Gulfstream
When you absolutely, positively have to fly halfway around the world overnight, there’s no substitute for the comfort and amenities of an ultra-long range private jet. These largest of purpose-designed business jets have become one of the fastest-growing segments in private aviation, with three leading airframers—Bombardier, Gulfstream, and Dassault Falcon—going mano a mano with new entries. The race is so tight that manufacturers point to cabin specifications that best their competitors by a mere inch or two.
Beyond the larger, more comfortable cabins in this latest generation, luxuries such as advanced air-filtration systems, low-altitude pressurization, and circadian-lighting systems make it easier than ever for owners and guests to hop time zones and arrive to remote destinations feeling more refreshed than just a few years ago. In addition, massaging seats, high-speed Wi-Fi, and media zones for conducting business at 50,000 feet are intended to make time on an ultra-long-range jet more like a flying boardroom.
Here are six of our favorite ultra-long-range jets, two historic, and the four that are the latest to market.
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Grumman Gulfstream II
Image Credit: Gulfstream Though its 4,500-mile range pales in comparison to modern large cabin aircraft, those advanced jets wouldn’t be where they are today if it weren’t for the advances of pioneering early aircraft like the Grumman Gulfstream II. With its first flight taking place in 1966, the Gulfstream II essentially became the first large-cabin jet, paving the way for what has becoming very intense competition between Gulfstream, Bombardier, and Dassault. The fact that 93 percent of the original 256 Gulfstream IIs built are still flying testimony to its visionary engineering.
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Bombardier Global Express
Image Credit: Bombardier Aerospace Long before the ultra-long-distance private jet wars we’re seeing these days, the Bombardier Global Express was the king of the skies. It took its first flight in 1996 and revolutionized the industry with its largest-in-class cabin and simplified construction, which yielded a remarkable 99.5 percent reliability rating. By becoming the first aircraft to connect any two points in the world with one refueling, the Global Express set the pace for private jets punching far above their weight.
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Bombardier Global 8000
Image Credit: Bombardier Aerospace Boasting the longest maximum range of any private aircraft—8,000 nautical miles, enough to travel from New York to Beijing or Los Angeles to Sydney, the Bombardier Global 8000 is configured to carry up to 19 passengers in the lap of long-range luxury at speeds up to Mach .94. Features like so-called zero-gravity Nuage seats, hospital grade HEPA filters by Pür Air, and an ultra-low cabin pressurization to 2,900 feet act to mitigate the effects of long hours at altitude, bringing the pleasure back to global travel.
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Gulfstream G700
Image Credit: Gulfstream Gulfstream’s signature oval-windowed cabins provide immediate brand recognition that has extended far beyond aviation circles, into the worlds of pop music and mainstream culture. No model represents Gulfstream’s highest achievements more than the flagship G700, a recently certified and soon-to-be-delivered ultra-long range jet that can fly up to 7,750 nautical miles. When operating at maximum velocity, its Mach .935 speed can shrink continents and hop oceans while circadian lighting programs help passengers’ bodies and minds adapt to destination time zones.
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Dassault Falcon 10X
Image Credit: Dassault When it officially takes to the skies in late 2025, the Dassault Falcon 10X will claim a number of superlatives, including the largest cabin of any purpose-built business jet, with an interior height of 6 feet, 8 inches. That big cabin will be illuminated with floods of natural light from the large windows, which offer views at a maximum altitude of 51,000 feet, for as many as 7,500 nautical miles. Like many of the leading aircraft in this segment, the Falcon 10X uses carbon-fiber structures for lightweight construction which aids with the aircraft’s efficiency.
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Gulfstream G800
Image Credit: Gulfstream For those who don’t need the G700’s 19-passenger capacity, the Gulfstream 800, whose cabin incorporates four fewer windows, is a G650-sized take on the brand’s latest long-haul flagship, while tying the Bombardier Global 8000’s 8,000-nautical mile range. Up to 15 passengers can lounge in three living areas, and there are sleeping accommodations for up to 7. The next-gen Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines have globe-hopping range but are also quiet enough to ensure sound sleep for the occupants traveling in this groundbreaking jet.