Citationjet (C525/C526) - CJ I / II / III / IV
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Flight Engineer; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 72; Flight Crew Total 15900; Flight Crew Type 125
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors
Operating out of our home base of ZZZ; we had a routine flight to ZZZ1 carrying 2 passengers.  We taxied out normally to runway XXR which was instructed by ground. Nearing our hold short line at the end of the runway we changed frequencies to Tower.  Tower then instructed us to cross runway XXR and hold short of runway XXL; which we complied. While holding short; the tower cleared a passenger airliner.  Shortly after; while holding short; the tower cleared us for takeoff.  The non-flying pilot read back the instruction and the flying pilot did the line up checklist items of turning on the pitot static system; lights and verify correct runway lineup.  The non-flying pilot confirmed the line up checklist items as well. The flying pilot lined up with the center line and applied full power to the aircraft. The aircraft accelerated quickly and rotated shortly after.  Upon rotation we noticed that the aircraft head of us was closer then normal.  Then the tower asked; 'Do you have the [traffic] in sight?'  We replied; 'We do have him in sight.'  She asked us this question several times; which we had him in sight and reported to her.  The traffic then turned east to the left and left our direction of flight as we continued to fly out on the ZZZZZ departure.  Upon switching to departure we checked in with our altitude and he instructed us to the next altitude.  He then informed us that we had a possible pilot deviation and gave us the number to call Tower. After landing at ZZZ1 and sending our passengers off we called Tower.  They informed us that there was a loss of separation in the takeoff between our aircraft and the departing airliner.  They also informed us that they were in the process of reviewing the tape recordings of the incident.  The gentlemen said he would call me back after they had reviewed them.  A hour later he called back and said that the controller had cleared us for takeoff instead of line up and wait and we were at no fault. Looking back at the situation we could have queried the tower about how close the takeoff was to the other aircraft.  In the future we will take this event into consideration.
Citation flight crew reported being cleared for takeoff close to another departing aircraft; when they should have been told to line up and wait by the tower controller.