It’s always rather fun researching and reporting on the world’s most expensive private jets. The world’s most expensive private jets belong to oligarchs, princes, real estate tycoons, and other prominent business figures. These jets are typically VIP versions of large commercial aircraft, such as the Airbus A340 or the Boeing 747.

Here, we take a closer look at the world’s five most expensive private jets. In summary:

5/ Gulfstream G650ER valued at $150 million – owned by Kim Kardashian

4/ Boeing 747-400 worth $230 million – owned by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah

3/ Boeing 787 Dreamliner valued at $350 million – owned by Roman Abramovich

2/ Boeing 787 Dreamliner valued at $367 million – owned by Joseph Lau

1/ Air Force One’s Boeing 747-8 valued at $1.6 Billion – in the care of the US President!

5/ Gulfstream G650ER
Price: Approx. $150 million
Owner: Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian, a member of the Kardashian family known for various achievements, including their 15-year-running reality television show and luxurious beauty brands, possesses one of the world’s most expensive private jets.

Upon the delivery of her Gulfstream G650ER, Kim Kardashian captured interest with the jet’s lavish design and stringent rules for passengers. Reportedly acquired for $95 million, Kim christened her jet ‘Kim Air.’ However, with retrofits and design enhancements, the total expenditure amounted to $150 million.

The G650ER is the extended-range iteration of Gulfstream’s original G650, initially unveiled in 2008. Introduced in 2014, the ER variant extends to 7,500 nautical miles, surpassing the original model by 500 nautical miles.

4/ Boeing 747
Price: Approx. $230 million
Owner: Hassanal Bolkiah

The 747-400 presidential plane of Brunei gained notoriety for being personally flown by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah for a meeting with President Barack Obama in 2013, as reported by Reuters. The Sultan reportedly purchased the aircraft from Lufthansa, using his own funds, and adorned its interior with gold, earning it the nickname ‘The Flying Palace.’

Registered as V8-ALI, the plane was valued at $230 million, placing it among the world’s most expensive. Since 2018, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has upgraded to the newer Boeing 747-8 VIP quadjet, registered as V8-BKH, according to Planespotters.net data.

The exact price of the newer aircraft remains undisclosed. Yet, given its VIP configuration as a double-decker quadjet, coupled with ownership by one of the world’s wealthiest royals, the cost is anticipated to align closely with its predecessor, the Boeing 747-400.

3/ Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Price: Approx. $350 million
Owner: Roman Abramovich

Former Chelsea Football Club owner and close associate of Russia’s president Vladimir Putin, Roman Abramovich, owns one of the world’s most expensive private jets – a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner widebody aircraft.

Abramovich’s 787 widebody, registered as P4-BDL, was outfitted to carry 50 passengers in comfort and is valued at approximately $350 million. The eight-year-old 787 is operated on behalf of Abramovich by Global Jet, a private air charter company based in Luxembourg, according to Flightradar24.com data.

In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a federal judge in New York gave the green light for the US Department of Justice to seize two aircraft belonging to Abramovich in 2022.

2/ Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Price: Approx. $367 million
Owner: Joseph Lau

Some sources claim that Hong Kong real estate tycoon Joseph Lau’s aircraft is a Boeing 747-8 VIP, an expansive two-deck airliner. However, Boeing announced in 2007 that Lau had ordered a Boeing 787-8 VIP, a more compact aircraft than the Boeing 747-8 VIP.

Lau is said to have invested approximately $153 million in purchasing this aircraft, typically designed to seat up to 250 people. Reports indicate that the customization costs for Lau’s Boeing surpassed double the original price of the aircraft, reaching a reported total of $367 million.

1/ Air Force One’s Boeing 747-8
Price: Approx. $1.6 Billion
Owner: US Government

We’ve counted this as a private jet as it is not available for public use, albeit that it’s paid for by the public purse of the United States!

The aircraft has been specifically designed to meet the unique requirements of the President and his staff. It features :

• a suite for the President
• a conference room
• a medical facility
• a secure communications system

The interior of the aircraft is also designed to provide maximum comfort for the President and his staff during long flights. It includes :

• a private office
• a bedroom
• a large conference room that can accommodate up to 100 people

Air Force One is a symbol of the United States and a powerful tool for projecting its strength and influence around the world. The aircraft is operated by the U.S. Air Force and is maintained to the highest standards of safety and security. It is designed to transport the President and his staff anywhere in the world, at any time, with the utmost speed, efficiency, and security.