10 Sep The World’s Poshest Private Jets
What is one to do when first class just isn’t… First class enough? It’s a question that I’ve wrestled with any number of times. I’ve come to the conclusion that there’s only one recourse for that kind of disaster: buy an insanely awesome private jet. So, for your consideration, here are the 6 poshest private jets I’ve ever come across:
Gulfstream IV
Image courtesy of Gandoza
This cute little fella caught my eye. A range of 4800 miles and a top speed of 580 mph. That might do, I suppose. Although I’d obviously want to trick mine out in the manner of KP Singh, Indian Real Estate magnate, who has a couple of beds in his, a hot-cold shower and a “luxury living space”. That’s much better than the “Five Points circa 1851 living space” I had installed in my last private jet. I definitely don’t recommend it. This one comes in at around $35 million.
Bombardier BD-700 The “Global Express”
Image courtesy of refinedguy.com
Of course, that Gulfstream only appealed to me until I encountered Microsoft founder Bill Gates’ awe-inspiring jet… A black and super sweetly monikered Bombardier BD-700 “Global Express”. It seats up to 19 people and has a range of about 7080 miles. I’ll have to give Bill a ring and see about taking it out for a spin some time. It set him back $45 million or so.
Dassault Falcon 7X
Image courtesy of Raj at jetphotos.net
OK, I’ve changed my mind- “Dassault Falcon 7X” is the coolest name for a private jet. The Falcon 7X is Dassault’s flagship aircraft and can ferry 14 people more than 6800 miles. That and the couture interior no doubt contribute to its popularity among notables such as former President Bill Clinton and Hollywood director Steven Spielberg. For a cool $50 million, you too could own a Falcon.
Gulfstream G650
Image courtesy of Gulfstream
Planned and perfected since 2005, unveiled in 2008, and with the first sale finally made in 2012, the Gulfstream G650 is perhaps the most hotly-desired private jet in production – and that’s no small wonder, as the G650 will carry eight passengers and four crew 7000 nautical miles and is easily capable of doing so at Mach 0.925. It’s the closest a stock private jet comes to the speed of sound. While more public sales have yet to be undertaken, the rich and famous have lined up for one. It’s a star-studded line too, reportedly including the likes of investor Warren Buffet, talk show queen Oprah Winfrey, record mogul David Geffen, fashion designer Ralph Lauren and eBay founder Pierre Omidyar. They’ll each pay around $65 million for the pleasure of owning one of these fine aircraft.
Donald Trump’s Boeing 757
In 2011 Donald Trump purchased a 757 passenger airliner from Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen for about $100 million, and subsequently spent millions more kitting it out. He did so in a manner that was predictably understated with a VIP screening room, crystal lamp shades, expensive art, a full-plane-integrated tech system with thousands of DVRs and CDs and access to however many channels someone like Donald Trump gets, and his family crest placed on just about everything made of something that isn’t metal. To top it all off, all visible metal in the aircraft was gold plated. Really; even seat-belt buckles, sink basins, everything! Now that’s a man with a Midas touch.
Double Decker Airbus A380
Image Courtesy of Thirikoodaparum
So Trump’s plane is pretty fancy, I suppose… But in a whole other league of luxury, there’s this plane which cost five times more than Trump’s: $500 million. This Airbus A380, the world’s largest passenger airplane, capable of carrying 853 people, belongs to Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. Inside it you will find a Turkish Bath “Hamam” steam room lined with 2 millimeters of marble and a “sensory” area for spa treatments which sits four people. I don’t know what a sensory area is, but I suspect it’s one of those exquisite luxuries that you find out about once you’ve made your first million or two. There’s also a concert hall seating 10 (very) comfortably and a baby grand piano and an elevator from the plane’s top floor to the tarmac. When the elevator opens on the tarmac, a red carpet unfurls and the outline of the stairs illuminate to give the debarker a truly regal arrival. There are 20 amazingly posh first class state rooms for guests, a prayer room that automatically swivels so that the devotee is always facing Mecca, and a garage capable of holding two Rolls-Royces. Prince bin Talal’s private quarters are composed of five suites including all the amenities you can imagine. When work is necessary there’s a boardroom with a table-sized touchscreen that projects holograms into the room (and holographic tickers displaying stock prices). When you need to relax after a stressful holographic meeting, you can retreat to the “Wellbeing Room” in which the floors and walls are screens showing exactly what’s being flown over and through. The “magic carpet” virtual reality floor screen can be laid down upon to give the impression of flying while a pine-scented breeze is blown over them. And of course, there are stables for horses and camels and an aviary where the hawks and falcons can be stored. As good as all the others are, I have to say that Alwaleed bin Talal’s custom Airbus A380 is the clear winner here; private jets don’t get any more luxurious than that!
About the Guest Author
Alan Carr is an avid aviation aficionado who’s currently learning about all aspects of the flying world, from the business to the technical, while also frequently writing on what he finds. He currently works with globalair.com to provide resources on aircraft related information.
