spread is wide, and for good reason. Avionics upgrades, engine program enrollment, total time, and overall condition create real differences in value here. An Excel with a Collins Pro Line 21 or Garmin upgrade and strong maintenance records will attract a very different buyer, at a very different price, than a stock configuration approaching an inspection event.
Aircraft that check the right boxes are moving. Those that don’t are sitting, and the gap between those two groups is showing up clearly in the data.
Sales Activity
Over the past six months, 24 Citation Excel aircraft have sold, including 11 off-market transactions, representing 6.9% of the fleet. Sold aircraft traded between $2,000,000 and $4,100,000.
Completed transactions averaged 121 days on market, well ahead of current listing averages. The aircraft that are selling are the ones priced and positioned correctly. That gap between sold and listed days on market is the story in this segment right now.
Key Takeaways
Inventory remains relatively limited at 5.2% of the fleet
• Twenty-four aircraft sold during the past six months, including 11 off-market transactions
• Modern avionics upgrades continue to create substantial value differentiation
• Engine program coverage and maintenance positioning remain important buyer considerations
• Well-equipped aircraft continue to sell significantly faster than average market listings
Key Insight
The Excel market is active and deals are getting done, but buyers have more options and more patience than they did a year ago. Aircraft with modern avionics, strong maintenance records, and engine program coverage are moving efficiently. Everything else is sitting longer. In a market like this, how you position an aircraft matters as much as the ask price.
