What Type Of Private Jet Does Lionel Messi Fly?

Summary

Messi won numerous awards, including 8 Ballon d’Ors & 6 European Golden Shoes that have allowed him to operate a private jet.
Messi owns a Gulfstream V private jet with a unique livery and an upgraded interior.
The Gulfstream V has a range of 6,500 nautical miles & can hold up to 19 passengers.

Lionel Messi is considered to be one of the best soccer players of all time and is recognized around the world. The famous soccer player began his career in 2003 with FC Barcelona. He was quickly promoted to the top FC Barcelona team in 2004. He scored 474 goals in 520 appearances while with Barcelona, where he played from 2004-2021. During this time, Barcelona won 34 total trophies. This includes:

Ten La Liga titles
Seven Copa del Rey titles
Four Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League titles

After his time at Barcelona, Messi moved over to Paris Saint-Germain from 2021-2023. During his time with PSG, Messi scored 22 goals in 58 appearances. Messi then transferred to Inter Miami in 2023, where he currently plays.

Throughout his career, Messi has won a record eight Ballon d’Or awards, six European Golden Shoes, and was named the best player in the world eight times by FIFA. Messi represented Argentina in international tournaments, as he was born in the country in 1987. While playing for the national team, Messi has netted 106 goals in 180 appearances.

A Look At Some Of The Most Notable Footballers’ Private Jets

Many of the top players own private jets.

Messi is generally looked at as one of the best soccer players in the world. Due to his extensive career, Messi has accumulated major wealth, with some estimates of his net worth reaching $500 million. Because of this, Messi and his family have historically operated a private jet. This provides him with the ultimate luxury when traveling. Flying privately allows Messi to arrive and depart from a wide variety of airports, as his aircraft is smaller than most commercial airliners and can access more runways. Utilizing a private jet also allows Messi to depart his location whenever he pleases instead of waiting for commercial scheduled flights. Ultimately, Messi can travel as he pleases when he utilizes his private jet. Let’s take a closer look at Messi’s private jet. Let’s also take a look at some of the interesting features that make this aircraft so special.

Messi’s unique aircraft

Messi and his family use a Gulfstream V. This aircraft, which is registered as LV-IRQ, was originally built in 2004. Messi purchased this aircraft in 2018. Shortly after it was purchased, it underwent an interior refresh and exterior refurbishment, per Central Jets. These upgrades include the number 10, which is Messi’s soccer name, being placed on the tail of the aircraft. Additionally, the names of Messi’s wife, Antonella, and their three children, Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro, are engraved on the steps of the aircraft.

This aircraft is typically based out of San Fernando Airport (SADF), which is near Buenos Aires, Argentina. Also, per Central Jets, this aircraft is configured to seat 15 total passengers. It is also typically operated by Flyzar, an Argentina-based company that offers chartered flights, helicopter tours, and other private aviation services.

About the Gulfstream V

As previously mentioned, Messi’s Gulfstream V was originally manufactured in 2004. However, the Gulfstream V was initially introduced in June 1997. The aircraft was derived from the successful Gulfstream IV, but several upgrades were included. Gulfstream brought these upgrades in response to the introduction of the Bombardier Global Express in the early 1990s. Gulfstream flew the GV for the first time in November 1995. The company achieved type certification with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on April 11, 1997, and deliveries began in June 1997. This was the first ultra-long-range aircraft that Gulfstream released. Just under 200 total aircraft were produced, and the GV was used to develop the Gulfstream G550.

Photo: Angel DiBilio | Shutterstock

The aircraft was successfully used by charter companies and businesses around the world. However, the GV has also been successful with several governments and militaries around the world. The United States military operates the GV, which is designated as the C-37A, as a command and executive transport through the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard. The following militaries and governments also utilize the GV in some capacity:

Algerian Air Force
Hellenic Air Force
Italian Air Force
Singapore Air Force
Japan Coast Guard
State of Kuwait

Additionally, the FAA, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and NASA operate the GV. The National Center for Atmospheric Research operates a GV for scientific research.

irplane 1998 Gulfstream G-V business jet with reg. N225EE owned by Wells Fargo

Photo: Rudzenka | Shutterstock

Notable features on the Gulfstream V The GV added several significant upgrades from the previously produced Gulfstream IV. Gulfstream added Rolls-Royce BR700-710-A1-10 engines. These each provide the aircraft with nearly 15,000 pounds of force of thrust each. This helped the aircraft reach the following specifications:

Length	96.4 feet
Height	26.85 feet
Wingspan	93.45 feet
Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW)	90,500 pounds
Maximum speed	Mach 0.88 (675 miles per hour)
Cruise speed	Mach 0.83 (637 miles per hour)
Range	6,500 nautical miles (7,480 miles)
Ceiling	51,000 feet

Other additions to the upgrade include a newly designed supercritical wing. This new wing added 12,00 more pounds of fuel compared to the GIV. New flight controls were made from composite material, and the horizontal tail was also larger than the GIV. This allowed for a fuselage that was a total of seven feet longer than the GIV, which allowed the aircraft to hold up to 19 passengers.