These Celebs Have Their Own Private Jets
While the rest of us dread flying commercial without the capabilities to stretch our legs during long flights, some celebs are, quite literally, busy living the high life, paying for the best aircraft accommodation money can buy. "Almost 8,000 new private jets are expected to be bought by multinational companies and the super-rich over the next decade," wrote The Guardian in 2019, adding that "each of which will burn 40 times as much carbon per passenger as regular commercial flights."
What's interesting is that, as the outlet continues to note, celebs "are among a group of 'super-emitters' who own private jets or regularly travel on them." Thankfully, for the rest of us, it looks like some stars are finally demanding change. Getting up on stage to accept an award at the 2020 Golden Globes, Joaquin Phoenix took a jab at his peers, declaring, "Sometimes we have to take that responsibility on ourselves and make changes and sacrifices in our own lives ... We don't have to take private jets to Palm Springs for the awards sometimes, or back. Please. And I'll try to do better, and I hope you will, too."
While it looks like owning your own plane may slowly be falling out of fashion, some A-listers not only refuse to give theirs up, but also choose to regularly flaunt their many luxuries. Let's take a look at some celebs who own their own private jets.
Kylie Jenner uses her jet for advertising
If you want to know how Kylie Jenner spends her fortune, look no further than her social media. Never shy to showcase her lavish lifestyle (like the time stayed in what Vogue described as "the dreamiest hotel" on the Amalfi Coast for her 22nd birthday), Jenner decided to be even more extra in July 2019 when she customized her private jet for a girls vacation that doubled as a marketing ploy.
Debuting on her Instagram, the beauty mogul's extravagant aircraft was customized in baby pink, with the word "KYLIESKIN" slapped prominently along the sides. As Paper put it, "A vacation that also doubles as marketing? That's the kind of evil genius move that helps you top the Forbes young billionaires list." Truth be told, they're right, and if customizing the outside wasn't enough, wait until you hear what else the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star did. According to Mirror, Jenner ensured all her "stewardesses wore custom pink outfits," while her gal pals were offered KYLESKIN swag that included matching tracksuits, plush pink pillows, scrunchies, and eye masks.
It's unclear if Jenner has more than one private jet, but it's easy to assume so, as the KUWTK starlet regularly posts photos of herself inside of another plane with a seemingly different interior. If that's not all, the celeb has ruffled some feathers, too, like the time she used her jet to pick up big sis Kendall Jenner for lunch. Yikes.
Donald Trump can't say no to a good deal
President Donald Trump admitted that he went overboard when acquiring his company's first plane, a Boeing 727, in 1987. "It was a little more plane than I needed, but I find it hard to resist a good deal when the opportunity presents itself," mused The Apprentice alum in his book, The Art Of The Deal. When the opportunity arose, Trump pounced, and a little "haggl[ing]" and eight million dollars later, his company was the proud owner of its own aircraft. But it wouldn't be the last.
In 2010, Trump sold the 727 and traded up to a 757, which he tricked out with decidedly Trumpian flare. According to The New York Times, the so-called "Trump Force One" (above) was made in 1991, and fully renovated in 1995 by the owner who sold it to Trump. It's original 200 seats were removed to make room for "a master suite that included a bathroom and guest room," "a conference table," and a "bar in the center of the aircraft." Trump then added his own flourishes, like 24 karat gold-plated "fixtures" throughout, and "toilet seats [that] were reupholstered with Edelman leather." The flying executive dream also boasts state-of-the-art multimedia equipment, and seating for around 23 passengers, 12 of which are "sleeper seats, each with their own foldout monitors."
"The plane is very much an extension of the Trump brand," the POTUS once said in a documentary (via The New York Times). We're inclined to agree.
Brad Pitt perhaps took his movie role too seriously
Brad Pitt's 2014 flick, Fury, sees the actor as a World War II tank commander leading his crew into Germany. It's on that set, too, that Pitt soaked up as much as he could historically. "We're just tourists in the war experience," mused the actor to The Telegraph (via The Vancouver Sun), adding that he actually fell in love with his tank, Fury, as time went on.
Well, although Pitt couldn't exactly splurge on a tank to drive around in, the celeb got the next best thing: a fighter plane from the era. Per the Irish Examiner, Pitt dished out £2 million ($2.47 million U.S. dollars, according to the exchange rate at the time of this writing) on "a World War II-era Spitfire plane," which he intended to learn how to fly thanks to lessons "at Boultbee Flying Academy in Oxford." The outlet also reported that flying lessons would essentially round out Pitt's WWII-era training, as a source told The Sun that the leading man "has done everything from sleep in the trenches to learn to drive a tank for the film, [and] has now invested in one of the iconic machines."
While it should be noted that Pitt's aircraft isn't a jet per-say (the Spitfire has propellers), it's still a massive splurge for the Ad Astra celeb — and a fun one at that, too.
Paris Hilton's lifestyle? It's hot
Although she's sometimes known to fly in commercial planes, are any of us really surprised that Paris Hilton owns her own private jet? Probably not, but let us elaborate.
Obviously, the hotel heiress flaunts her celeb status on the regular, and, according to the Daily Mail, Hilton has posed in front of and inside her plane for Instagram photos, sometimes even letting her little sister, Nicky Hilton, tag along, too. Of course, like many of the things Mrs. Hilton does, it looks like some aren't too happy with how often she uses her private jet. As the National Post revealed in 2019, A-listers who trade coach in for charters "produce an astonishing 10,000 times more carbon emissions from flying than the average person." Uh-oh, that's not really hot, Paris.
Regardless, it seems like nothing will stop the DJ from boasting about her lavish lifestyle. To wit, the starlet's home was used as a set for Sofia Coppola's The Bling Ring — a retelling of the five real-life robberies Hilton was subject to, because the thieves thought she would be too "dumb" to notice (per Vanity Fair). Of course, this allowed Hilton to flaunt her swanky digs, but it still begged the question: why would Hilton want to relive the traumatic experience? "Sofia came to my birthday party last year," Hilton told The Hollywood Reporter. "She loved my house and said it couldn't be re-created in a set." Flattery, it seems, can get you somewhere.
Harrison Ford likes being just 'another pilot'
Harrison Ford hasn't been private about his love for aviation. In fact, the Indiana Jones star even opened up to the Daily Mail about his passion in 2010, musing, "Flying is like good music: it elevates the spirit and it's an exhilarating freedom. It's not a thrill thing or an adrenaline rush; it's engaging in a process that takes focus and commitment."
Ford began flying when he was 52 and has since amassed a nice little fleet. "I have a Citation Sovereign, a long-range jet; a Grand Caravan, a turboprop aircraft capable of operating on unimproved strips; and a De Havilland, a bush plane," Ford rattled off to the Daily Mail, adding, "I have a 1929 Waco Taperwing open-top biplane; a 1942 PT-22 open-top monoplane trainer; an Aviat Husky, a two-seat fabric-covered bush plane; and a Bell 407 helicopter." Not too shabby, huh?
It looks like, for Ford, flying his private jets is really one of his greatest joys. "One of the things I like best about flying, I guess, is that when I'm up here, I'm Beaver November 280," explained Ford in the documentary, Just Another Pilot. "I'm another pilot, another airplane. Not a movie actor."
Welcome to the Yeezy floating office
Some celebs have to pay for their private jets, but if you're Kanye West? Well, you may just be lucky enough to have one gifted to you. According to Travel + Leisure, West's wife, Kim Kardashian, revealed on her Instagram story that her hubby was gifted his own personal jet "by 'Team Adidas' for his Yeezy brand." As she boasted, "No big deal just taking a private 747 this is how [Kanye] does it now," adding that the plane has been dubbed the "Yeezy floating office."
As Travel + Leisure revealed, a double-decker 747 can seat "up to 660 when used for a commercial flight, but for Kanye, all that space is for his luxury double-bed suite, marble bathroom, lounge area ... guest rooms, dining area, cushy seats, and other areas to really spread out." Um, where's our invite?
However, for this high-profile couple, taking private jets hasn't come without its own set of criticisms. According to the Daily Mail, Kardashian came under fire in 2019 for what many thought was hypocritical behavior: expressing interest to meet with teen climate activist Greta Thunberg — and then hopping on a chartered luxury plane from Armenia back to Los Angeles, Calif. Oh, Kim.
John Travolta parks his planes right outside his home
John Travolta has been an avid pilot for years, in fact, he first flew solo when he was just 19, and has been enamored ever since.
Acting as an aviation ambassador, the Grease actor spoke to Airport Journals, revealing, "I'm certainly genuine in my feelings about it. I couldn't be more authentic about my passion. It's always allowed me distraction from the woes of life." Going on, he explained, "I've used aviation as a beautiful expansion of the pleasures of my life. There's not a thing about it, really, that I don't enjoy. And I really want others to enjoy it." Enjoy it he does, and as he revealed to the outlet, he's owned multiple planes over the course of his career, from a "single-engine, two-seater airplane," all the way up to giant commercial jets.
If that's not all, the Pulp Fiction star has also accommodated his life to suit his obsession. According to Forbes, "Travolta has the highest pilot medical certification possible and he is qualified to fly several different types of single and multi-engine aircraft." As the outlet continues to note, Travolta's passion has led him to live in Jumbolair, "an exclusive housing development in north of Ocala, Florida that lets you park your aircraft right outside your home – or in Travolta's case, a Boeing 707 and a Gulfstream."
Morgan Freeman has wanted to fly since he was a kid
Of course, the actor who has played God multiple times is looking at us from on high. Morgan Freeman's obsession with aviation goes back years — ever since he was a boy. "I started flying at my desk in school," the Driving Miss Daisy actor mused to General Aviation News. "My English teacher would see me 'flying' an F-86 Sabrejet at my desk."
Freeman's fascination led him to attempt joining the Air Force "before he finished high school." As he told the outlet, "They told me to go back and get my diploma," adding that he eventually did work in the Air Force (as a radar mechanic), before his big break in Hollywood. The Seven star never gave up his dream, however, and by 2002, Freeman had his first flying lesson. Two years later, Freeman purchased a Cessna 414, and by 2005, he was the proud owner of a Cessna Citation 501.
But Freeman's love of flying has come with its own set of scares. According to ABC News, Freeman had a terrifying experience in 2015 when his plane "went off the runway" in Tunica, Miss. during an emergency landing. The plane blew a tire while taking off in nearby Clarksdale, Miss. and had to "burn off fuel before attempting to land." Freeman wasn't the pilot in that instance, but he told People, "I've been in a lot of sticky situations. I've stared death in the face a few times ... [I] just said, 'Well, this may be it.'"
Miley Cyrus does her own planekeeping
There's no denying Miley Cyrus' lasting legacy in pop culture. As a 2019 Vanity Fair piece on the star explains, her debut role as Hannah Montana "aired when she was 13." By 26, she's "been a public figure — a teen idol, then pop star, then pariah, and on and on, to whatever she is now — for more than half of her life." Nevertheless, with all her fame, the songstress still tries to maintain a sense of normalcy about her.
Case in point? In 2013, Cyrus showed fans a glimpse of her lifestyle during her documentary, Miley: The Movement. As revealed by MTV, the Black Mirror actress showcased she's quite capable of doing her own chores — such as vacuuming her private jet in her pajamas. Hmm, maybe it's not all that relatable, but it makes for an extremely unexpected story, no?
It's not all fun and games for Cyrus onboard planes, however. According to Metro, in 2019, Cyrus' plane, which also sat her mother, Tish Cyrus, and sister, Brandi Cyrus, nearly crashed twice on the way to the Glastonbury music festival in England. Although it's uncertain whether or not this plane was Cyrus' personal jet or if she chartered it, it's a harrowing experience, regardless.
All aboard Air Drake
Although Drake's net worth has been sitting pretty at $180 million as of 2020, the rapper still received his luxurious Boeing 757 for free. Wait, what? According to the Blast, the "God's Plan" artist announced a partnership with Canadian air cargo company, Cargojet, in 2019, after they built him his own plane. As Drake boasted on Instagram, "No rental, no timeshare, no co-owners." Pretty cool, right?
So, why did Cargojet offer to give an A-lister a free jet? Well, according to TMZ, Drizzy's "Air Drake" came to be after the company believed "it'll more than pay for itself in publicity as a high-profile traveling billboard with one of the biggest rappers in the world." As for the price-tag? The outlet speculates the jet is worth "up to $200 million."
Drake hasn't wasted time showing off his aerial digs, either. As the video on the rapper's Instagram revealed, the jet's interior has gold-hued accents and leather seating. On the outside, "Air Drake" is prominently displayed along with the artist's personal logo, the OVO owl. It looks like Cargojet's efforts have paid off, as Drake returned the generosity by lending his jet to the Sacramento Kings for a 20-hour flight to India. Good advertising, no?
Oprah Winfrey knows what her greatest luxury is
While some celebs boast about their questionable "self-made" fortunes (ahem, Kylie Jenner), Oprah Winfrey truly built her own empire. "Winfrey is a self-made billionaire ... with lavish homes tucked behind gates and, yes, her own studio," wrote The Hollywood Reporter in 2019. "She has a TV network, too, along with an eponymous magazine and a megadeal with Apple."
So, for a celeb who has it all, what's Winfrey's biggest luxury? "I would say having your own airplane is the greatest luxury," the talk show host mused to British Vogue editor-in-chief, Edward Enninful, adding, "because it means one minute you're in New York, and then you say ... I think I'll fly to London."
As it turns out, Winfrey needed some convincing before she bought her first G4 for a whopping $25 million. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the celeb recalled a time she chartered a plane and ran into Bill Cosby's wife, Camille Cosby. "Mrs. Cosby is on the plane with a pair of overalls and diamond stud earrings and she's on her way somewhere to work on her doctorate and I said, 'Where is everybody?' And she said, 'There's only me.' I said, 'You're going to use this whole plane?' And she said, 'I'm worth it.' Just like that. And I went, 'Well, if she's worth it, maybe I'm worth it.'" Now that's the sort of thinking we can get behind.
Why have one, when you can own two?
If owning a private jet is a symbol of success, then it only makes sense that Taylor Swift would have two, right? According to Celebrity Net Worth, the "Shake It Off" crooner is worth $400 million, so owning two planes probably doesn't hurt her wallet. According to Jalopnik, Swift "has a pair of Dassault Falcon jets," ensuring "that if one is undergoing maintenance, another is likely to be available at a moment's notice."
The starlet's first purchase was the Dassault-Breguet Mystere Falcon 900, which, according to Vulture, she bought in 2011 "for about $40 million." Per Jalopnik, the plane has the number 13 "painted near the main cabin door." As Swift revealed to MTV back in 2009, "My first album went gold in 13 weeks. My first #1 song had a 13-second intro." As she rattled off more facts about her lucky number, she added, "Basically whenever a 13 comes up in my life, it's a good thing." As for Swift's second jet? Per Jalopnik, the celeb's Dassault Falcon 50 was added to her collection the following year, in 2012.
Although not much is known about the details of Swift's two jets, German singer OMI shed some insight into one of the starlet's planes in 2015. Speaking to BBC, he dished that he had a chance to fly with the starlet to the MTV Video Music Awards. "Wooden finish, leather, the whole works. It was very comfortable, the ambiance was very good."