From Trump’s $100m 757 to Oprah’s luxurious interiors and Tom’s ‘Top Gun’ G4: Inside the private jets of the rich and famous…..
While most of us consider a day without long airport queues a successful travel day, these celebrities are travelling in the height of style.
From Donald Trump’s private Boeing 757, reportedly worth almost $100million (£65.6million), to actor John Travolta’s fleet of aircraft – not to mention two private runways attached to his Florida home – these stars have taken their love of aviation to new levels.
‘Private jet travel is understandably popular amongst high profile celebrities,’ Adam Twidell, CEO of PrivateFly, tells MailOnline.
‘It’s all about flexibility and discretion – you choose when to fly; drive up to the aircraft just before take-off; and have the cabin to yourself.’
Here, we look at the most stunning private planes – and their well-known owners – to see just what $83 million (or £55,000,000) can really buy.
Harrison Ford
Model: Cessna 680
Estimated Cost: $18,000,000 (£11,800,000)
The 72-year-old actor has long been active in aviation. As a qualified pilot, Ford owns a total of eight planes, among them this Cessna 680 Sovereign, a long-range jet. The green plane has nine seats, with a maximum capacity of 12, and is considered a transcontinental aircraft, reaching speeds of 527 mph (848 km/h) and an elevation of 47,000 ft (14,000 m).
‘Flying is like good music,’ the Star Wars star told The Mail on Sunday in 2010. ‘It elevates the spirit and it’s an exhilarating freedom.’
‘I love the machines, I love the aviation community,’ he added. ‘I used to own aeroplanes and have pilots flying them for me, but I finally realised they were having more fun than I was.’
Roman Abramovich
Model: Boeing 767-300
Estimated Cost: $83,600,000 (£55,000,000)
The sky’s the limit for the Russian billionaire, who also owns the Chelsea Football Club. After all, the paint job alone for his stunning aircraft costs £50,000.
The magnificent jet has the same air missile avoidance system as the Air Force One, plus room for 30 seated dining guests on board.
‘In an airline configuration it can seat 350, but the private jet version includes exceptional high spec VIP luxury interiors, with options such as 30-seat dining room; boardroom, master bedrooms, luxury bathrooms with showers; and spacious living room,’ PrivateFly’s Twidell explains.
Other luxury features include chestnut interiors and even elements of gold peppered throughout the decor.
‘The Bandit,’ as the plane is known,’ is said to be one of the safest aircraft in the world and is most often seen parked at the Harrods Aviation facility at Stansted Airport, near London.
Donald Trump
Model: Boeing 757
Estimated Cost: $95,800,000 (£63,000,000)
The real estate mogul sure knows how to travel in style. His private Boeing 757 is as luxurious as you would expect, complete with a double bed, spacious lounge with sofas, gold accents and even a marble bathroom.
Pillows and cushions throughout are, of course, embossed with the clan’s crest.
A family affair, Trump also uses the jet to conduct business and interviews with daughter Ivanka. Daughter-in-law Lara Yunaska has also posted images to Instagram from inside the plane.
Oprah Winfrey, Celine Dion, Steven Spielberg
Model: Bombardier Global Express XRS
Estimated Cost: $42,000,000 (£27,600,000)
Known for its ultra long-range performance capabilities, the Global Express XRS is the perfect pick for those with schedules as hectic as these Hollywood heavyweights.
‘The Bombardier Global Express was the pioneer of large cabin long range jets when it was launched in 1993, opening up a number of long range routes,’ Twidell says. ‘It now comes in several variants, including the XRS.’
The spacious all-leather interior can comfortably fit anywhere from eight to 14 passengers and the bathroom and galley are complete with luxurious designer fixtures.
The jet is powered by twin Rolls-Royce BR710 engines, and can attain a maximum altitude of 51,000 ft, travelling for up to 16 hours without requiring refuelling.
Jim Carrey
Model: Gulfstream V
Estimated Cost: $59,000,000 (£38,800,000)
Funny man Jim Carrey has made millions off of his successful film career, starring in franchises such as Ace Ventura and Dumb and Dumber, and, as it turns out, he’s spending his fortune on one impressive form of travel.
The Gulfstream V is one of the highest performance private jets in the world.
It can accommodate up to 16 passengers and fly nearly as fast as the speed of sound.
Carrey is so proud of his purchase, he’s reportedly told studio bosses that any film that he appears in that also features footage of planes in any context must also include shots of his own jet.
Tiger Woods
Model: Gulfstream G550
Estimated Cost: $53,500,000 (£35,200,000)
After racking up an impressive 14 major championship golf wins – and an estimated fortune of over $1 billion – Tiger Woods can now jet off to any course in the world on a whim, thanks to his Gulfstream G550.
‘The G550 cabin is known for its luxury design, great light and views – Gulfstream jets have iconic, wide oval windows – and all versions come with a built-in restroom and wardrobes,’ Twidell of PrivateFly, the global private jet booking service, reveals.
The G550 has the efficiency to fly over 12,000 km nonstop for more than 12 hours, can comfortably fit 18 passengers and reaches altitudes of up to 51,000 feet.
John Travolta
Model: Owns 7 planes – among them: Boeing 707, Bombardier Challenger 601, Boeing 727 and three Gulfstream jets
Estimated Cost: N/A
Grease star John Travolta has made his love for aeroplanes well known over the past several years, even going so far as to build two customised runways for his jets on his Florida property.
While extravagant, such a multi-million dollar home makeover makes sense for a man who owns seven planes, including a Boeing 707, a Boeing 727 and three Gulfstream jets.
Travolta is also an honourary pilot for the Australian aircraft company, Qantas, and has flown a staggering 35,000 miles on his own already.
Tom Cruise
Model: Gulfstream IV
Estimated Cost: $36,000,000 (£23,600,000)
For a man as well known for his action-packed roles as Tom Cruise, and it seems as though his time spent on the set of Top Gun has inspired his real-life love of aviation.
It should come as no surprise then that he’s the proud owner of a state-of-the-art G4 jet.
With a crew of two and room for up to 19 passengers, the Gulfstream IV has a maximum range of 7,820 km and can reach an altitude of up to 45,000 feet.
Barack Obama
Model: Boeing 747-200B (Air Force One)
Estimated Cost: $390,000,000 (£256,000,000)
It’s known across the world as the Air Force One, transporting the world’s most powerful man around the globe – and this heavily-modified aircraft is tailored accordingly.
A grand luxury private jet, it’s been dubbed the ‘White House on Wings,’ with 4,000 square feet of floor space on board.
The front of the aircraft mimics the aesthetic of the White House and the Presidential Suite is composed of beds, a shower, vanity, double sink and a private office.
The Air Force One carries a full medical crew and is stocked with essentials and raw food materials.
And when it comes to security, the plane has some of the most state of the art attack countermeasures in the world, such as encrypted communication lines, and is even able to weather the effects of an electromagnetic pulse, such as those generated during a nuclear detonation.