Like most billionaires, Jeff Bezos often travels around the world and having his own planes allows him to save time and improve his security.
The world’s second-richest person owns three private jets, according to public records viewed by Business Insider and data from JetSpy.
Two of them are Gulfstream G650ERs, which cost around $65 million each. The G650ER is a popular choice with the world’s richest people – Elon Musk and Bill Gates also own one – thanks to its long range and high speed.
From Bezos’ home in Miami, the G650ER can fly to Cape Town, Dubai and Beijing, according to Gulfstream’s website. Only Australia and Southeast Asia would require a fuel stoppage.
The cabin of a Gulfstream G650ER. Taylor Rains/Insider
The range is slightly reduced if it travels at its maximum speed of Mach 0.90, which equates to 690 miles per hour. But the 22-seater can still travel an impressive 7,365 miles. There are not many other private jets on the market that allow a flight of more than 10 hours.
Bezos also owns a Piltaus PC-24 with tail number N194PJ, according to JetSpy data. The 10-seat light business jet was manufactured in 2020 and typically costs around $9 million. But with a maximum range of 2,200 miles, it would require a fuel stop to travel between Bezos’ home in Miami and Amazon’s headquarters in Seattle.
How Bezos’ Jets Stay Private
Proving that Bezos owns the jets is not easy. JetSpy data lists Bezos as the operator of the PC-24, although he is registered with the Federal Aviation Administration under a company called TVPX Aircraft Solutions.
TVPX’s website says it provides trust services to U.S. business aviation, either because of citizenship rules or for “privacy enhancement.”
A Pilatus PC-24. Robert Smith/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Both Gulfstreams are registered to a holding company called Poplar Glen LLC, according to the FAA registry.
BI found Washington state documents dating back to the company’s founding in 2004 that indicate it is owned by Bezos. The manager was listed as Zeffram LLC, another Bezos holding company. In the most recent filings, Poplar Glen’s governor is listed as Paul Dauber, one of Bezos’ attorneys.
Bezos purchased a Dassault Falcon 900EX the same year Poplar Glen was established. According to the manufacturer’s website, a used vehicle costs around $10 million.
Taylor Swift also owned a Falcon 900 until she sold it in January. According to FlightAware, Bezos sold his in 2015.
The same year, Poplar Glen paid $5.5 million for a hangar at Boeing Field in Seattle, according to property deeds seen by BI. The Puget Sound Business Journal was first to report the sale.
Those documents show it was owned by Costco and measures nearly 18,600 square feet. A commercial brochure for the Hangar H-1 space is still visible online.
A Gulfstream G650ER. Taylor Rains/Insider
Bezos then purchased his first Gulfstream G650ER in 2016. It is registered as N271DV – the number previously used by his Falcon 900EX.
The Amazon founder’s second Gulfstream jet was purchased in 2019 and registered N758PB. It is equipped with newer Rolls Royce engines than its other jet, providing a few hundred pounds more thrust, according to FlightAware.
If you try to search for these planes on Flightradar24, you will see that they cannot be tracked. Indeed, the site uses certain data from the FAA, which allows aircraft owners to protect their privacy by registering for the “Limiting Aircraft Data Displayed” program.
However, these planes can still be tracked through sites like ADS-B Exchange, built on a network of plane enthusiasts and institutions with receivers that detect plane signals. ADS-B Exchange data is used by Jack Sweeney, the student who was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 after following Musk’s plane.
Bezos also took the additional step of reserving 36 other N numbers that are not in use, according to the FAA registry. Some of them, like the 271EV and 271DX, resemble the N number of its Gulfstreams, so they could help maintain its safety.
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