Nicholas Air Expands Fleet with Phenom 300E and Citation Latitude

Nicholas Air, a U.S. business aviation charter operator, has expanded its fleet with the addition of two new light and mid-size business jets — the Embraer Phenom 300E and the Cessna Citation Latitude — positioning the company to meet growing client demand for flexible, point-to-point private air travel.

The Embraer Phenom 300E, a light jet renowned for its cost-efficient performance and cabin comfort, joins Nicholas Air’s roster to serve short-to-medium range missions with up to six passengers. Certified for single-piloted operations or full crew use, the Phenom 300E offers a blend of speed, range and climb performance that aligns with the carrier’s strategy of offering responsive charter solutions to corporate and leisure flyers.

Complementing this addition, the Cessna Citation Latitude — a mid-size business jet with a flat-floor cabin and transcontinental range — expands Nicholas Air’s footprint into longer mission profiles. The Latitude’s capacity to operate from smaller regional airports while providing competitive speed and comfort mirrors a broader trend among business aviation operators to combine accessibility with extended reach. Both aircraft types are popular within fractional ownership and charter markets for their operational flexibility and strong residual values.

Nicholas Air said the deliveries follow a sustained period of demand growth for private jet travel, particularly from corporate clients seeking reliable, schedule-agnostic alternatives to commercial airline networks. The company has built its brand around offering tailored flight solutions, including one-way charters, round-trip operations and multi-segment itineraries connecting underserved city pairs or high-traffic business corridors.

Adding the Phenom 300E and Citation Latitude jets enhances Nicholas Air’s capacity to match aircraft size with mission demand. Light jets like the Phenom 300E are typically deployed on shorter hops where speed and climb performance yield operational efficiencies, while mid-size models such as the Latitude support longer legs and larger passenger groups without compromising range or comfort.

For the business aviation sector, fleet expansion decisions often hinge on utilisation forecasts, maintenance planning and anticipated charter bookings. Operators calibrate their portfolios to cover a spectrum of mission requirements, from sub-hour hops between regional hubs to multi-hour flights connecting coastal and inland markets. Nicholas Air’s strategy reflects this multidimensional planning, as the new jets complement existing assets and broaden charter availability.

Pilots and dispatch teams at Nicholas Air are undergoing familiarisation and certification to integrate the new types into routine operations. Embraer and Textron Aviation, manufacturers of the Phenom 300E and Citation Latitude respectively, typically support operators with type-specific training, service networks and aftermarket support to ensure operational readiness from day one.

From an operational standpoint, business aviation carriers must align fleet growth with regulatory compliance, including Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 135 certification requirements for charter operators. Aircraft acquisition, maintenance programmes and pilot training pipelines are sequenced to coincide with service entry dates, enabling carriers like Nicholas Air to maintain high dispatch reliability and safety standards.

Clients leveraging Nicholas Air’s services now have access to a wider choice of mission profiles supported by the new jets. For example, the Phenom 300E provides competitive block times on regional routes, while the Citation Latitude can link longer-haul sectors — such as coast-to-coast flights in the United States — without payload restrictions that typically affect lighter aircraft.

In a business aviation environment where private travel demand continues to diversify beyond traditional corporate sectors, operators benefit from a broad fleet mix that allows them to adapt to varying mission characteristics and passenger expectations. Nicholas Air’s additions reinforce its positioning in the North American charter market, enabling responsiveness to charter brokers and direct clients alike.

Industry analysts see such fleet expansions as signals of healthy demand and confidence in the private travel segment, where convenience, predictability and customised service remain paramount. As Nicholas Air positions itself for further growth, the enhanced fleet mix will be integral to its long-term network and service development plans.