These Are Different Private Jets In The Heavy Jet Class

When one envisions owning a private jet, there are multiple different kinds of aircraft one could think of. For starters, the smallest private aircraft on the market, such as the Cirrus

SF50 Vision Jet, which features just a single turbofan engine, will offer the most limited capacity and range capabilities. As one progresses, there are larger and larger models which offer more dynamic capabilities and more impressive performance specifications.

For example, midsize jets are capable of accommodating more passengers (with the largest midsize jets accommodating up to ten passengers) and flying significantly further. This class of private jet typically offers transcontinental range, and in places like the North Atlantic, can even offer intercontinental capabilities. However, even these midsize jets fall short of being the most luxurious private jet products on the market.

Photo: Ceri Breeze | Shutterstock

The most lavish purpose-built private jets on the market are heavy jets capable of ultra-long-haul operations and accommodating more than a dozen passengers. These kinds of aircraft often feature multiple-design cabin spaces, and they will often have private cabins for the principal travelers and other top-tier amenities like galleys. As one would expect, these largest, most-capable high-capacity jets are some of the most expensive on the market.

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Some of these aircraft can fly nonstop for up to 15 hours.

It is important to quickly note that there are some more lavish private aircraft that can be purchased, such as Boeing Business Jets (BBJs) and Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJs). However, these aircraft are all converted models of Boeing and Airbus passenger airliners, meaning that they are not necessarily designed for executive travelers and often come at a significantly higher price. Furthermore, they often face more stringent operational restrictions, such as the need to use much larger runways, making them often unsuitable for business travelers heading to smaller airports.

As a result, the largest aircraft on the market designed for and exclusively targeted at executive travelers are the heavy jets. In this article, we will take a deeper look at this unique class of the private jet market. Specifically, we will aim to understand what purpose this class of aircraft serves and look at some of the specific variants currently leading the industry.

A close-up photo of of a private jet's engine.

Photo: Media_Works | Shutterstock

What exactly is a heavy private jet?

Before we take a deeper look at some specific models, it is important to first design exactly what a heavy private jet is. Heavy private jets, for the most part, are produced by legacy manufacturers like Canada’s Bombardier Aviation, France’s Dassault, and the General Dynamics-owned Gulfstream Aerospace, a US-based company with principal facilities in Savannah, Georgia.

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Heavy private jets are so defined mostly by their high-capacity capabilities. These jets can traditionally accommodate between 12 and 19 passengers, meaning that they can easily transport multiple families or a high-net-worth individual and their entourage. Furthermore, these aircraft are traditionally targeted at corporations, which will often have a large group traveling together on this kind of aircraft.

Dassault Falcon 7X landing at Malta Luqa International Airport MLA shutterstock_668827135

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These jets are also classified by their long-range capabilities. Heavy private jets will traditionally have a range exceeding 6,500 nautical miles, which not only offers intercontinental capabilities but also ensures that they can go pretty much anywhere across the globe with a single stop. These aircraft typically have a median price of around $60 million, meaning that they are undoubtedly not those with shallow pockets.

French manufacturer Dassault has major skin in the game

When it comes to heavy private jets, French planemaker Dassault has long been a leader. A company that was once known for producing the Dassault Mercure commercial aircraft and is still known for the development and production of capable fighter jets like the Dassault Rafale and the Dassault Mirage, Dassault today offers a large range of private jets that could interest any potential buyer.

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The company has a few major business jets on the market today that slot into the heavy private jet class. The Dassault Falcon 7X and the Dassault Falcon 8X are both extremely capable aircraft that could easily suit the needs of potential operators. The company has been involved in the production of private jets for so long that its planes feature three-engine configurations, a legacy of pre-ETOPS era operational restrictions that severely limited where aircraft with just two engines could fly. While these three engines today do offer improved performance, they do come at the risk of higher operating costs.

The Dassault Falcon 7X is a large-cabin heavy private jet that boasts an impressive range. The second-largest aircraft in Dassault’s popular line of Falcon business jets, the plane boasts a range exceeding 6,800 miles, meaning it can easily transport passengers pretty much anywhere they want to go with a maximum of one stop, according to Guardian Jet. The model was unveiled to the public at the 2001 Paris Air Show before taking to the skies for the first time on May 5, 2005. The jet was first delivered to a customer on June 15, 2007, and it entered service shortly after.

The Dassault Falcon 8X, which was first delivered to customers on October 5, 2016, was derived from the earlier 7X and was designed exclusively to offer a more impressive range. The plane can fly more than 7,400 miles, boosting the performance of its predecessor. The manufacturer was able to achieve this extended range by performing aerodynamic refinements and increasing the jet’s fuel production. Today, the 8X and the Falcon 900 (a different Dassault model) are the only two trijet aircraft in active serial production.

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Gulfstream also has multiple heavy jets on the market

The Gulfstream G650 is a large business jet produced by Gulfstream Aerospace, and it has been a market leader in the heavy jet market for years. With a maximum capacity of 18 passengers, the jet offers a range exceeding 8,000 miles and can operate at a top speed of Mach 0.925. The jet is powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce BR725 turbofan engines, which are mounted on the rear of the fuselage.

Photo: Gulfstream

Gulfstream began to develop the G650 in 2005, and it revealed the model to the public not long after, in 2008. The manufacturer then introduced the G650ER, which extended the G650’s range by a modest 580 miles. Gulfstream would later modify the G650’s airframe to build its new flagship in October 2019, when the Gulfstream G700 entered the market, and it stretched the airframe by 10 feet. The manufacturer also pushed the limits of engineering with the G700, using new Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines to push the aircraft to a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.935, according to Gulfstream Aerospace.

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Gulfstream later introduced a new variant in October 2021, a model which would be the same size as the Gulfstream G650 but would feature the advanced engines and redesigned wings of the G700. In February 2025, the final Gulfstream G650 left the factory and was replaced by the G800, completing Gulfstream’s efforts to completely modernize its product offering in the heavy jet category.

Bombardier’s Global Express series has also had a major impact on the market

As we have now discussed the heavy jets made by the major American and European business jet manufacturers, it is important to talk about the third major player in the market. The Bombardier Global Express is the lead variant of a family of large-cabin long-range business jets designed and manufactured by Canada’s Bombardier. The model first took to the skies in October 1996, after having been announced in October 1991. The aircraft received its Canadian type certification in July 1998 before entering service with customers in July 1999.

A head on view of a Bombardier Global Express 7500 Business Jet.

Photo: Jet ThaKlein | Shutterstock

The model is powered by a pair of BMW/Rolls-Royce BR710 engines, and it shares a fuselage cross-section with both the Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) and the Challenger 600, although it does also feature a new wing and an improved tail.

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The Bombardier Global Express family does feature several other variants. The short-range Global 5000 was designed to cater to operators looking for a smaller jet. The Global 6000, an upgraded variant, featured upgraded avionics, and the XRS was a different variant that also modernized many of the Global Express’ 1990s-era features. The Global 5500 and Global 6500 were two later variants that were powered by next-generation Rolls-Royce Pearl engines, and they featured lower fuel burn. These engines were unveiled in May 2018, and the larger and stretched Global 7500 and Global 8000 are the manufacturer’s longest-range heavy jets built to date.

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