Xi Jinping and Donald Trump’s private jets have nothing on the Qatar leader’s fleet
President Xi Jinping is more practical when it comes to travelling, but some world leaders indulge in expensive or high-capacity fleets
Donald Trump has the oldest one, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani’s is the most expensive, Vladimir Putin has a squad of them, while Xi Jinping borrows his. What are we talking about? Their planes, of course.
When it comes to world leaders and their planes – and the secret one-upmanship we’re sure goes on behind the scenes – it’s not always the case of bigger is better. Rather, the world’s most powerful men and women are demonstrating their aviatic clout through quantity, capacity, size and cost. Here are some of the most notable ones:
Xi Jinping
Claim to fame: Most practical
His ride: Boeing 747-400
Estimated value: US$250 million
It might surprise you to learn that President Xi doesn’t own his planes. The two Boeing 747-400s are vetted by security and refitted with a living room, bedroom and office when the president needs to fly, but they are reverted to regular passenger flights by Air China for the rest of the time. So next time you fly Air China aboard a Boeing 747, you could very well be staring out the same window the Chinese president does when he travels for state visits. Well, aren’t you fancy?
Theresa May
Claim to fame: Highest capacity
Her ride: Airbus A330
Estimated value: US$250 million
