The Kardashians are known for many things, such as their 15-year-running reality television show, luxurious beauty brands, and multiple famous partners. Their fame and money have given them access to a fancy lifestyle, such as jetting about on private planes.
While sometimes controversial, like Kylie Jenner’s 17-minute flight that triggered a climate-related social media frenzy, Kim Kardashian’s new Gulfstream, is making headlines for its luxe design and even her strict rules for passengers who climb onboard.
The Gulfstream G650ER
When the billionaire finally decided on a private jet, she chose luxury. Kim Kardashian reportedly purchased the Gulfstream G650ER she calls ‘Kim Air’ for US$95 million but ultimately paid US$150 million for renovations and design.
The G650ER is the extended-range version of Gulfstream’s G650, which was revealed in 2008. However, the ER, which is 500 nautical miles ahead of the original, was introduced in 2014. The private jet is popular with the rich, as Jeff Bezos also owns two of the kind.
“Usually, planes are dark with lighter leather. Mine, I had custom all-light wood. I had a bathroom put in the front and a bathroom put in the back. Every seat has its own phone charger… I never dreamed I would own a plane. It’s just, I wanted it to feel like an extension of me and an extension of my home.”
Kim Air passenger rules
Kim explained that the “best, most exciting part” of the aircraft is lavished in cashmere. The pillows, headrests, ceilings, seats, and overhead baggage compartments are all made of expensive material.
But, with the highly fancy design, comes the rules Kim Kardashian made clear in her tour of the private jet. Jokingly, the billionaire said, “don’t breathe; don’t touch a thing.” While it was mostly light-hearted, she made it clear she intends to keep the jet pristine in a recent episode of The Kardashians.
In a conversation with her sister Kendall Jenner ahead of their trip to Milan for the Prada Fashion show, Kendall said she was planning on getting a spray tan. But in response, Kim Kardashian said:
“Have you seen the cashmere seats? You cannot get your spray tan on my cashmere seats.”
Kim clearly wants to make the entire experience as luxurious as possible. During the clip from the episode in June, as she showed her friends the new plane, Kim said:
“So, wouldn’t it be so cute if I made custom SKIMS in this color, like pajamas, socks, blankets, and slippers.”
Previous private jet experience
The Kardashians are known for their expensive lifestyle and love traveling on private jets. In 2020, Kim Kardashian celebrated her 40th birthday by chartering a private Boeing 777-200LR to a remote island in French Polynesia. The aircraft was configured with 88 VIP seats and a lounge and was operated by a company called Crystal Cruises. It was a nine-year-old 777 and was registered as P4-XTL.
Two years before, in 2018, Kim Kardashian and her husband at the time, Kanye West, chartered a Boeing 747 the day after Thanksgiving. Leasing companies said the 747 isn’t usually available for hire, so it would have been privately owned. It is expected their flight would have cost US$200,000 per hour.
The Kardashians aren’t the only celebrities that have splashed the cash on private jets over the years. In early 2022, business magnate Elon Musk caught the headlines after he offered 19-year-old student Jack Sweeney $5,000 to stop tracking his jet. Sweeney has since shared that Musk suspended his account after the investor bought Twitter.
Celebrity jets can be traced back many decades. For instance, Elvis Presley was known to have his fair share of aircraft to choose from. Notably, his 1962 Lockheed JetStar was auctioned this year, and there are plans to turn it into an RV. The likes of Iron Maiden and Led Zeppelin have also enjoyed touring on their own jet aircraft during their heyday. We can expect the phenomenon to continue, especially with sports stars favoring this approach to travel in the current chapter.