From monarchs to billionaire tech moguls and property tycoons, the world’s wealthiest individuals aren’t shy when it comes to splurging on luxury, and many count their own private jets amongst their most prized possessions to ensure they can always travel in style. When first class commercial air tickets no longer cut the mustard, there’s only one thing to do, and behind the acquisition of the most extravagant private planes, there are some staggering fortunes at play. The price that is paid for unparalleled speed and comfort is rather eye-watering, but that doesn’t stop those with money to burn from splurging.
Welcome to the incredible world of private jets, where the super-rich transcend conventional means of transport and take flight in their soaring luxury palaces instead – after all, why settle for anything less if you can afford the very finest? Whether you’ve made billions on option trading platforms in the UK or are busy counting your crypto fortune, these are the kinds of lavish aircraft you could get your hands on – but be warned, they certainly don’t come cheap!
$70 Million G650ER – Elon Musk
Elon Musk, who was officially confirmed as the world’s richest man on January 7, 2021 although has since been dethroned by LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault, is the proud owner of a massive $70 million private jet. Actually, has two Gulfstream private jets – a Gulfstream G550 and G650er – registered at Falcon Landing, which is a subsidiary of his companies, SpaceX and Tesla. The first of the two planes has space for up to 17 passengers, and the billionaire has remodelled it to feature a sleeping configuration. But his favourite is the eye-wateringly expensive G650er, which he travels in the most.
As a high-powered executive and investor, Musk frequently moves from coast to coast – sometimes going between California and Texas daily. His G650er is an extended range jet, meaning it’s the industry’s highest performer; a long-range business aircraft registering 7,500 nautical miles, which is the equivalent of 13,890 km.
Inside, it’s pretty special, boasting a spacious interior which provides a suite-like experience with supreme comfort, and featuring creative space to work, dine, entertain and relax. Designed with Musk’s comfort and productivity optimisation in mind, each seat is next to a window, and converted to beds for flexibility and the chance to grab some shut-eye on his longer commutes.
The plane has sleek, pristine wings that are made to enhance speed, range and efficiency, and it also uses fly-by-wire technology to ensure working on the go is always possible. In private air travel, it’s luxury at its best, and the G650 delivers it like no other plane.
If you needed any more proof that this jet is a toy reserved only for the mega-rich, then consider the fact that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, the world’s third wealthiest individual, also owns a similar plane.
$21 Million Dassault Falcon 50EX – Sir Richard Branson
No billionaire loves and knows air travel to quite the same degree that Sir Richard Branson does. Estimated to be worth about $5 billion, he presides over the Virgin Atlantic Group, which has over 100 subsidiaries worldwide – and his private jet is just a small reward for Branson, when compared to his success.
The only man to have built businesses worth over $8 billion in eight different sectors, it’s safe to say he can afford it. Despite the fact that he could travel in first class for free with his own commercial airline, Virgin Atlantic, it seems privacy and exclusivity are still a priority, and he uses his Dassault Falcon 50EX, which offers the range and comfort of a much larger jet, to get around instead.
The plane offers exceptional performance and comfort and is equipped with three Honeywell TFE731-40 turbofa pound engines, each producing 3.7 thrust at sea level and boasting impressive high-altitude capabilities.
The engines provide optimal performance and fuel efficiency with Full Authority N1-reference Digital Electronic Engine Control (FADEC) systems. The Falcon 50EX requires a takeoff distance of only 4,935 feet at sea level, and it can reach as high as 37,000 feet in just seventeen minutes. Its long-range cruise speed is 417 knots at 43,000 feet, while it can achieve a faster flight at 481 knots at 39,000 feet.
The interior is designed to accommodate nine passengers comfortably, featuring a club arrangement and fold-out work tables. The cabin, meanwhile, provides ample storage space, power plugs for charging, and food preparation facilities, while the cockpit incorporates Collins Pro Line 4 avionics system, ensuring efficient and reliable flight operations.
A large, sophisticated stand-up cabin, supple leather seats and a full-service mini galley provide exceptional travel enjoyment and comfort. The nine-passenger seating configuration is generally laid out with one four-seat club arrangement, a separate section of two-facing seats, and a three-seat divan. The experience this plane has to offer is something most millionaires can only afford to rent once in a while, but it’s nothing for someone building spaceships to take people to space.
$70 Million Bombardier BD 700 Express – Bill Gates
Bill Gates may be the world’s sixth richest man, but much of his money goes to philanthropy. According to data from Devex from WHO, his charitable organisation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, accounts for 45 per cent of the WHO’s funding from nongovernmental entities.
Seattle-born Gates, who is set to celebrate his 68th birthday on October 28, co-founded Microsoft, the software company that revolutionised the personal computer industry. As Microsoft’s co-founder and former CEO, Gates was pivotal in shaping the modern technology landscape, and for all that, he lives off his hard work, owning a $70 million private jet which he calls his guilty pleasure, and uses for occasional travel.
The Bombardier Global Express is a highly capable ultra-long-range corporate jet designed for high-speed and long-distance flights. With an impressive range, it can fly between any two points globally with just one refuelling stop, making it a popular choice for intercontinental travel in particular.
The Global Express features advanced aerodynamics, including a supercritical wing with a 35° sweep and winglets, BMW Rolls-Royce BR-710 engines and a Honeywell Primus 2000 XP EFIS suite in the cockpit. Manufactured by multiple Bombardier and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries divisions, this business jet offers exceptional performance and can accommodate up to 19 passengers. Not a bad choice for a man we all have to thank for shaping the tech landscape.
$170 Boeing 767 -300 ER – Roman Abramovich
Roman Abramovich, the former owner of Chelsea Football Club, was once the proud owner of a Boeing 767-300 ER – an extravagant aircraft featuring a stunning gold-gilded banquet hall in what is surely the very epitome of luxury. Boasting the same advanced anti-ballistic system found on the renowned VC-25As used by Air Force One, the plane is known as “The Bandit” due to its distinctive slanting black stripes near the cockpit window.
The customised Boeing 767-300ER was a centrepiece of Abramovich’s private fleet. Initially built in 2003 for Hawaiian Airlines, the order was later cancelled, leading to Abramovich acquiring the jet in 2004. Operated by Global Jet Luxembourg (formerly Silver Arrows), this aircraft, registered as P4-MES, shared the skies with the company’s fleet of private Airbus A319s, Boeing 73s, and a leased Boeing 787-8 ‘Dreamliner’.
Not only did this extraordinary jet offer a spacious 30-person banquet hall, but it was also equipped with an advanced anti-missile system akin to the one protecting Air Force One’s 747s, which disrupted missile guidance and jammed unfriendly radio frequencies, ensuring the utmost security during flights.
Abramovich is known for his love for opulence, and until Russia’s Ukraine invasion, he ran a trust which has since been passed on to his children as the sole beneficiaries, and includes ownership of his lavish fleets of yachts and jets. These changes to the trust were seemingly finalised by February 24, 2022, the same day the Russian invasion of Ukraine officially began – but despite this, Forbes still considers Abramovich a billionaire, with an estimated net worth of $8.7 billion.
Although technically no longer the owner, Abramovich continues to exert control over the megayachts and jets, as evidenced by his travel on his Gulfstream G650 in March.
Of all the status symbols that billionaires could use to flaunt their wealth, owning a private jet may be one of the most lavish choices. With sticker prices for the cheapest plane shy of $100 million, even your average millionaire struggles to afford one – which is why private jets are reserved solely for full-fledged members of the billionaires’ club.
