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The Cessna Citation Excel (Model 560XL) is a turbofan-powered, medium-sized business jet built by the Cessna Aircraft Company in Wichita, Kansas, USA. A member of the wide-ranging Citation brand of business jets, the Excel was evolved into the Citation XLS and then the Citation XLS+ models. The project was announced at the annual NBAA convention in October, 1994, and the prototype aircraft took off on its first flight on February 29, 1996. By the time FAA certification was granted in April 1998, Cessna had over 200 orders for the aircraft.

The Citation Excel is powered by Pratt and Whitney PW500 turbofans and features updated Honeywell avionics. Its design was inspired by the wing of the Citation V Ultra, the tail of the Citation V, and the fuselage of the Citation X. It was engineered with faster climb speeds, climbing to its cruise level in just eighteen minutes. Additionally, the Excel can take off on runways as short as 3,590 feet, the shortest takeoff distance at its time of production. The cabin can seat eight  passengers, as well as two crew members.

When production ended in 2004, a total of 308 Excel aircraft had been built and delivered. The Excel has had an exceptional safety record, with only 6 accidents on record. Primary operators of the jet include private companies, charter operators, and aircraft management companies, as well as the Swiss Air Force and NetJets.