Outrageous photos show what flying on private jets is really like, from private bedrooms with plush bedding to exquisitely crafted meals served with Champagne

Katie Warren

Oct 19, 2018, 20:09 IST

Outrageous photos show what flying on private jets is really like, from private bedrooms with plush bedding to exquisitely crafted meals served with Champagne

Shutterstock/Mikhail Starodubov

Two Champagnes, please.

Private jets are the choice mode of travel for billionaires, CEOs, celebrities, and world leaders.
These aircraft cost millions to hundreds of millions of dollars and often come with luxurious leather seats, full dining rooms, private bedrooms, and fine cuisine.
Here's what it's like to fly on a private plane.

The preferred mode of travel for billionaires, CEOs, celebrities, and world leaders, the private jet can be seen as the epitome of luxury and wealth.

Traditional commercial flying is an affordable service for the masses, but flying on a private jet is a very different world, Eric Roth, president of International Jet Interiors, told Business Insider.

"Privacy, productivity, comfort, luxury and convenience are some of the major differences between flying private vs. commercial," Roth said. "You decide when you want to leave - YOU dictate the schedule - not the airlines. Chinese food for your flight from Teterboro to Van Nuys? No problem. Need to change your plans mid-flight and reroute to another city? OK."

Private plane travel represents freedom for those who can afford it, he said.

"Flying on a private jet can be the difference of being at three different cities for meetings and still returning home at a decent hour. Time is the one commodity that even money can not buy. A private jet is the best way to 'buy time,'" Roth said.

Here's a look at what it's like flying on a private plane.

Flying on a private jet is a luxury form of travel usually associated with the ultra-wealthy, celebrities, business magnates, and world leaders.

Private aviation didn't start becoming popular until the 1960s, after the first Learjet took flight in 1963.

In the 1970s, private planes were exactly as groovy as you'd expect.

English rock group Led Zeppelin went on tour on a private Boeing 720B known as "The Starship," where they drank and played music as they flew between cities.

Late Playboy founder Hugh Hefner had a famously customized private plane called the "Big Bunny," which included space for 38 passengers, a living room, a fully stocked bar, and a discotheque where he often threw parties.

Flying on a private jet is a completely different experience than flying commercial, Eric Roth, president of International Jet Interiors, a company that designs interiors of private jets, told Business Insider.

Another obvious advantage of flying on a private plane is the privacy. Whether you own your own jet or you're chartering a flight, you won't be surrounded by scores of other passengers as you would be on a typical commercial flight.

In fact, the average number of passengers on a private jet flight is 4.12.

"Privacy, productivity, comfort, luxury and convenience are some of the major differences between flying private vs. commercial," Roth said.

Private planes are designed to be more luxurious and comfortable than commercial planes.

The design of today's private planes skews modern and contemporary, with clean lines and cool color tones, Roth told Business Insider.

The overall style leans toward the minimal end of the spectrum, but "the details that we incorporate must make a statement," Roth told Business Insider.

When flying private, the meals can look a bit different than your typical airline food.

One major perk of flying private is that you get to decide what you want to eat, Roth said.

That might mean fine dining ...

But it's all about customization. If you'd rather have "Chinese food for your flight from Teterboro to Van Nuys? No problem," Roth said.

The technology on private planes must keep up with the demands of travelers who require constant access to Wi-Fi, Roth said.

"Everyone wants to be 'connected' – no matter where in the world they are — and no one has patience for a slow internet connection, so we offer our clients the latest in technology for satellite communication and bandwidth," Roth said.

"Fast-charging USB ports for passengers' phones and personal devices are a must," Roth said. "Streaming music or video content throughout the aircraft is becoming almost commonplace today."

On some private planes, you can stretch out on a sofa instead of being squished between other passengers.

... so you can take a nap and wake up refreshed at your destination.

You can order whatever you want to drink on a private plane.

Jean-Pierre Alfano, creative director at AirJet Designs, another company that designs private jet interiors, said they focus their designs on ergonomics and comfort.

"A fine selection of materials, textures, colors, and proper lighting are key elements in all of our aircraft interior design projects," Alfano said.

"The majority of private jet flyers rightly expect flawless quality and service, since they are aware they are paying for it," Alfano said.

The shifting tastes of private jet owners toward more modern and contemporary styles reflects the backgrounds, cultures, and ages of the owners, Alfano said.

"Trends in aircraft interiors often take inspiration and go hand-in-hand with trends in contemporary architecture, yachts, and high-end luxury automobiles," he said.

In 2016, Business Insider reporter Benjamin Zhang flew on a Gulfstream G550, the company's $61.5 former flagship model until the introduction of the larger $66.8 million G650 in 2012.

During takeoff, "the Gulfstream bolted down the runway like a hot rod down a drag strip," Zhang wrote. "This is acceleration unlike anything I've experienced in a car or on a plane."

In flight, the Rolls Royce engines were quiet and the only sounds came from other passengers, Zhang said.

The leather seats were comfortable, Zhang wrote. "They're soft and supportive without giving you the feeling that you're sinking into them like a La-Z-Boy."

You could control certain settings through an iPhone app, including the window shades, the temperature, and what plays on your personal monitor.

Zhang was served breakfast on the two-hour flight from New Jersey to Savannah, Georgia, and a light dinner on the flight back.

"Before this trip, I knew that flying in a private jet was pleasant and convenient, but I didn't expect it to be quite this amazing," Zhang wrote. "The large private jet can essentially be anything you want it to be — a flying office, hotel room, or night club."

Most private planes seem to be outfitted with luxurious leather seats like the ones Zhang described.

And unlike on a commercial flight, you can spread out your belongings instead of confining them to your tray table or the tiny space under your seat.

If you aren't a world leader or a billionaire, you can still charter a ride in a private jet — but it'll cost you.

A 2.5-hour flight on a small private jet that can hold four passengers will likely cost you at least $4,000 per hour.

A three-hour flight in a mid-sized private aircraft starts at around $5,500 per hour of flight, and costs go up from there.

A five-hour flight with 16 passengers in a Bombardier Challenger 850, for example, will cost at least $11,500 an hour, or $57,500 total.

Once you fly private, it might be difficult to ever go back to flying commercial.

For Roth at International Jet Interiors, flying on private planes represents freedom.

"Flying on a private jet can be the difference of being at three different cities for meetings and still returning home at a decent hour. Time is the one commodity that even money can not buy. A private jet is the best way to 'buy time,'" Roth said.

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