Flying High: The Most Incredible Celebrity Jets & Planes!
April 3 2020, Published 7:14 p.m. ET
While many of us might think that living large is getting a window seat, the ultra-wealthy celebrities — like Tom Cruise, John Travolta and Jim Carrey — own their own private jets.
These celebs are jet-setting literally anywhere in the world at a moment’s notice in luxurious style. Dwayne Johnson has one. Floyd Mayweather has one. John Travolta has five (and also flies them).
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Check out this gallery for some of the more extravagant private jets that celebs are flying in the friendly skies.
John Travolta
John Travolta doesn't just own several planes, but he also flies them himself, and he's one of the most accomplished celebrity flyers around. The Grease star has the highest possible medical certification in the Federal Aviation Administration's database, he's qualified to fly multiple single and multi-engine aircraft, and in a 2013 interview, he revealed that he flies almost every day. In 2002, the Australian airline Qantas even made him an Ambassador-at-Large.
Travolta owns five personal aircraft: a Boeing 707 private jet, which costs $5 million; a Bombardier Challenger 601, which costs around $1.5 million; an Eclipse 500, which costs up to $2.15 million; and two Gulfstream GII's, which costs about $185,000. He's also previously owned a Soko-Galeb G-2, a Yugoslavian military jet, which averages about $83,000.
As if that wasn't enough proof that Travolta is an aviation nut, he also lives in an exclusive Ocala, FL housing development called Jumbolair, which allows residents to park their planes right outside their homes. Travolta even has a runway that goes right up to his house, from which he can take off and land.
Warren Buffett
Even though he's one of the wealthiest people in the world, the billionaire CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett, prefers to live a frugal lifestyle. He's lived in the same four-bedroom Omaha house since 1958, and he allegedly eats the same $3.17 McDonald's breakfast every day. But when it comes to air travel, the investment guru does like to splash out on his own aircraft.
Buffett had previously criticized other CEOs for their ostentatious aircraft purchases, but in the 1980s he bought his very own Bombardier Challenger 600, which can cost between $8 and $13 million. Buffett named his jet The Indefensible to poke fun at himself but has since renamed it The Indispensable due to how much he's come to rely on it.
Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise owns a Gulfstream IV-SP, which is also known as a G4. The purchase reportedly set him back $20 million and was a wedding present for his former wife Katie Holmes. The Top Gun star's personal aircraft also includes a jacuzzi, a screening room and a feature that refreshes the air inside the cabin every two minutes ... so none of the recycled air you put up with when you fly commercial. He also owns a WWII-era P-51 Mustang fighter plane, which can cost about $2 million.
Cruise has had his pilot's license since 1994 and often flies his own aircraft. He's also known for doing his own stunts, which sometimes includes flying. While filming the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick, Cruise actually flew a fighter jet for some scenes.
Jim Carrey
Being one of the most successful comedy stars of all time means Jim Carrey can afford to travel in the most luxurious way. The Ace Ventura star owns a Gulfstream V, which he reportedly paid $41 million to acquire. There are only about 100 Gulfstream V's in service today. “Private owners of a Gulfstream V are a pretty exclusive group,” explained Gulfstream spokesman Keith Mordoff.
However, Carrey does recoup some of that money by renting out the jet for chartered flights at a price of $8,000 per hour.
When it comes to Father's Day gifts Jay-Z clearly doesn't have to worry about getting a necktie. Beyoncé reportedly gifted her rapper and business mogul husband a Challenger 850 Learjet, which is estimated to be worth $40 million. Queen Bey bought Jay-Z the plane for Father's Day in 2012 shortly after the birth of Blue Ivy.
Beyoncé purchased the larger model of the aircraft, which has enough room to seat 16 people. She also decorated it herself. The jet reportedly includes a living room decked out in cream leather, a master bedroom, two bathrooms and a kitchen.
Taylor Swift
As the world's highest-paid celebrity, Taylor Swift can afford pretty much whatever she wants. And that's why she owns not one but two private jets: a Falcon 900 and a Falcon 50, both manufactured by Dassault. Swift reportedly paid $40 million for the 900. It wasn't reported how much she paid for the 50, but they can go anywhere from $1 million to $6 million.
Swift also splurged on customization options. The jet has a ribbon-like paint scheme, and her favorite number, 13, is painted near the main cabin door. Even the plane's registration number, N898TS, is symbolic: "89" refers to her birth year, "8" refers to the number of her #1 singles at the time of her purchase and the "TS" represents her initials.
David Beckham
David Beckham is one of the world's most famous soccer players, and while he does fly commercial, he also sometimes gets around on his very own Bombardier Challenger 350, which costs around $25 million.
The Manchester United legend is also happy to share the wealth. In 2015, when his then-10-year-old son Cruz was scheduled to play in a soccer tournament in a hard to reach location in Germany, Beckham invited his son's teammates' fathers to fly with him on the jet.
Angelina Jolie
In addition to being a movie star and director, Angelina Jolie is also an accomplished pilot, having earned her license in 2004. The first plane she owned was a single-engine Cirrus SR22-G2, which cost about $334,000.
The Mr. and Mrs. Smith star was first inspired to become a pilot by her then three-year-old son Maddox, who loved aircraft. “Every time Mad sees a plane, he’s amazed,” Jolie said. “If I could actually fly a plane by the time he’s 4, I’ll be like Superman to him.” The Cirrus's tail number includes the letters "MX" in Maddox's honor. By the time Maddox was 16, he was learning to fly himself.
Jackie Chan
In 2012, Jackie Chan purchased an Embraer Legacy 650, which cost him about $20 million. Chan, who's also a brand ambassador for Embraer, said at the time, “My Legacy 650 is perfect for long trips, and it has everything I need on board. The Legacy 500 is futuristic and I’m anxious to fly in the real aircraft.”
Divided into three separate areas, the jet even has a unique custom-painted dragon on its exterior ensuring that it makes an entrance each time it lands — an entrance that screams, “Here comes Jackie Chan.”
Céline Dion
As one of the most successful pop singers of all time, Céline Dion can afford to travel in style. And she does that in a Bombardier BD-700 Express, which reportedly cost her $42 million.
Dion's aircraft can accommodate 14 passengers. Dion even takes her private chef with her on trips so she can have whatever meal strikes her fancy.