The Embraer ERJ-135BJ is the designation that matters here. It is the business aviation version of the ERJ-135, and the commercial name most buyers know is Legacy 600. The Legacy program was launched in 2000, the prototype first flew on March 31, 2001, and Brazilian certification followed in December 2001, with European and FAA certification coming in 2002.

The idea was practical from the start. Embraer already had a proven regional-jet platform, so the ERJ-135BJ added the changes required for business aviation, including additional fuel capacity and winglets, while retaining the basic ERJ-135 structure.

There was also more than one way to use it. The EMB-135BJ was offered in Executive, Corporate Shuttle and Regional configurations. That is why two aircraft carrying the same model designation can look and operate very differently today.

The real character of the ERJ-135BJ becomes clear when you look beyond the model name and examine the actual configuration.

The Executive version was typically arranged for around 10 passengers, while the Corporate Shuttle configuration could accommodate up to 31 passengers in a three-abreast layout with a 36-inch seat pitch.

That is why I would not look at an ERJ-135BJ simply as a large business jet. It is a transport-category platform that was designed to cover very different missions, from executive travel to moving a substantial corporate group.

The cabin is 2.10 m wide and approximately 1.82 m high. Cabin length is roughly 12.8 to 12.9 m, depending on the configuration.

For an aircraft that started life as a regional jet, that is a serious amount of usable cabin space.

• ERJ-135BJ and Legacy 600 are directly connected.

These are not two unrelated aircraft that happen to share the same family. The EMB-135BJ was developed from the ERJ-135 platform and received the changes required for business aviation, including additional fuel capacity and winglets.
That is why, when searching for an ERJ-135BJ aircraft for sale, I would pay close attention to the aircraft records, serial number and actual configuration rather than relying only on the name used in the listing.

• The Corporate Shuttle was a genuinely different concept.

This was not simply an Executive interior with a few extra seats. Embraer listed up to 31 passengers for the Corporate Shuttle configuration, with a 36-inch seat pitch, while the Executive version was typically arranged for around 10 passengers.
One ERJ-135BJ can therefore look like a large executive aircraft, while another can resemble a very spacious corporate transport.

• Additional fuel was part of the BJ concept.

The ERJ-135BJ received additional fuel tanks, including tanks in the lower fuselage and rear wing area, together with winglets. These changes were central to the move from a regional airline role into longer-range business aviation operations.

The logic was straightforward. Embraer did not start with a clean sheet. It took an existing regional-jet platform and adapted it for a very different operating profile.

Bombardier Challenger 850 for sale / Range: approximately 2,800 nm / Passengers: typically 12 to 14 in an executive configuration.
The Challenger 850 is a natural comparison because it also comes from a regional-airliner platform. The ERJ-135BJ, however, has its own Corporate Shuttle history and a wider range of possible seating configurations.

Embraer Legacy 600 for sale / Range: published figures around 3,250 to 3,400 nm / Passengers: typically 10 to 13, depending on the interior.
This is where terminology can become confusing. Legacy 600 and EMB-135BJ are directly related, so a buyer should focus on the specific serial number, configuration and maintenance history rather than treating the names as two completely different aircraft.

Gulfstream G200 for sale / Range: approximately 3,400 nm class / Passengers: usually 8 to 10.
The G200 represents a different approach. It is a purpose-built business jet with a conventional executive cabin, while the ERJ-135BJ answers a different requirement: moving more people in a larger transport-derived airframe.

Dassault Falcon 2000 for sale / Range: approximately 3,000 nm, depending on variant and payload / Passengers: usually 8 to 10.
The Falcon 2000 is worth considering when a buyer wants a purpose-built business jet with a wide cabin. The ERJ-135BJ becomes more relevant when passenger numbers move beyond the usual business-jet requirement.

Start with the passenger count.

If a company regularly needs to move 15, 20 or more people between several bases, the ERJ-135BJ Corporate Shuttle looks very different from a conventional business jet. You have an aircraft designed around group transportation, while retaining the speed and altitude capability of a turbofan regional jet.

In an Executive configuration, the mission changes. Around 10 passengers, a full-height cabin and a long interior make it a serious corporate transport for longer business trips.

Take a 2,500 nm mission as an example. For a properly planned aircraft, that is within the published range envelope, but the actual trip still depends on payload, winds, reserves and the specific aircraft.

Short regional sectors are easy territory for the platform. The question is whether you want to operate such a large airframe when only five or six passengers are on board.

The Embraer ERJ-135BJ is most interesting when the mission starts with people rather than distance.

In Executive configuration, it becomes a large corporate aircraft for around 10 passengers. In Corporate Shuttle configuration, it can carry a much larger group.

I would not buy one based on the model name alone. The individual aircraft needs to be evaluated for engine status, avionics, interior, maintenance history, current configuration and upcoming work.

If the requirement is to move a corporate team or operate a spacious executive aircraft based on a regional-jet platform, the ERJ-135BJ deserves a serious look.

Looking for an Embraer ERJ-135BJ for Sale?
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• How many passengers?
• Which routes?
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