Interested in the world of private aviation and wondering what the world’s biggest private jets are? Well you’ve come to the right place, as today we’ll be taking a close look at the biggest private jets in the world, ranked by total exterior length.
The private aviation industry has been constantly evolving, delivering faster, safer and larger aircraft every year, with one thing in mind – combining luxury and performance – and nowhere is that fact more apparent than in the largest private jets on the market.
What’s the biggest private jet in the world?
The biggest private jet in the world is the Boeing Business Jet 747-8i, with 250.2 ft of total exterior length and the capacity to seat 467 passengers.
For a top 3 selection, the world’s biggest private jets are the 747-8i Boeing Business Jet, the Boeing 747-8 VIP, and the Airbus A380. Keep in mind that some entries on this list are commercial planes that were later reused or redesigned to fit the private jet category. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the full top 13 largest private jets in the world.
1. Boeing Business Jet 747-8i – 250.2 ft
Author: RayAdvait
The 747-8i is, as of today, the world’s largest private jet being used and it is a variation of the popular 747, which was created to fill a niche between the Boeing 777-300ER and the Airbus A380. It can seat around 467 passengers, which is 50 more than its predecessor, the 747-8.
Owned by a Middle East businessman, this aircraft was furnished by the French interior design firm Cabinet Alberto Pinto and it was originally purchased for about $318 million.
2. Boeing 747-8 VIP – 250.1 ft
Author: RHL Images
Even though it has virtually the same size as the 747-8i, the Boeing 747-8 VIP has a heavier price tag, with Joseph Lau spending around $367 million on his (probably more, since we’re not sure with kind of modifications he made). This is probably the pinnacle of luxury and comfort – a true “house in the sky”. It includes several lounges, a conference room, an office, a large double bedroom, and an exquisite dining room.
3. Airbus A380 – 238 ft
Author: Rolf Wallner
The Airbus A380 was actually more expensive than the 2 aircraft above, selling for around $400 million, with a $100 million extra for customization. The owner is Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal, which has nicknamed his Airbus: “The Flying Palace”.
Capable of having 853 passengers, the Airbus A380 only appears third due to its lower exterior length, because in terms of overall space, there isn’t an aircraft larger.
4. Boeing 747-400 – 231 ft
Author: Adrian Pingstone
The Boeing 747-400 and its variation 747-430 are both 231 ft, even though the second was $20 million more expensive. The $20 extra million include a 24-carat gold finishing, as well as luxury seats and solid gold bathrooms. They belong, respectively, to Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal and to the Sultan of Brunei and can usually sit around 345 passengers.
5. Airbus A340-300 – 209 ft
Author: Adam Moreira
The Airbus A340-300 has a length of 209 ft and cost $238 million to Alisher Usmanov, a Russian oligarch, which has nicknamed it “Bourkhan”, after his father. Its customization options sky-rocketed the price to $450 million, making it one of the most expensive private jets as well. It can seat about 440 passengers and the combination of luxury and technology makes it the best private jet in Russia.
6. Boeing 767-33A/ER – 180 ft
Author: Anna Zvereva
The 767-33A/ER version of Boeing has a length of about 180ft and can seat 300 passengers.
Even though this private jet still exists, it is currently without an owner, since Chelsea’s former owner, Roman Abramovich, had to get rid of it, due to the war between Ukraine and Russia.
7. Boeing 767-277 – 159 ft
Author: Aero Icarus
As the first American-owned aircraft on our list, the Boeing 767-277 comes 7th, with a length of 159ft. It belongs to the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban, cost about $144 million, and can seat 290 passengers.
The 38-year-old aircraft was originally purchased by Mark as a private jet charter service. Then, it was used by the Dallas Mavericks, only to be stored, last year, in Arizona.
8. Boeing 757 – 155 ft
Author: Craig Sunter
The Boeing 757 is quite similar to the 767 above, measuring 155 ft from nose to tail. Also American-owned, this aircraft was purchased by billionaire businessman and former US President Donald Trump to the co-founder of Microsoft, Paul Allen.
It can seat 200 passengers and it is rumored that it cost Trump around $100 million (plus a couple more million for extras).
9. Boeing Business Jet 2 – 129 ft
Author: Jeff Gilbert
The Boeing Business Jet 2 has a length of 129ft and can sear around 78 passengers. These business jet variations are Boeing’s real bet at the custom private jet industry, and the Business Jet 2 is a great example of that.
Owned by Mukesh Ambani, an Indian business magnate, and the richest person in Asia, the BBJ2 ranges from $70 to $85 million.
10. Airbus 319 – 111 ft
Author: Rossiya Airlines
The Airbus 319 is a short to medium-range, narrow-body aircraft, with a length of 111ft. Like most entries on this list, it’s a commercial airplane that was repurposed as a private jet and bought by Vijay Mallya, an Indian businessman and former member of the parliament.
Recent headlines have stated that due to financial issues, the aircraft was dismantled and sold to Aviation Management Sales, in Florida.
11. Bombardier Global 7500 – 110 ft
Author: kitmasterbloke
The first non-Boeing and non-Airbus entry, the Bombardier Global 7500 measures 110ft, can seat 19 passengers and its starting value is $79 million.
Since it was announced, in 2016, by former F1 drivers Nikki Lauda, 100 aircraft were built, with the majority of them still active.
12. Bombardier Global Express XRS – 99 ft
Author: Aktug Ates
The Bombardier Global Express XRS comes from the same family as the one above, even though there are a few differences, the main one being its length – 99ft.
Going for about $15 million, it is a popular choice for Americans, with the most popular owner being Oprah Winfrey.
13. Bombardier Challenger 850 – 88 ft
Author: Anna Zvereva
The Bombardier Challenger 850 is the last on our list, but it still has an astonishing length of 88ft. Being the largest super-midsize business jet built by Bombardier, it seats 14 passengers and you can certainly recognize some of the names that own one, such as Beyoncé and Jay-Z.
In Conclusion
As you can see, most aircraft here were commercial jets that were repurposed for private use, making them some of the world’s largest private jets. Some are truly mansions or even palaces in the sky, with the most amazing technological features and elegant designs, coupled with an incredible crew and passenger capacity and outstanding range capabilities.
What do you think about our list of the biggest private jets in the world? Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments section below!
