Summary
- Most private jets depreciate over time, but the largest private widebody jets hold the highest value, with extensive customizations.
- The most expensive non-US Air Force private jet might be a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, with costs ranging from $350 – $500 million.
- Russian oligarchs like Roman Abramovich and Alisher Usmanov faced sanctions on their jets post-invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
It is very difficult to know who owns the most expensive private jet. Jets are bought and sold constantly and depreciate over time, so they will likely decrease in value as time goes on. Many billionaires can be opaque about their luxury jets and lavish lifestyles. While the most expensive jets intended for a particular individual are likely Air Force One’s new Boeing 747-8s, these are not privately owned (the US Air Force owns them). The most expensive non-sanctioned private jet might be a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
The most expensive private jets
The most common expensive private jets are luxury business jets like the Gulfstream G650ER. However, these smaller aircraft are not the most expensive – e.g., Kim Kardashian’s Gulfstream G365ER is valued at “only” 150 million. The largest private jets are normally the most expensive. The most expensive private jets are the large widebody commercial jets that have been converted for private use. Much of the cost of the aircraft can come from the extensive customizations.
Five of the most expensive private jets:
- Kim Kardashian’s Gulfstream G650ER at $150 million
- Hassanal Bolkiah’s Boeing 747 at $230 million
- Roman Abramovich’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner at $350 million
- Joseph Lau’s Boeing at $367 million
- Alisher Usmanov’s Airbus A340-300 at $350 to $500 million
For a time, it looked like Prince Alwaleed bin Talal of Saudi Arabia was set to have the world’s most expensive private jet. It was reported in some sources, such as Private Jet Charter, that the aircraft already belonged to the prince. The Prince ordered the massive Airbus A380 to be lavishly furnished with a concert hall, a Turkish bath, and more fit for a Saudi Prince. The reported price tag of the A380 was $500,000. However, this order was never fulfilled and Alwaleed bin Talal sold it before delivery. It was reported that the Prince’s order for the A380 was canceled – despite various media reports that the aircraft was being fitted out and prepared for delivery.
Photo: Boeing
Alwaleed bin Talal owns other private jets – including a Boeing 747, an Airbus A321, and a Hawker Siddeley. Alwaleed bin Talal should not be confused with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud – the defacto ruler of Saudi Arabia.
It is possible there are more expensive private jets unknown to the public.
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The jet includes six sleeper berths, a private bedroom and a well-equipped galley.
A question of sanctions
Two men on the above list are Russian oligarchs – Roman Abramovich and Alisher Usmanov. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, both of these men have been placed under Western sanctions. These sanctions include warrants for the seizure of their private aircraft.
The US Department of Justice issued a press release in 2022 with a warrant for the seizure of two aircraft belonging to Abramovich worth over $400 million. The two aircraft are the Boeing 787-8 aircraft (with a tail number P4-BDL and serial number 37306) and a Gulfstream G650ER aircraft. The Department of Justice states the Boeing 787-8 is believed to be worth around $350 million and the Gulfstream is worth around $60 million.
Fellow Russian oligarch Alisher Burhanovich Usmanov (Usmanov) is also under Western sanctions. The US Department of the Treasury issued a statement detailing sanctions against him and his assets. The status of these
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The world’s most expensive private jet
With the status of the sanctioned Russian oligarch’s private jets in question, the most expensive known private jet (that is free to roam the skies) is Joseph Lau’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Lau is a Hong Kong billionaire born in 1951 and is estimated by Forbes to have a fortune of $13.1 billion.
According to Reuters, Lau was one of the first to purchase the Boeing 787 Dreamliner for private use in 2007. The most quoted value of Lau’s Dreamliner is $367 million after customization. According to Boeing Business Jets, the Boeing 787-8 has a range of 9,960 nautical miles or 11,460 miles.
|
Boeing 787-8 VIP |
|
|---|---|
|
Cost |
Approx. $367 million |
|
Area |
2,340 sq feet |
|
Range |
11,460 miles |
|
Cabin Altitude |
6,000 feet |
Note that there seems to be a lot of confusion online about Joseph Lau’s private Boeing. Around half of the outlets report Lau’s Boeing as a Boeing 747-8 VIP and half report it has a Boeing 787-8 VIP (a more compact aircraft than the older Jumbo Boeing 747). It seems that Lau ordered a Boeing 787-8 VIP to replace his Boeing 747-8 VIP. The Boeing 787-8s can typically seat 40 passengers and are classified as VIP Airliners. Luxoguide claims the 747-8 VIP was valued at $388 million after customizations.
Photo: Boeing Business Jets
No expenses are spared when it comes to Joseph Lau’s private jet. The Dreamliner has luxurious lounges with plush recliners and seating for only a few people. It has a dining hall and a conference room where Joseph Lau can hold important meetings during a flight. A private gym, bar, and entertainment area have been installed on the aircraft. It is reported that the aircraft is fitted with vaulted ceilings and impeccable video wall displays while a spiral staircase connects its two floors. Lau’s bathroom features gold-plated accents.
