Cristiano Ronaldo is known to be one of the world’s highest-paid athletes. According to Forbes, this celebrity

earned almost $287,191,583 in 2024.

No wonder then, that when it comes to aviation, the renowned Portuguese football player searches for comfort and luxury. Previously, Ronaldo owned a Gulfstream G200.

Since December 2024, he has been leasing a Bombardier Global Express XRS private jet. This luxurious aircraft serves as his primary mode of personal air travel, facilitating both professional commitments and family vacations.

The Bombardier Global Express XRS

, registered as LX-GOL, was acquired for approximately $55 million in December 2024, and it is customized to reflect Ronaldo’s personal brand. The aircraft was manufactured in 2010.

This ultra-long-range private jet

is based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where Ronaldo plays for the Al-Nassr team, and it is frequently utilized for transcontinental flights, accommodating Ronaldo’s demanding schedule and international engagements.

Bombardier Global Express XRS – The Jet That Cristiano Ronaldo Flies

Photo: Michael Derrer Fuchs | Shutterstock

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Bombardier Global Express XRS is not an ordinary jet, it is rather a flying extension of his personal brand, as bold and unmistakable as the man himself.

His private jet wears a sleek matte black finish, adorned with his initials “CR7” and the silhouette of his iconic goal celebration pose.

The suffix GOL in the aircraft’s registration is a clear reference to football, the word ‘gol’ meaning ‘goal’ in Portuguese.

The aircraft is based at King Khalid International Airport (RUH), in Saudi Arabia. It’s used for a mix of personal and professional travel, and apart from being a key element of the fast-paced CR7 lifestyle, it is also a flying refuge of privacy for his family.

It regularly flies between the most important cities in Ronaldo’s life: Lisbon, Madrid, and Riyadh. Reports showed it also at holiday places such as the North Pole, Finland, and Courchevel, Rhône-Alpes, France.

Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock

While Ronaldo keeps many details about the jet private, the aircraft has been tracked and spotted several times, linking it to key movements in his football career. On February 15, the aircraft was sighted at Manchester Airport (MAN)

: the fact attracted significant attention, especially as the jet was spotted near the aircraft transporting Manchester City’s squad to Madrid for a Champions League match.

Despite various speculations, including potential business engagements or personal matters, the reason behind the stop at Manchester Airport (MAN) was a crack in one of the jet’s windows, necessitating repairs and grounding the aircraft until a replacement could be installed.

Inside The Cabin: Luxury, Layout, And Personal Touches

This aircraft combines performance and comfort, offering first-class on-board living space with three distinct cabin areas and a fully equipped galley.

The interior is a true haven of luxury, with top-of-the-range materials and a design customized to match Ronaldo’s preferences and to offer maximum comfort to him and to his family. Every detail has been designed to meet the needs of the Portuguese star.

• Seating and Sleeping Arrangements: Configured to provide comfortable seating for 14 passengers, with sleeping arrangements for up to five, including three single beds and two double beds.​
• Entertainment and Connectivity: Features a Rockwell Collins Cabin Entertainment System, DVD player, and high-speed KU-Band Wi-Fi.​
• Galley Amenities: Equipped with a high-temperature oven, microwave, large chiller, Nespresso maker, and generous storage space.​
• Lavatories: Two lavatories are located in the forward and aft sections of the cabin.

The Bombardier Global Express XRS– The Aircraft Itself

The Bombardier Global Express XRS was launched as an upgrade to the original Bombardier Global Express, with improvements like faster fuel balancing and better cabin pressurization. It entered the market in 2005 and quickly became a favorite of executives, celebrities, and VIPs around the world.

With a range of over 6,100 nautical miles and a cruising speed of Mach 0.85 (590 mph, 950 km/h), the Bombardier Global Express XRS is built for long-haul, non-stop flights. It’s designed to offer globe-trotting elites routes like New York to Tokyo or Riyadh to Los Angeles.

The Bombardier Global Express XRS shares its fuselage cross-section with the Canadair Regional Jet and Challenger 600, sporting a newly designed T-tail and an advanced wing with a 35° sweep and winglets.

The wing itself is designed with a supercritical airfoil that helps smooth out turbulence, ensuring a more comfortable ride.

Powered by two BMW-Rolls-Royce BR710 turbofan engines, the Bombardier Global Express XRS uses FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) for precise and efficient engine management. The flight deck is equipped with a Honeywell Primus 2000XP EFIS suite, featuring six screens for easy navigation and system monitoring.

Photo: Sergey Kohl | Shutterstock

When it comes to luxury and comfort, the XRS fully embraces the legacy of the Bombardier Global Express, once the largest business jet cabin in the sky, that offered space for 12 to 16 passengers across three distinct sections.

The XRS layout typically includes a four-seat club section up front, a central conference area with four seats, and an aft seating area with a three-seat divan and two individual chairs.

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The cabin is designed with passenger comfort in mind, featuring a 10.3 psi cabin pressurization system that maintains a cabin altitude of just 4,500 feet at cruising altitude (up to FL 450, 45,000 feet), and 5,680 feet at its maximum altitude of FL 510 (51,000 feet).

Inside, the cabin is spacious, with an unobstructed length of 48 feet (14.6 meters).

Comparing the Bombardier Global Express XRS with the Bombardier Global Express, the XRS’ floor has been lowered slightly, allowing for wider shoulder space, while its windows have been enlarged by 25% for better views and natural light.

Bombardier’s Global family remains one of the top choices for those who want speed, space, and sophistication in the sky. The aircraft’s high-altitude capabilities (up to 51,000 ft) mean smoother rides and faster cruising, a big plus for regular flyers like Ronaldo.

Many private jet charter companies still have this type in service.

Other Celebrities Flying the Bombardier Global Express

Cristiano Ronaldo shares his flying choice with many other VIPs, who also chose the same private jet manufacturer.

The actor, producer, and entrepreneur, Mark Wahlberg, owns a very personalized Bombardier Global Express: beside the interior and its cockpit, Wahlberg’s jet spots a distinctive and personal logo on the exterior, a stylized “W” on the tail, a clear signature that makes his aircraft recognizable, together with the registration, that has ends with -MW, the actor’s initials.

Also, Elton John owns a Global Express emblazoned with a large letter E and a rose on the nose. He flew it during his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour across Europe.

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Cristiano Ronaldo And A History With Private Aviation

Ronaldo’s journey through private aviation began with the acquisition of the Gulfstream G200 EC-KBC in 2015, which he used extensively for both personal and professional travel.

The decision to upgrade to a Gulfstream G650 was driven by a desire for more space and enhanced features, to accommodate his growing family and increasing travel demands, coupled with his personal experience of the comfort and luxury of N3546, a Gulfstream G550 with a customized Nike livery, during an Asian tour in the spring of 2019.

The fate of his Gulfstream G650 remains unclear, but in December 2024 the five-time Ballon d’Or winner switched to the Bombardier Global Express XRS.

Public Reaction, Environmental Talk, And Final Thoughts

Public reaction to Ronaldo’s use of private jets has been mixed. While many fans admire his success and the luxuries he affords, others have raised concerns about the environmental impact

of private air travel. However, Cristiano Ronaldo has demonstrated a commitment to environmental and humanitarian causes through various initiatives: in 2013, he was named the ambassador for the Mangrove Care Forum in Bali, Indonesia, aiming to raise awareness about the importance of conserving mangrove ecosystems.

During his visit to Bali, Ronaldo participated in a tree-planting event alongside Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

In 2023, during a visit to the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Ronaldo supported the NParks – Peter Lim Scholarship, encouraging young people to pursue careers that advance sustainability and environmental protection.

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Ronaldo’s choice of private aviation underscores the balance high-profile individuals often seek between convenience, privacy, and environmental responsibility. As he once said:

“We don’t want to tell our dreams. We want to show them.”