Many celebrities and VIPs use private jets – either rented or owned – for convenient travel. These offer luxury and privacy, as well as speed and flexibility. Oprah Winfrey owns her own Gulfstream G650 jet – one of the top private jets on the market.
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American talk show host, producer, and philanthropist. She rose to fame in the 1990s with her own talk show and has gone on to do much more – including forming her network. She is also well-known as an author and for conducting high-profile celebrity interviews. Oprah now has a net worth of $2.5 billion (according to Forbes).
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Buying a private jet
With such fame and riches often comes a desire and need for private travel. Oprah has been flying privately since 1991. According to reporting in the Hollywood Reporter, the decision to start flying privately came when waiting for a delayed flight at Chicago O’Hare Airport. After being asked for a hug from a fan (presumably not for the first time), she decided to fly privately. She explained to Hollywood Reporter in 2019:
“I stood up and I gave her a hug and then I went to the phone and called my lawyer. And I said, ‘I’m going to do it, I’m going to get the [private] plane. This is going to be my last time waiting four hours in the Chicago O’Hare Airport.’”
Oprah previously owned a Bombardier Global Express jet. She switched to a Gulfstream aircraft in 2013, buying a Gulfstream G550 jet. She eventually sold this and went for the latest Gulfstream G650 in 2016. Her aircraft carries registration N540W (the photograph above is the G550 jet).
The Gulfstream G650
The Gulfstream G650 is one of the best business jets on the market. It offers a range of 7,000 nautical miles (almost 13,000 kilometers) – making it capable of some incredible intercontinental direct flights.
The G650 can accommodate 12 to 18 passengers but, of course, may often fly with less. It is large enough to have separate spaces, with a large main cabin salon and a convertible private sleeping area at the rear of the cabin. There is also a full galley area with a coffee maker, microwave, and oven, and a bathroom that can be fitted with a shower. The picture below is of a standard G650 cabin layout.
It is widely reported that Oprah spent around $10 million on top of the approximately $65 million aircraft price for customizations. Unlike some celebrities (such as Kylie Jenner), Oprah does not tend to post images of her aircraft online.
Oprah Winfrey is by no means alone in owning such a top jet. Other owners of a Gulftsream G650 include Elon Musk (although he is reportedly planning to upgrade to the newest Gulfstream G700 jet soon) and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
