How Far Can Private Jets Fly And Can They Be Used For International Travel?

Air travel is a stressful endeavor, and that’s not limited to stuffing yourself into an uncomfortable coach-class seat while the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage across the globe. Navigating crowded airports and security checkpoints is a hassle, and the cost of an average Uber or Lyft trip to the airport exceeds $30 in many American cities. One way to avoid some of these pitfalls is to fly on a private jet, although buying and operating your own plane is a cost-prohibitive venture for most people.
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Many charter services offer the opportunity to commandeer a private plane or buy an unused seat on a private flight, but charter flights are still usually more expensive than commercial options. For example, Taylor Swift’s Dassault 7X costs more than $6,000 per hour of flight time in operational expenses on top of its $54 million initial cost. Private jets offer obvious advantages in terms of comfort and convenience, but can they be used for long-haul international flights?
The Dassault 7X has a range of 5,950 nautical miles, which is about 1,300 miles more than the distance from New York to Cairo. Some wealthy individuals or government officials travel on private jets that were once commercial airliners and also have a range sufficient for international flights. Prince Al Waleed bin Talal of Saudi Arabia travels on a Boeing 737-400, which can make journeys of up to 2,800 nautical miles. That’s far enough to get him and his entourage from Riyadh to London with almost 300 miles to spare.
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