December 20, 2024
You’ve probably read stories about the types of private jets owned or used by your favorite celebrities, sports stars, business moguls, and billionaires. Now we show you not only their favored private jets, but how you can fly in the same type of aircraft, including pricing and access through charter, jet cards, and fractional ownership.
If there’s a clear favorite, it’s the Gulfstream G650 and G650ER. It’s the choice of Jeff Bezos, Dwayne Johnson, Robert Kraft, Elon Musk, Christiano Ronaldo, Steven Spielberg, and Oprah Winfrey, according to FAA records and other reports we found.
The biggest competition? It’s the Gulfstream G550, favored by Tom Brady, Mark Cuban, Michael Jordan, Elon Musk, and Tiger Woods.
In some cases, you’ll find several jets owned by the same person. For example, Jerry Jones, owner of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys has a Gulfstream GV and a pair of Bombardier Challenger 300s.
What’s the cheapest private jet? John Travolta’s Eclipse EA500 runs $4,219 per hour based on one-way jet card pricing. That means you don’t have to pay repositioning fees.
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards, Fractional Ownership
2020 Presidential candidate Joe Biden doesn’t own a private jet. For his campaign, he has been seen getting on an off a chartered a 29-year old Boeing 737 that once flew for a budget airline in Sweden. However, there are also custom-built private jets from Boeing calling BBJs, short for Boeing Business Jet. For the flight from Delaware to his inaugural in Washington D.C. he chartered a BBJ from Jet Edge.
How to buy: Charter
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards
| Who | OEM | Private Jet Type | Cost Per Hour | Charter Access | Jet Card Access | Fractional Access |
| Joe Biden | Boeing | B737-500 | $15,000 | Yes | No | No |
| Mark Cuban, Donald Trump | Boeing | B757 | $25,000 | Yes | No | No |
| Tiger Woods, Vancouver Canucks | Boeing | B777 | $55,000 | Yes | No | No |
| Tony Robbins, Phil Ruffin | Boeing | BBJ | $15,000 | Yes | No | No |
| Jerry Jones | Bombardier | Challenger 300 | $9,303 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Robert Kraft | Bombardier | Challenger 350 | $9,833 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | Bombardier | Challenger 650/604 | $12,471 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Jay-Z | Bombardier | Challenger 850 | $13,781 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Kylie Jenner, Matt Damon | Bombardier | Global 7500 | $20,000 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mark Cuban | Bombardier | Global 6000 | $16,081 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Celine Dion, Larry Ellison, Elton John, Phil Ruffin, Mark Wahlberg | Bombardier | Global Express/XRS | $13,800 | Yes | Yes | No |
| Serena Williams | Cessna | Citation Excel/XLS | $7,695 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Harrison Ford, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry | Cessna | Citation Sovereign | $8,728 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Phil Ruffin, Donald Trump | Cessna | Citation X | $7,908 | Yes | Yes | No |
| Taylor Swift (sold) | Dassault | Falcon 50 | $7,000 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Madonna, John Travolta | Dassault | Falcon 2000 | $9,000 | Yes | Yes | No |
| Richard Branson, John Travolta | Dassault | Falcon 900B/EX | $13,430 | Yes | Yes | No |
| Taylor Swift, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | Dassault | Falcon 7X | $13,956 | Yes | Yes | No |
| John Travolta | Eclipse | EA 500 | $4,219 | Yes | Yes | No |
| Lord Alan Sugar | Embraer | Legacy 650 | $13,121 | Yes | Yes | No |
| Tyler Perry | Embraer | Lineage 1000E | $15,000 | Yes | No | No |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Gulfstream | G200 | $9,028 | Yes | Yes | No |
| Robert Kraft | Gulfstream | G280 | $9,598 | Yes | Yes | No |
| Tom Brady, Mark Cuban, Michael Jordan, Jack Ma, Elon Musk, Tiger Woods | Gulfstream | G550 | $15,251 | Yes | Yes | No |
| Jeff Bezos, Dwayne Johnson, Robert Kraft, Elon Musk, Cristiano Ronaldo, Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey | Gulfstream | G650/G650ER | $17,046 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tom Cruise, John Kerry | Gulfstream | GIVSP | $14,341 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Jim Carey, Jerry Jones, Lionel Messi | Gulfstream | GV | $14,885 | Yes | Yes | No |
| Donald Trump, Queen Elizabeth | Sikorsky | S-76 helicopter | $12,832 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Funnyman actor Jim Carey had owned a Gulfstream GV with a tail number that includes JC, however, records show he sold that private jet in 2019. He apparently still owns a twin-engine 1981 Piper Cheyenne turboprop.
How to Buy: Charter, Jet Cards
Does Jay-Z own a private jet? Reports say his wife Beyonce Knowles gave him a Bombardier Challenger 850 as a birthday gift in 2012.
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards, Fractional Ownership
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards, Fractional Ownership
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards, Fractional Ownership
Actor Matt Damon was recently spotted landing in Sydney, Australia in a Bombardier Global 7500 tail number N444WT registered to a South Dakota LLC. The jet appears to be fractionally owned, indicating that the Bourne Identity star may own a share of it.
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards, Fractional Ownership
Canadian artist Celine Dion is a supporter of the Canadian OEM Bombardier. According to multiple reports, she owns a BD-700 Global Express.
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards
The founder of Oracle also owns the Hawaiian island of Lanai, including a Four Seasons resort. The tech company where Ellison serves as chairman lists a Bombardier Global Express 2002 EXP and 2009 XRS.
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards
Raid of the Lost Ark actor Harrison Ford is well known as a pilot. Records also show he owns a 2009 Cessna Citation Sovereign, a single-engine 2001 Cessna Caravan 208B, and a Bell 407 helicopter.
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards, Fractional Ownership
If all-time NBA great LeBron James owns his own private jet, he doesn’t always use it. When he landed in Los Angeles to begin his mission of winning a championship for the Lakers he was on chartered Gulfstream large-cabin jet.
The Rocketman flies a 2002 Bombardier Global Express. He was recently in the news after the private jet had to make an emergency landing in high winds. Tail number M-EDZE is registered in the Isle of Man.
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards
The Kardashian clan’s Kylie Jenner is all in for a Global 7500 from Bombardier tail number N810KJ. The aircraft can fly nonstop from Hong Kong to Los Angeles, making it ideal as an office in the sky to run her global beauty business.
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards, Fractional Ownership
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards, Fractional Ownership
NFL Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has three private jets and a helicopter. There is a 2001 Gulfstream GV and a pair of Bombardier Challenger 300s, one from 2010 and the other delivered in 2013. His fleet also includes a Eurocopter EC145
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards, Fractional Ownership
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards
The 2004 Democratic presidential candidate and former secretary of state along with his wife Theresa Heinz Kerry own a 1995 Gulfstream GIVSP under Flying Squirrel. The aircraft is on a Part 135 certificate, which means you can charter their aircraft.
The Kardashian sisters and mom Kris Jenner may be famous for being famous, but they have turned it into a business that has made them very rich. However, it’s not clear they own any private jets. Kim was cited in a 2018 lawsuit against JetSmarter for making promotional posts that didn’t disclose she was a compensated endorser.
While many folks think the Boeing 767 in with the New England Patriots’ livery is owner Robert Kraft’s private jet, he in fact has a 2015 Gulfstream G650, a 2019 Gulfstream G280, and a fractional share of a Bombardier Challenger 350 via NetJets. There’s also an Augusta AW139 helicopter.
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards, Fractional Ownership
With an estimated worth of $50 billion, Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba and Ant Group has his own private Gulfstream G550, according to multiple reports.
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards
Soccer star Lionel Messi has owned a 2002 Gulfstream GV since 2018.
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards
The billionaire founder of Tesla and SpaceX has a 2008 Gulfstream G550 and a 2016 G650ER.
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards, Fractional Ownership
Actor, director, producer Tyler Perry owns two private aircraft, one an Embraer Lineage 1000 and the other a Cessna Caravan, according to Amstat. The Caravan is a single-engine turboprop. The Lineage is a VIP Airliner. In airline use carriers like JetBlue fill the same cabin with 100 seats.
How to buy: Charter
Various reports say soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo owns a Gulfstream G200, while others say he upgraded to a G650 in 2018.
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards, Fractional Ownership
The billionaire real estate developer who owns Treasure Island and Circus Circus casinos in Las Vegas has three private jets, including a Boeing Business Jet, Global 5000 and Citation X.
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards, Fractional Ownership
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards, Fractional Ownership
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards, Fractional
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards
Mark Wahlberg has owned a 2003 Bombardier Global Express since 2016. He was recently spotted arriving in Australia aboard tail number N143MW. You’ll notice the scripted W near the front door and also on the tail.
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards, Fractional Ownership
There’s nothing definitive here. Tennis superstar Serena Williams is an ambassador for Wheels Up. She posted on Instagram in 2017 boarding a Cessna Citation Excel/XLS with the Wheels Up livery.
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards, Fractional Ownership
The British Royal Family – the Windsors – don’t own their own private jet, although they have their own helicopter. The helicopter is a 2009 Sikorsky S-76C++ registered G-XXEB. Otherwise, they fly on a combination of government-owned aircraft, chartered private jets, and airliners.
Queen Elizabeth has flown the flag, chartering the Concorde and other large jets from British Airways. There is a custom cabin fitted when the monarch is aboard. They have flown on a converted Airbus A330 that the Prime Minister uses.
If you want to fly like the Royals, you can charter, join a membership program, or even buy a share of an S-76 via Associated Aircraft Group. It was recently acquired by the same company that owns Flexjet, Sentient Jet, and FXAIR. Depending on the configuration, you can fit up to 12 passengers along with the two pilots.
How to buy (Sikorsky S-76): Charter, Jet Cards, Fractional Ownership
You can also recreate the infamous charter flight that Meghan and Harry used to visit Elton John with Archie. It was appropriately a Cessna Citation Sovereign.
Of course, you don’t have to limit your choice. In 2018, Harry and Meghan were photographed on their tour to Australia, stepping off a Challenger 604 operated by the Royal Air Force. The same year, a Dassault Falcon 7X they used to fly to Amsterdam was reportedly struck by lightning before landing without incident.
How to buy: Sovereign and Challenger available in Fractional Ownership, Jet Cards, Charter; Falcon 7X by Charter
Oprah Winfrey, the queen of daytime TV and a self-made billionaire and media titan owns a 2016 Gulfstream G650 via Harpo, Inc.
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards, Fractional Ownership
Multiple reports say all-time great golfer Tiger Woods owns a Gulfstream G550. However, photos dating to around 2010 also indicate him flying with NetJets from his home base in Florida and arriving in the U.K. for the British Open. In fact, he may have multiple solutions. In 2019 he flew on a charter aboard the Crystal Luxury Air Crytal Skye Boeing 777 with teammates playing in the President’s Cup.
How to buy: Charter, Jet Cards
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