Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) – Private Charter Guide
The 0.1% Group sources and arranges charter of VIP-configured Boeing airliners worldwide, from the original 737-based BBJ to the widebody BBJ 787. Boeing Business Jets are a family of several models, each with its own range and cabin, so we start from the trip and find the aircraft that fits it.
Bank transfer or cryptoHow BBJ charter is priced.
Photo: James, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Models compared
- 9
- In production
- BBJ 737 MAX 8, BBJ 737 MAX 9, BBJ 787-8, BBJ 787-9
- Typical VIP seating
- 14 to 40
- Published range
- 6,320 nm to 9,960 nm
- Interiors
- Completed to order
VIP airliner family · Boeing
What a Boeing Business Jet is
BBJ is not one aircraft. It is Boeing's name for its airliners built for private, corporate and government owners, each one delivered unfurnished and fitted out to order.
A family, not a model
Boeing builds the airframe, on the 737 models with auxiliary fuel tanks in the hold and a retractable airstair, and a specialist completion centre fits the cabin to the owner's design. Boeing currently offers the BBJ 737 MAX 7, 8 and 9, the BBJ 787 and the BBJ 777X; 143 BBJs of the earlier 737 generation were delivered.
Who flies them
Governments and heads of state first: most BBJs belong to air forces and royal flights. Then families who travel with staff and security, companies moving a board or a delegation, and teams on tour. On charter the usual client is a group of fifteen or more that wants one cabin, laid out as rooms.
Against a business jet
Boeing puts a BBJ 737 at about three times the cabin space of a typical private jet, 11 ft 7 in wide with 7 ft 1 in of headroom. The cost is access: it needs a long runway and an airliner stand, it cannot use Teterboro or many island airports, it charters for more, and there are far fewer of them.
BBJ models compared
The Boeing Business Jets are several aircraft, not one. Each row is a different airframe with its own range and cabin; seating, beds and showers depend on how each aircraft was completed.
| Model | Status | Typical VIP seating | Published range | Cabin | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBJ 737 MAX 7 | On order | 14 to 19 | About 6,500 nm8 passengers and baggage, NBAA IFR rules, 50% annual winds, 3% airway allowance; Boeing's headline figure is up to 6,600 nm | 884 sq ft floor area; 11 ft 7 in wide, 7 ft 1 in high | The longest-legged BBJ 737. Certified in August 2026; no aircraft delivered yet, so none is available for charter. |
| BBJ 737 MAX 8 | In production | 16 to 30 | About 6,350 nm8 passengers and baggage, NBAA IFR rules, 50% annual winds, 3% airway allowance | 1,025 sq ft floor area; 11 ft 7 in wide, 7 ft 1 in high | The successor to the BBJ2: a longer cabin than the MAX 7 for a larger party. Very few on the charter market. |
| BBJ 737 MAX 9 | In production | 19 to 40 | About 6,320 nm8 passengers and baggage, NBAA IFR rules, 50% annual winds, 3% airway allowance | 1,120 sq ft floor area; 11 ft 7 in wide, 7 ft 1 in high | The longest BBJ 737 cabin, for delegations and teams. Almost all are government or privately held. |
| BBJ 787-8 | In production | 25 to 40 | About 9,960 nm25 passengers and baggage, NBAA IFR rules, 50% annual winds, 3% airway allowance, 200 nm alternate | 2,340 sq ft floor area; about 18 ft wide | A widebody for a large party on the longest legs: London to Sydney is near the edge of its published range. Fewer than twenty BBJ 787s exist. |
| BBJ 787-9 | In production | 25 to 50 | About 9,475 nm25 passengers and baggage, NBAA IFR rules, 50% annual winds, 3% airway allowance, 200 nm alternate | 2,688 sq ft floor area; about 18 ft wide | About twenty feet more cabin than the 787-8, for a larger delegation. Most are government or private aircraft, rarely offered for charter. |
| BBJ 777X | On order | To order; Boeing plans on 25 | About 11,000 nmBoeing's figure for the family: 25 passengers, NBAA IFR rules, 200 nm alternate | 3,256 sq ft (777-8) to 3,689 sq ft (777-9) floor area | The largest BBJ, based on the 777-8 and 777-9. The airliner is still in certification; none has been delivered. |
| BBJ (737-700) | Earlier model | 16 to 19 | About 6,235 nm8 passengers with NBAA reserves, Boeing's 2010 figure; depends on how many auxiliary tanks the aircraft carries | 79 ft 4 in × 11 ft 7 in × 7 ft 1 in (816 sq ft) | The BBJ most often quoted for charter: 113 built. London to Los Angeles non-stop with a full VIP cabin. |
| BBJ2 (737-800) | Earlier model | 18 to 30 | About 5,620 nm8 passengers with NBAA reserves, Boeing's 2010 figure; less with a full cabin | 98 ft 6 in × 11 ft 7 in × 7 ft 1 in (1,025 sq ft) | About 19 ft more cabin than the BBJ and several times its hold space, for a larger party on legs of up to about eleven hours. 23 built. |
| BBJ3 (737-900ER) | Earlier model | 19 to 40 | About 5,495 nm8 passengers with NBAA reserves, Boeing's 2010 figure; less with a full cabin | 107 ft 2 in × 11 ft 7 in × 7 ft 1 in (1,120 sq ft) | The longest of the earlier BBJs. Only seven were built, so one is rarely free. |
Ranges are Boeing's published figures in the conditions stated, not what a full cabin achieves on a given day; the earlier models' figures are from Boeing's 2010 product card. Seating, bedrooms and showers depend on how each aircraft was completed.
Sources: Boeing Business Jets, BBJ 737 MAX, Boeing Business Jets, BBJ 737 MAX product sheet (2024), Boeing Business Jets, BBJ 787, Boeing Business Jets, BBJ 787 product sheet, Boeing Business Jets, BBJ 777X, Boeing Business Jets, BBJ 777X product sheet, Boeing Business Jets, product card (2010, archived), Boeing, U.S. FAA certifies new Boeing 737-7 airplane (3 August 2026), Wikipedia, Boeing Business Jet (deliveries by model).
BBJ model guides
Cabin, range in practice, the routes each one suits and how it charters, model by model.
Which BBJ is right for your mission?
The model follows from the size of the group, the distance and the airports, roughly in that order. Beds, showers and layouts belong to the individual aircraft rather than the model, so we check each one against the trip.
- Group size Up to about 19: the original BBJ. Twenty to thirty points to a BBJ2 or BBJ 737 MAX 8. Beyond about forty, a BBJ 787, or a 737 fitted with business-class seats for a delegation.
- Non-stop distance London to New York, Dubai or Los Angeles suits any BBJ 737 with auxiliary tanks. Past about 6,000 nm with a full cabin, New York to Dubai or Miami to Dubai, only the BBJ 787 is comfortably direct. The BBJ2 and BBJ3 are the shortest-legged.
- Baggage On the 737s the extra fuel tanks sit in the hold, so range and luggage trade off. An original BBJ with a full set of tanks has little hold left; a BBJ2 carries several times as much. The widebody 787 has room to spare. Tell us about skis, golf bags or equipment.
- Privacy Most layouts run from a forward galley and crew area through lounges to a private suite aft. A separate staff or security cabin, and a second entrance door kept for the principal, depend on the aircraft. We send the floor plan with each option.
- Bedrooms Most VIP BBJs have one master stateroom with a full-size bed. A second bedroom or a guest room is common on the BBJ2 and on widebodies, and not a given on the original BBJ. Business-class seats that lie flat add beds for staff.
- Showers Usual in the master suite of a VIP BBJ, but not on every aircraft. Some are configured for groups, with more seats and no shower. Ask if it matters; we confirm it on the aircraft.
- Conference layouts A dining table that seats six to ten is the norm and doubles as a meeting room. A dedicated boardroom with screens and a closed door is found on some aircraft, usually the larger ones. Connectivity varies by aircraft; we confirm it if video calls matter.
- Security An airliner-sized aircraft lets a close-protection team travel in the same cabin. Operators handle requests for secure handling, armed-escort clearances and discreet parking case by case; tell us early, as some take weeks to arrange.
Where the BBJ flies
Long-haul trips where a VIP airliner earns its place, each with its own page: airports at both ends, flight times and indicative prices by cabin.
Popular routes
- London to New YorkAbout seven and a half hours westbound; any BBJ 737 flies it non-stop into JFK or Newark.
- London to DubaiNon-stop in about seven hours, the whole party in one cabin.
- London to Los AngelesAbout eleven hours from Stansted to LAX; an original BBJ or a BBJ 787 flies it without a stop.
- London to TokyoAbout twelve hours; non-stop in a BBJ with a moderate load, or a BBJ 787 with a full one.
- New York to DubaiAbout 5,940 nm: a BBJ 787 leg, or a BBJ 737 with a light load.
- Miami to DubaiAbout fourteen hours; the BBJ 787 flies it non-stop with a large party.
Destinations
- Private jet to LondonFive airports take private flights into London, more than any other city in Europe, and the right one follows the rest of your day.
- Private jet to New YorkFour airports take private flights into New York, and Teterboro puts you twenty-five minutes from Midtown.
- Private jet to DubaiAl Maktoum's business terminal is open around the clock, and Dubai International puts you twenty minutes from Downtown when a slot is available.
- Private jet to MiamiThree airports take private flights into Miami, and Opa-locka puts you twenty minutes from Brickell and South Beach with customs on the field.
- Private jet to TokyoTwo airports take private flights into Tokyo, and Haneda puts you twenty minutes from Marunouchi if we secure the slot in time.
BBJ charter cost
A BBJ is priced per trip rather than from an hourly rate. With so few aircraft available, positioning often decides the quote: if the nearest free BBJ is in the Gulf and the trip starts in London, the empty legs are part of the price. A larger crew means more hotel nights and duty-time limits, and landing, parking and handling charges are set by weight, so a 171,000 lb airliner pays far more than a business jet at the same airport.
Airport choice moves the price as well. Slot-controlled airports such as Heathrow add cost and restrict times, so London trips usually use Stansted. For a group of fifteen or more, one BBJ often compares well with two heavy jets carrying the same party, and it keeps everyone on the same aircraft.
As a guide, VIP airliners charter from about $18,000 to $28,000 an hour for the aircraft, crew and fuel, and in practice the quote is for the whole trip.
Long-range business jets to consider instead
For a party of fourteen or fewer, an ultra-long-range business jet flies as far, uses more airports and costs less. These are the ones we put beside a BBJ.
Boeing Business Jets
Request a BBJ charter
Tell us the route, the dates, how many are flying and anything the trip needs: a bedroom, a conference table, security. We find which BBJs are available, send the floor plan and photographs of each, and say plainly when a business jet would serve better.
Photo: 4300streetcar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Frequently asked questions
What is a Boeing Business Jet?
A Boeing airliner built for a private, corporate or government owner rather than an airline. Boeing delivers the aircraft without a cabin and a completion centre fits it out to the owner's design. BBJ is a family: the original 737-700 based BBJ, the BBJ2 and BBJ3, the BBJ 737 MAX models, the BBJ 787 and the BBJ 777X, each with its own range and cabin.
How much does a BBJ charter cost?
There is no fixed price: a BBJ is quoted for the specific trip. Positioning, the days the aircraft waits on the ground, the crew's hotel nights, and airport and handling charges, which are much higher for an airliner, all move the figure. The VIP airliner band on this page is a starting guide; send us the route, dates and group size and we reply with firm quotes in writing.
Can I charter a Boeing Business Jet from the UK?
Yes. BBJs are positioned to UK airports for charter, usually Stansted, and the positioning flight is part of the quote. Few BBJs are available at any one time, and most of those are the original BBJ or the BBJ2, so the more notice you give, the more aircraft we can put in front of you.
What is the range of a Boeing Business Jet?
It depends on the model. Boeing publishes about 6,235 nm for the original BBJ and 5,620 nm for the BBJ2 with eight passengers, 6,320 to 6,500 nm for the BBJ 737 MAX models, and 9,960 nm for the BBJ 787-8 with 25. Every figure assumes stated conditions; a full cabin, luggage and winter headwinds reduce it.
How many passengers does a BBJ carry?
Most BBJ 737s on the charter market seat 16 to 30 in a VIP layout with a stateroom, a dining area and lounges; a BBJ 787 seats 25 to 40 in comparable comfort. Some aircraft are configured with business-class seats for a delegation and carry more. The number depends on the completion, so we send the floor plan.
Do BBJs have bedrooms and showers?
Most VIP BBJs have a master stateroom with a full-size bed, and many have a shower in the en-suite. It is not universal: some aircraft are laid out for groups, with more seats and no shower. We confirm the bedrooms, beds and bathrooms on each aircraft we quote.
When is a BBJ the right choice over a large business jet?
When the group is larger than about fourteen, wants to travel together, or needs rooms rather than zones: a stateroom, a separate staff cabin, a dining table. For a smaller party, a Global 7500 or G700 flies as far, uses more airports and costs less.
Is BBJ rental the same as charter?
For a private trip, yes. Renting a BBJ means chartering it, with its crew, from the operator that holds its air operator certificate; the aircraft, pilots, cabin crew, fuel and insurance come together. Leasing the aircraft without crew is a different arrangement, used by airlines and governments rather than for private travel.
Request a BBJ charter
Where from, where to, the dates and how many are flying. Name the BBJ model if you have one in mind; we come back with priced options, floor plans and photographs.