Seating
25 to 40 in most VIP layouts; one government layout was fitted for 80. We send the floor plan of the actual aircraft.
BBJ 787-8 Private Jet Charter
A Dreamliner fitted out as a private aircraft: an 18 ft wide cabin for 25 to 40 and 9,960 nm published, for large parties on the longest legs.
Bank transfer or cryptoHow a VIP airliner is priced.
Photo: Markus Eigenheer, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Passengers
- 25 to 40, up to 80
- Published range
- About 9,960 nm
- Speed
- Up to Mach 0.9
- Cabin height
- 7 ft 6 in
- Baggage
- 4,397 cu ft
- Category
- VIP airliner
Part of the Boeing Business Jets family
The BBJ 787-8 for charter
The BBJ 787-8 is a Dreamliner built as a private aircraft, chosen when a large party wants rooms, beds and a cabin that stays comfortable for fifteen hours or more.
Who it suits
A government delegation, a family travelling with staff and security, or a team with its entourage: 25 to 40 people on legs no BBJ 737 flies non-stop, such as Miami to Dubai or London to Sydney. Most completions include a master suite, lounges and a dining room.
Against its rivals
The Airbus ACJ330neo and ACJ350 are its rivals in size. Against a BBJ 737 it has more than twice the floor area and about 3,500 nm more published range, but costs more and uses fewer airports. The 787-9 is about 20 ft longer, with a little less range.
Where it falls short
Availability above all. Fewer than twenty BBJ 787s have been delivered, most to governments and owners who do not charter them, so a quote may rest on one or two aircraft worldwide. It needs about 8,500 ft of runway at maximum weight and a widebody stand.
BBJ 787-8 specifications
Published figures for the type. Seating, beds and connectivity vary with each aircraft's layout and operator, and we confirm them for the actual aircraft before you book.
| Specification | BBJ 787-8 | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Category | VIP airliner | |
| Passengers | 25 to 40 typical, up to 80 | |
| Published range | 9,960 nm | 18,450 km |
| Speed | Up to Mach 0.9; about 488 kn in typical cruise | 904 km/h |
| Cabin height | 7 ft 6 in | 2.29 m |
| Cabin width | 18 ft | 5.49 m |
| Cabin length | 138 ft 9 in | 42.3 m |
| Baggage | 4,397 cu ft, lower-deck holds, loaded from outside; not reachable in flight | 124.5 m³ |
| Take-off distance | 8,500 ft | 2,591 m |
| Crew | Two pilots with a relief crew on long legs, and a cabin crew sized to the party | |
| Connectivity | Fitted to order at completion; satellite Wi-Fi is usual, and the system and speed vary by aircraft | |
| In service | 2016 (first VIP completion) |
Range as published: 25 passengers and baggage, NBAA IFR rules, 50% annual winds in the limiting direction, a 3% airway allowance and a 200 nm alternate. On the day it depends on passengers and luggage, winds, the airports, temperature and the reserves the operator carries.
Sources: Boeing Business Jets, BBJ 787, Boeing Business Jets, BBJ 787 product sheet, Boeing Business Jets, product card (2010, archived): 787-8 VIP cabin dimensions (preliminary), Wikipedia, Boeing 787 Dreamliner (cruise, Mmo, take-off distance, MTOW), Wikipedia, Boeing Business Jet (orders and deliveries), AIN, BBJ displays first VIP 787 at EBACE (2016), AirlineGeeks, Mexican presidential 787-8 (80-seat layout).
Inside the BBJ 787-8 cabin
An 18 ft wide cabin gives 2,340 sq ft of floor, about two and a half times a BBJ 737's, under the Dreamliner's large, electronically dimmed windows. It is pressurised to 6,000 ft with more humidity than older airliners, which shows after twelve hours. Most completions run from lounges and a dining room forward to a master suite, with seating for staff aft.
Master suite
A bedroom with a full-size bed on most VIP completions, often with an en-suite shower; guest rooms vary.
Cabin air
A 6,000 ft cabin altitude at maximum cruise altitude, and more humidity than older airliners.
Windows
Boeing calls them the largest in the industry, dimmed electronically rather than with blinds.
Baggage
4,397 cu ft of hold in Boeing's figure, loaded from outside: room for skis, equipment and a touring team's cases.
Connectivity
Fitted at completion; satellite Wi-Fi is usual and the system varies. We confirm it if video calls matter.
BBJ 787-8 range in practice
Boeing publishes 9,960 nm with 25 passengers and baggage, under NBAA IFR rules with typical winds in the limiting direction and a 200 nm alternate. That covers almost any city pair without a stop. London to Sydney, at about 9,200 nm, sits close to the limit: a heavier completion, more passengers or a winter headwind bring a fuel stop, and the operator confirms the load on the longest legs.
Take-off at maximum weight needs about 8,500 ft at sea level, more in Gulf summer heat, where a full-fuel departure may leave at night.
- Non-stop London to Dubai, about 6 h 45 About 2,950 nm, with fuel to spare.
- Non-stop London to Los Angeles, about 11 h About 4,730 nm, Stansted to LAX.
- Non-stop London to Tokyo, about 12 h About 5,170 nm, whatever the season.
- Non-stop New York to Dubai, about 12 h 30 About 5,940 nm with the whole party aboard.
- Non-stop Miami to Dubai, about 14 h About 6,600 nm, beyond any BBJ 737.
- One fuel stop London to Sydney, about 20 h About 9,200 nm, close to the published limit: non-stop only with a light load and kind winds, so a stop in Singapore or Perth is usually planned.
Routes and destinations for the BBJ 787-8
Trips this aircraft flies well, each with its own page: the airports at both ends, flight times and indicative prices by cabin.
Popular routes
- London to DubaiUnder seven hours, with a master suite for the overnight return.
- London to Los AngelesEleven hours non-stop from Stansted, with room to walk about.
- London to TokyoAbout twelve hours non-stop with the full party, in any season.
- New York to DubaiNon-stop from JFK with a large party and its luggage.
- New York to TokyoAbout thirteen and a half hours, well inside the published range.
- Miami to DubaiAbout fourteen hours non-stop, a leg no BBJ 737 flies direct.
Destinations and events
- 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 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 SingaporeSeletar is Singapore's business airport, thirty minutes from Marina Bay, and Changi's JetQuay terminal takes the largest cabins.
BBJ 787-8 charter cost
Price is per trip, and with so few aircraft offered, where the nearest one sits usually decides it: a 787 based in Asia or the Gulf and chartered from London carries the positioning both ways. The crew is larger than on a BBJ 737, and airport charges scale with a 502,500 lb take-off weight. For thirty or more, compare it with two smaller aircraft flying together.
As a guide, VIP airliners charter at about $18,000 to $28,000 an hour for the aircraft, crew and fuel. Positioning, airport charges, overnight costs and the season are added for the trip, and the quote is one figure in writing.
Aircraft comparable to the BBJ 787-8
When the BBJ 787-8 is not available on your dates, or the trip asks for something slightly different, these are the aircraft we would put beside it.
Boeing BBJ 787-8
A BBJ 787-8 for your dates
Tell us the route, the dates and how many are flying. We check which BBJ 787-8s are available near your departure, send priced options with photographs of each aircraft, and suggest a comparable type when that serves the trip better.
Frequently asked questions
Can you charter a BBJ 787?
Yes, but rarely. Fewer than twenty BBJ 787s have been delivered, and most belong to governments and private owners who do not offer them for charter. At any time only a handful may be available, so give as much notice as you can; if none is free we say so and suggest a BBJ 737 or two smaller jets instead.
What is the range of the BBJ 787-8?
Boeing publishes 9,960 nm with 25 passengers and baggage, under NBAA IFR rules with typical winds in the limiting direction and a 200 nm alternate. That is the longest range of any BBJ now flying. In practice it flies Miami to Dubai without a stop; London to Sydney is near the limit and usually planned with one. The operator confirms the load on the longest legs.
How many passengers does a BBJ 787-8 carry?
Most VIP layouts seat 25 to 40 with a master suite, lounges and a dining room, and Boeing's range figure assumes 25. Government layouts can carry far more: Mexico's former presidential 787-8 was fitted for 80. The number depends on each aircraft's completion.
Does the BBJ 787 have a bedroom and shower?
Most VIP completions have a master bedroom with a full-size bed and an en-suite with a shower, and some add guest rooms. It varies by aircraft, so we confirm the layout, beds and bathrooms before you book.
What is the difference between the BBJ 787-8 and the 787-9?
The 787-9 is about 20 ft longer, giving 2,688 sq ft of floor against 2,340, and Boeing publishes 9,475 nm with 25 passengers against 9,960 nm for the 787-8. Both have the same 18 ft cabin width and 6,000 ft cabin altitude.
Where can a BBJ 787 land?
At airports that take widebody airliners: it needs about 8,500 ft of runway at maximum weight at sea level, a stand for a 197 ft wingspan and handling for a 502,500 lb aircraft. In London that usually means Stansted, in New York JFK or Newark, in Los Angeles LAX. We check the airport, parking and slots before we quote.
How much does it cost to charter a BBJ 787?
It is quoted per trip. Positioning matters most, because the nearest available aircraft may be on another continent; then the days on the ground, the crew's hotel nights and airport charges, which scale with its weight. 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, payable by bank transfer or in crypto.
Request a BBJ 787-8 quote
Where from, where to, the dates and how many are flying. We come back with priced BBJ 787-8 options and comparable aircraft, usually the same day.