Does Elon Musk Have A Private Jet? (2024)

The billionaire Elon Musk who has a net worth of over $190 billion as expected, has some private jets to make his commute between his six companies that much easier. Let's take a look at his private jet fleet in a little more detail.

The fleet

Musk has two Gulfstream private jets. According to a JetSpy report, in 2023 the aircraft flew 1,161 hours. This culminated in 441 flights before December 14th, 2023. This was actually less than the years before when the aircraft had 739 flights and 1,865 flying hours. His fleet is worth more than $100 million list value.

He is known to use his private jets for leisure trips with family but mostly for business, traveling often between California and Texas. Of course, using private jets and avoiding airports is extremely time-saving and less stressful than regular travel. They also allow for maximum productivity onboard as well as being able to conduct private business meetings.

Photo: Gulfstream Aerospace

Gulfstream G550

Musk's Gulfstream G550 registration N272BG was bought in August 2020. It was thought to be a pre-owned aircraft. A G550 pre-owned model from 2003 can cost around $14 million although a 2020 model can reach $36 million. The aircraft is well known for its comfort and safety and is a firm favorite with the wealthy and celebrities. The G550 has always been a popular private jet but ceased production in 2021.

Photo: Gulfstream Aerospace

Gulfstream G650

The second aircraft, the newer G650ER registration N628TS, was delivered to the billionaire in 2016. It has the largest range at 8,600 miles without having to refuel, so entirely suited to long-haul trips. The aircraft can fly to 40,000ft and is fitted with a full-service galley, a luxury bathroom plus a crew lavatory, a private bedroom and areas for dining and entertainment. Buying new, it costs around $70 million and can seat up to 19 passengers.

A third Gulfstream?

A second G550 registration N502SX has been registered to Falcon Landing LCC, a company connected with SpaceX and Tesla, since September 2021. It is thought to be used by company personnel at SpaceX and not by Musk. According to JetSpy, the aircraft flew for 630 hours, covering 246 flights.

Photo: Gulfstream Aerospace

Other aircraft?

Musk reportedly has the newest Gulfstream model, the G700 on order, which would not be surprising considering his preference for Gulfstream aircraft. It boasts an entertainment suite and a private dining area, plus three other living areas. It cost around $78 million. He previously also had a Dassault Falcon 900B registration N900SX which was used for his company SpaceX and was his first private jet.

Gulfstream G550 – Specifications

Gulfstream G550 Dimensions

Gulfstream G650 – Specifications

Gulfstream G650 Dimensions

Flights operated

In 2023, the average flight time on the two Gulfstreams was 2.5 hours, which approximates the distance between Hawthorne, California, where the SpaceX headquarters are, and Brownsville, Texas, where the SpaceX launch site and Tesla headquarters are.

• In addition, the G650 made flights to Austin, Texas and Oakland and San Jose, California. The aircraft had 166 flights in 2023.
• The G550 had 275 flights, mostly from Hawthorne, California to Brownsville, Texas.
• The longest flight was 13 hours to Tokyo, followed by a flight to Israel.
• There were short trips of between 11 and 15 minutes between Hawthorne and Los Angeles.
• The shortest flight was just five minutes to Long Beach, California and thought to be a positioning flight.
• The two Gulfstream jets used 538,957 gallons of fuel at a cost of $3.2 million.

Photo: Gulfstream Aerospace

How do we know this information?

JetSpy collects information regarding flights through ADS-B data which is transmitted from various networks. It is a kind of surveillance technology that broadcasts the GPS location and altitude of the aircraft to other aircraft and to stations on the ground.

Read More: Elon Musk Expected To Swap Gulfstream G650 for G700

Musk made the headlines when a college student used the system to track his flights and published the information on social media. He asked the student to stop publishing this personal information online and was concerned about his privacy. The student continued and now his Twitter/X social media account is closed.

Musk also tried to retain his privacy and stop his aircraft from being tracked by using a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) program, but to no avail. It seems that there is still an interest in the billionaire's whereabouts and flight information can still be found online.