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The spec sheet is not the only thing that sells aircraft. On GlobalAir.com right now, a seven-year-old Phenom 300E is asking more than it cost when it was new. Not to be outdone, a 2024 Citation CJ4 Gen2 just sold for $12.5 million, which is more than Textron's own fully-equipped list price. Something has changed in how buyers are looking at these aircraft.The two light jets arrived within a year of each other. Embraer introduced the Phenom 300E in 2020, and Textron Aviation followed with the Citation CJ4 Gen2 the following year. Both qualify as young aircraft by the industry's own 12-year yardstick, and somewhere along the way the math on their value changed.This comparison treats the CJ4 Gen2 and Phenom 300E as the aircraft a buyer can act on today. The newest generation CJ4 Gen3 is still in flight testing, and the Phenom 300EV, while certified, is still years away from entering the market.How fast is each jet, really?CJ4 Gen2 has a normal cruise speed of 425 kts with a maximum speed of 451 kts. The 300E has a lower cruise speed of 383 kts but a higher maximum speed of 453 kts. What this split difference affects most is the range. In the real world, you'll likely get there faster in the CJ4.Which one flies farther under real reserves?The CJ4 Gen2 publishes up to 2,165 nm, easily beating the 300E's normal range of 1,800 nm and maximum range of 2,010 nm. Under NBAA reserves, the CJ4 has the real edge here. Range is one number, but what that range costs to get you to your destination is the next.What does each one cost to fly per hour?The CJ4 costs less to fly, regardless of its generation. Per GlobalAir.com's aircraft specifications data, the Gen2 costs $3,769 for each hour flown, totaling about $1,451,225 annually. The 300E costs $4,142 an hour for an annual cost of roughly $1,595,036. Fly enough hours and the delta will no longer feel like a rounding error.What do you get for the money, new or used?An original CJ4 on the used market costs about $6.4M and has an average of 2,575 hours flown, against a $9.61M new list price — a typical used-aircraft discount. On GlobalAir.com, only 7 used CJ4 Gen2 jets are listed worldwide with an average of 402 hours and an average price of $13.2M. The original Phenom 300 has an average of 3,097 hours and an $8.5M price tag on the used market. The Phenom 300E's two disclosed listings of $13.75M and $14.75M sit above its 2023 new price of $10.995M. But the price only matters if the cabin fits the mission.Which cabin actually fits your mission?If you are regularly traveling with a large group of people or have a lot of luggage, the Phenom 300E will give you more elbow room. The 300E is 17'2" long, 5'1" wide and 4'11" tall for a total volume of 425 cubic feet. The CJ4's cabin is slightly longer at 17'3" but you will take a haircut on width and height: both 4'8" for each. Its volume of 293 cubic feet is about two-thirds of the 300E's.Is either one flown single-pilot?Both the CJ4 and 300E are technically certified for single-pilot operation, but that does not mean they always are. Charter operators, fractional programs and corporate flight departments regularly fly both jets with two pilots, and insurance underwriters may require a jet to be flown with a two-pilot team, even if it is certified otherwise. Crews depend more on the operator and the underwriter than the type certificate.None of these facts crown one particular jet as superior, as it depends entirely on what the buyer needs.Which mission fits either airplane best?For the first-time buyer or a buyer who is on a budget, a used, original CJ4 may be the best choice. Its low average price of $6.4M and hourly operating cost that's under $4,000 make it the cheapest jet in these two lines.The CJ4 Gen2 would be the best option for buyers who want a newer option, but only if they can find one. Only 7 used listings currently exist for these aircraft on GlobalAir.com, although they sit longer on the market — an average of 144 days versus 91 for the older CJ4s.Buyers who are prioritizing cabin space will find the Phenom 300E is their best option, although that extra room is likely what's keeping used 300E prices propped up near, or above, new. Comfort isn't going on sale anytime soon.Waiting for the next generation in either line is going to be a multi-year bet. The CJ4 Gen3 is yet to be certified and has no delivery date set. The Phenom 300EV isn't expected to deliver until 2028, and prices for the rest of the Phenom line are expected to hold steady during that wait, according to GlobalAir.com's own prior reporting on the 300EV.Neither aircraft is the definitive winner because they are solving different problems for different buyers. The CJ4 has more range and lower operating costs. The Phenom 300E offers more cabin volume and currently has higher asking prices. What makes the comparison interesting is not which jet is better, but why the used market values them differently. Sometimes the most important specification isn't found on the aircraft at all. It's what buyers are willing to pay for it.Frequently asked questionsWhich is faster, the Citation CJ4 or the Phenom 300?The Phenom 300E is faster at the top end, with a max speed of 453 kts to the CJ4 Gen2's 451 kts. The CJ4 Gen 2 is faster at normal cruise, 425 kts to the 300E's 383 kts.Which has the longer range?The CJ4 Gen2 wins, with up to 2,165 nm under NBAA reserves, against the Phenom 300E's normal range of 1,800 nm and maximum range of 2,010 nm.Which costs less to operate?The CJ4 wins at both generations, per GlobalAir.com's aircraft specifications data: $3,769 an hour for the Gen2 versus $4,142 for the Phenom 300E.Why are used Phenom 300E and CJ4 Gen 2 prices so close to, or above, new?Both are scarce on GlobalAir.com right now with only 7 CJ4 Gen2s and two disclosed Phenom 300E listings worldwide. Thin inventory is pushing asking prices for the newest examples close to, or past, what they cost new.Is either jet flown single-pilot?Both are certified for single-pilot operation, but charter operators, fractional programs and corporate flight departments regularly fly both types two-pilot, and insurance underwriters often require it regardless of the certificate.Should a buyer wait for the CJ4 Gen3 or Phenom 300EV?Not on any near-term timeline. The CJ4 Gen3 is still in flight testing with no delivery date, and the Phenom 300EV isn't expected to deliver before 2028 — GlobalAir.com's own reporting on the 300EV found used 300/300E values should hold steady until deliveries begin.Browse current Citation CJ4 Gen2 listings and Phenom 300E listings on GlobalAir.com.