The world’s largest commercial jets are used as private jets, but it is often difficult to know exactly what assets the mega-rich possess. Details about their wealth are often opaque, and establishing ownership can be complicated by holding assets in self-companies or trusts. These are also reasons why it can be difficult to know what the most expensive private jets are in the world. The list of the largest private jets in the world is constantly changing and is likely incomplete, but here are some of the known giant private jets.

An Airbus A380?

If anyone in the world privately owns an operational Airbus A380, then that will automatically be the largest private jet in the world (after all, it is the largest flying jet in the world). For a while, it seemed the largest (known) private jet in the world was to be a luxuriously appointed Airbus A380 purchased by Prince Al Waleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Alsaud of Saudi Arabia. However, the A380 was sold off before the prince received it.

Photo: Jarek Kilian | Shutterstock

No Airbus A380 is known to have been purchased by a billionaire as a luxury private jet. But that is not to say it hasn’t happened. Airlines worldwide are now starting to retire their A380 fleets – so it is possible to purchase an old A380 somewhat cheaply. As of March 2024, a retired A380 with the registration number N380D is listed on Controller for “only” $25 million (built-in 2013). For comparison, new, custom-ordered A380s or Boeing 747s cost $200-500 million.

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Three Boeing 747’s known to be private jets

Joseph Lau’s Boeing 747-8VIP

In place of an Airbus A380 being used as a private jet, the largest known private jet is the Boeing 747. More than one Jumbo is known to be owned by billionaires as a luxury private jet. One of these billionaires was Hong Kong real estate tycoon Joseph Lau. He is known to have purchased a custom Boeing 747-8VIP – however, Reuters reported in 2007 that he had become the first to purchase the (smaller) Boeing 787 Dreamliner (in a deal thought to be worth $367 million). Boeing Business Jets offers the 787-8 Dreamliner in a luxury business jet variant. As of March 2024, it is unclear if Joseph Lau is still flying his old Boeing 747-8VIP.

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah’s Boeing 747-8VIP

Hassanal Bolkiah is the Sultan of Brunei (a tiny oil-rich country nested on the northern coast of the island of Borneo). He is one of the few absolute monarchs in the world and is regarded as one of the richest men alive (with a net worth of $30 billion, according to Celebrity Net Worth). He is known to possess a 747-400 presidential plane.

Reuters reported he piloted it personally to meet President Barack Obama in 2013. The aircraft’s registration is V8-ALI, valued at $230 million. Since then, the Sultan has upgraded to a newer (and larger) Boeing 747-8VIP registered as V8-BKH, and that aircraft is considered one of the most expensive private jets in the world.

Prince Al Waleed’s Boeing 747-400

In 2023, famous Nigerian soccer player Odion Ighalo, showed off Prince Al Waleed’s private Boeing 747-400 on social media after the Saudi prince had flown the team in his private jet. The Boeing 747 was purchased second-hand by the prince in 2003 from Air China (which had taken delivery in 1992).

Odion Ighalo revealed the lavish interior of the Jumbo jet and how it had been elaborately decorated for the Saudi prince. Al Waleed purchased the jet for an estimated $220 million, then spent millions more customizing it. He was famously going to buy the Airbus A380 before selling the aircraft off.

Photo: Boeing Business Jets

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Boeing 747-8: The largest private jet

The Boeing 747-8 is the updated model of the popular 747-400, and while they both look similar, the 747-8 is slightly larger. Overall, the 747-8 has an additional 11.5-foot wingspan and is over 18 feet longer – plus the 747-8 upper deck is expanded. The Boeing 747-8 was the last of the 747 family (its first flight took place in 2010) and the future Air Force One aircraft will be heavily customized 747-8s. It can accommodate 66 seats more than its predecessors, according to Boeing.

Photo: Suparat Chairatprasert | Shutterstock

The Boeing 747-8 marks the end of the road for the Boeing 747 family. Discounting the twin upcoming Presidential Air Force One jets, the final Jumbo (a cargo variant) was delivered to Atlas Air on January 31, 2023. In all, 155 Boeing 747-8s were made – 107 freighter variants and 48 passenger airliners.