Piper Cherokee vs Piper Saratoga

Piper built the Cherokee and Saratoga on the same platform spine and then pulled them in completely different directions. The Cherokee (PA-28 family) is light aviation's everyman: four seats, modest power, forgiving handling, and a price point that makes aircraft ownership realistic for individual pilots. The Saratoga (PA-32) is the six-seat serious cross-country hauler — 300 hp, retractable gear, 1,300+ lb useful load, and the ability to carry a family of four across a continent with meaningful speed. The cross-shop is aspirational: the Cherokee pilot sizing up whether it's time to buy a bigger, faster airplane.

Live Market Snapshot

Current asking-price market, aggregated across multiple marketplaces · refreshed daily

Piper Cherokee
For sale now
602
Median asking
$116,400
Range
$59,948–$277,250
Model years available
1961–2026
Piper Saratoga
For sale now
170
Median asking
$226,400
Range
$115,250–$495,525
Model years available
1965–2007

Live data from AeroGurus, aggregated daily across the used-aircraft market. Figures are current asking prices, not appraisals — confirm with a pre-buy inspection.

Safety Record

Absolute counts scale with fleet size — the most-produced types log more events without being less safe. Compare the % fatal.

NTSB (1982–now)Piper CherokeePiper Saratoga
All events11
Serious00
Fatal00
Fatalities00
% Fatal0%0%
View full Piper Cherokee NTSB record →View full Piper Saratoga NTSB record →

Full Specs Comparison

Swipe to see all specs
Spec / Model Piper Cherokee Piper Saratoga
Piper Cherokee
View 27 listings →
Median $116,400
 Piper Saratoga
View 121 listings →
Median $226,400
Price Range $59,948 – $277,250 $115,250 – $495,525
Category Single Engine Piston Single Engine Piston
Model Specifications
Seats 4 6
Horsepower 150 HP 300 HP
Cruise Speed 117 kts (217 km/h) 163 kts (302 km/h)
Range 525 nm (972 km) 950 nm (1,759 km)
Service Ceiling 14,300 ft (4,359 m) 20,000 ft (6,096 m)
Max Gross Weight 2,150 lbs (975 kg) 3,600 lbs (1,633 kg)
Useful Load 850 lbs (386 kg) 1,360 lbs (617 kg)
Fuel Capacity 50.0 gal (189 L) 102.0 gal (386 L)
Fuel Burn 8.0 GPH (30 L/h) 15.0 GPH (57 L/h)
TBO 2,000 hrs 2,000 hrs
Overhaul Cost $28,000 $32,000
Annual Fixed $16,000 $20,000
Hourly Variable $120 $170
Engines 1 x Piston 1 x Piston

Cost of Ownership

Estimate

Piper Cherokee

Fuel$44/hr
Variable$120/hr
Annual Fixed$16,000/yr
Total (200 hrs/yr) $40,000/yr

Piper Saratoga

Fuel$82/hr
Variable$170/hr
Annual Fixed$20,000/yr
Total (200 hrs/yr) $54,000/yr

Which Should You Buy: Piper Cherokee or Piper Saratoga?

Bottom line: Stay with the Cherokee if your typical mission is local or regional, you fly solo or with one passenger most of the time, and you want to minimize operating costs. A Warrior or Archer running 8–10 gph on short legs is hard to beat for value. Move to the Saratoga when payload, six-seat capacity, or stage length demand it. The Saratoga's 102-gallon fuel option and 170 kt cruise make it genuinely capable for 600+ nm trips that the Cherokee approaches uncomfortably. Safety axis: the Saratoga's retractable gear introduces the gear-up landing risk absent in most Cherokee variants (the standard Warrior and Archer are fixed-gear). The Saratoga also has higher approach speeds and more energy to manage — transition training from a Cherokee is straightforward but should include specific Saratoga-model instruction with a PA-32-experienced instructor.

Pick the Cherokee if…

  • Budget matters — from $59,948 vs $115,250, you save ~$55,302.
  • Lower operating cost — ~$120/hr vs $170/hr.

Pick the Saratoga if…

  • More seats — 6 vs 4.
  • Faster cruise — 163 kts vs 117 kts.
  • Longer range — 950 nm vs 525 nm.
  • Newer design — production from 1980 vs 1961.
  • More inventory — 121 listings vs 27.

Auto-generated from current market data and published specs. Confirm with a pre-buy inspection and professional appraisal.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Piper Cherokee model is closest to the Saratoga in performance?
There isn't a direct equivalent within the Cherokee family — the step from the Archer (highest-performance PA-28 single) to the Saratoga involves not just an engine upgrade but a larger airframe, more fuel capacity, and a fundamentally different useful-load proposition. If the Saratoga's six-seat capacity and 300 hp are more than your mission needs, the Archer TX (210 hp, fixed gear) sits in a middle ground.
How hard is the transition from a Cherokee to a Saratoga?
Most pilots describe the Saratoga checkout as a comfortable 5–10 hours from the Cherokee, assuming current instrument flying skills. The Saratoga's handling is heavier and its approaches faster, but the Piper feel is familiar. The most significant addition is the retractable gear if coming from a fixed-gear Cherokee — which adds one more item to confirm on every approach.
Does the Piper Saratoga come in a fixed-gear version?
Yes — the PA-32-300 Cherokee Six is the fixed-gear predecessor to the Saratoga, produced from 1965 to 1979. The PA-32R-300 Lance is the 1970s retractable predecessor; the PA-32R-301 Saratoga is the modernized version. Fixed-gear PA-32 models (Cherokee Six) are still flying in numbers and offer the big-cabin PA-32 experience without retractable-gear complexity.
Which is better, Piper Cherokee or Piper Saratoga?
It depends on your mission and budget. The Cherokee cruises at 117 kts with 525 nm range. The Saratoga cruises at 163 kts with 950 nm range. Review the specs table above to find which fits your flying profile.
How do prices compare?
Piper Cherokee: from $115,000. Piper Saratoga: from $397,326. Prices vary by year, hours, avionics, and condition. Always get a pre-buy inspection.
What's the difference between Piper Cherokee and Piper Saratoga?
Seats: 4 vs 6. Cruise: 117 vs 163 kts. Range: 525 vs 950 nm.
Which is cheaper to operate per hour?
Cherokee: about $120/hr variable cost. Saratoga: about $170/hr variable cost. Variable cost includes fuel, reserves and overhaul accruals. Annual fixed costs (hangar, insurance, annual inspection) add to the total.
Which has more seats and useful load?
Cherokee: 4 seats / 850 lb useful load. Saratoga: 6 seats / 1,360 lb useful load. Useful load = max gross weight minus empty weight; it determines how much fuel plus payload you can carry.
How does maintenance compare — TBO and overhaul cost?
Cherokee: 2,000-hour TBO, overhaul ~$28,000. Saratoga: 2,000-hour TBO, overhaul ~$32,000. Reaching the time-between-overhaul (TBO) triggers a mandatory engine/airframe rebuild that affects resale value.
Disclaimer: All prices and cost estimates are from third-party sources for informational purposes only. Always obtain professional appraisal and inspection before purchase.
Prices updated daily · Data: FAA Registry, NTSB · About our data