Fancy a ride in the largest private jet in the world? Peek into the US$400 million Boeing 747-8i, a ‘flying mansion’ used by royals, heads of state and billionaires
- Owned by a Middle Eastern businessman, the interior of this 747-8i Boeing Business Jet was designed by French firm Cabinet Alberto Pinto and took 4 years to complete
- With a range of around 7,700 nautical miles, the luxury private jet covers long distances and can service routes such as New York-Hong Kong, Cape Town-Chicago and Los Angeles-Melbourne
The 747-8i Boeing Business Jet, which is a VIP-configured variant of the civilian jumbo plane, is the world’s largest private aircraft in active operation. The dual-level jumbo takes private flying to the next level as a flying palace capable of traversing time zones in the absolute pinnacle of luxury air travel.
Marketed to governments and the world’s elite, these giant jumbo planes cost hundreds of millions of dollars. For example, the US government paid about US$325 million each for its two specially modified presidential Boeing 747-200B aircraft, more commonly known as Air Force One.
Famed French interior design firm Cabinet Alberto Pinto was tasked with creating the interior of one multimillion BBJ 747-8i, which was bought for private use by a Middle Eastern businessman. The list price of the -8i model was US$400 million, according to the Business Jet Traveler, but the actual sale cost was undisclosed.
Take a look inside the flying mansion.
While owning any private jet is an indicator of wealth, the 747-8i BBJ is an unmistakable status symbol typically reserved for use by the world’s governments and a handful of the highest level of the elite.
The aircraft has seen success in the Middle East with countries including Qatar, Kuwait, Turkey and the UAE using the 747-8i for executive transport for their respective heads of state.
However, one 747-8i struggled to find a home and was subsequently scrapped at Arizona’s aircraft graveyard in 2022.
The Boeing 747-8 was initially planned as a private aircraft for a Saudi prince, but it sat dormant in Switzerland for 10 years after the prince’s unexpected death in 2011.
Royals and heads of state are not the only ones lucky enough to use an -8i BBJ, with one rich Middle Eastern businessman asking Cabinet Alberto Pinto to create a lavish interior for his mammoth private jet.