When you’re a famous face with bundles of cash, the last thing you want when travelling is to be sat on a plane with hundreds of people all desperately trying to grab a selfie with you. You’d never get through an in-flight movie.
And that’s why some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment choose to splash out on their own private jets. In this article, we take you on board five of the most lavish aircraft owned by celebrities. How much did the flying machines cost? What distance can they fly without refuelling? And perhaps most importantly, what’s the mid-flight entertainment? Read on for more.
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5 Incredible Celebrity Airplanes
Tom Cruise: Gulfstream IV G4
As you’d expect from a megastar who played Maverick in Top Gun, Tom Cruise doesn’t hold back on air travel. The Mission: Impossible actor owns a Gulfstream IV G4 jet which he uses for his business trips (and presumably the odd errand here and there). He would have had to stump up around $20 million for the fancy flying machine, which can transport up to 19 people and comes with its own jacuzzi and movie screening room.
But Cruise’s air fleet doesn’t stop there. The A-lister, who qualified as a pilot in 1994 and is licensed to fly fighter jets and commercial flights, also owns a 1946 P-51 Mustang — a fighter-bomber used by the Americans during World War II.
John Travolta: Boeing 707-138B
Cruise isn’t the only Hollywood star with a pilot’s license. John Travolta has undoubtedly clocked up more flight hours than any other A-lister, given he has licenses to fly some of the world’s biggest jumbos, including Boeing 707s, 737s and 747s.
Rumours are he has at least SEVEN jets; the most prized possession in his collection is a 20-year-old Boeing 707-138B, a 150-seater former Qantas Airways jet that’s been revamped to carry 15 guests. It boasts two bedrooms and a full-size bathroom.
Now, you can’t exactly keep all of those flying machines on a regular drive. So Travolta’s Florida mansion has its own airstrip, allowing him to nip to Paris for a ‘Royale with cheese’ any time he likes.
Oprah Winfrey: Gulfstream G650
Oprah is worth a reported $2.9 billion, a fortune that makes her one of the world’s richest women, so probably didn’t think twice about dropping $75 million on a private jet. And what a jet.
The media mogul’s Gulfstream G650 has a range of 7,500 nautical miles, allowing her to easily nip across the globe to interview a famous face — and all on a single tank of fuel. Her aircraft can accommodate 16 passengers and is rumoured to contain up to $10 million worth of customisations.
Jay-Z and Beyonce: Bombardier Challenger 850
Don’t expect Beyonce or Jay-Z to be hit too hard by the cost of living crisis. Forbes estimates the pair are worth somewhere in the region of $1.8 billion and with that kind of money in the bank, it should be no surprise that the pair go large on gifts.
In 2012, Bey bought her husband a $40 million Bombardier Challenger 850 aircraft for Father’s Day. It can hold up to 19 passengers, includes a fully-stocked bar and kitchen, and has a large flat-screen TV with wifi to stream whatever show the musical couple happens to be bingeing. To cap it all, Jay-Z’s real name, Shawn Carter, is printed on the exterior.
All in all, a nice present. Although ten years on, he’s probably getting socks like the rest of us.
Max Verstappen: Dassault Falcon 900 EX
The World Formula 1 champion is reported to earn $53 million a year. And having stocked his garage with luxury cars such as the Ferrari 488 Pista and the limited-edition Monza SP2 Speedster, Verstappen decided to splash out on something for the skies.
In 2020, the Dutch star bought a Dassault Falcon 900 EX from none other than Sir Richard Branson. It was rumoured to have cost around $16 million and can travel 4,501 nautical miles on a single tank of fuel, making it easy to hop from circuit to circuit when the Grand Prix calendar is in full swing.
On board, there’s space for 12 passengers, a luxury bathroom and a bar — although it’s probably not big enough to stock the vast number of jeroboams he’s won over the years.
But the most striking thing about his jet is the service costs. According to The Sports Rush, Verstappen forks out between $1-2 million yearly on its upkeep, depending on how many hours it operates. He’d better keep that prize money coming in.
