Gulfstream G550 Price: New, Used & Ownership Costs

The Gulfstream G550 is a large-cabin, long-range business jet that Gulfstream built for many years. It is no longer in production, so anyone buying one today is buying a pre-owned aircraft. Business jet pricing also works differently from car pricing. There is no public sticker price, and every sale depends on the specific airframe, its maintenance condition and what the buyer and seller agree on.

The figures below come from published market reports and industry sources. They show how the G550 has been priced and sold, with the date or year attached where the source gives one.

Gulfstream does not publish list prices for its aircraft, so the new price is only known through trade reporting. Aviation Week reported a price of $62,000,000 for the last new G550 sold, in 2021.

That figure is a reported sale for one aircraft at the end of production, and it depends on how that aircraft was configured. Earlier G550s were sold at other prices, and the interior and options a buyer chose changed the total.

Used pricing has a wide spread because the G550 was built over many years and the aircraft differ in age, hours and equipment. The Aircraft Bluebook range reported by Aviation Week runs across the whole production run, from early serial numbers to the last one built.

Business Jet Traveler publishes a snapshot of average asking and sale prices for the G550.

The average asking price was $19,000,000, within a range of $12,000,000 – $31,000,000. The average sale price was $21,000,000, within a range of $11,000,000 – $31,000,000. Asking and sale prices are different things. Sellers list at one number and aircraft often trade for something else, so the sale figures are the better guide to what buyers actually paid. As with any market snapshot, check the date on the source, since business jet prices shift with demand, interest rates and the supply of aircraft for sale.

Two G550s of similar age can trade at quite different prices. The factors below are the ones brokers and appraisers generally look at.

• Age and serial number. Later aircraft generally sit toward the top of the range and early ones toward the bottom.
• Total airframe hours and landings. Lower usage is usually valued more highly.
• Maintenance status. Where the aircraft stands on major inspections and how complete its records are can move the price.
• Engine and avionics condition. Engine programs and avionics upgrades can add to value, and a lapse can reduce it.
• Interior and cabin condition. Refurbishing a cabin is a significant expense, so the state of the interior matters to buyers.
• Ownership and history. Accident or damage history affects what buyers will pay.
• Market timing. Prices respond to how many comparable aircraft are for sale at the moment.

The purchase price is the start of the spending. Buyers of business jets typically hire an aircraft broker, a legal adviser and an independent inspection facility. A pre-purchase inspection is a standard step and the results can lead to price adjustments before the deal closes. Ask your broker and attorney which taxes, registration and import or export rules apply to the specific transaction.

Operating costs are a large part of ownership, covering crew, fuel, maintenance, hangar space, insurance and inspections. Operating costs vary widely with how much the aircraft flies and where it is based, and this page does not give a figure for them. Ask an aircraft management company or broker for a written estimate based on your own expected usage.

Some buyers look at alternatives to full ownership, such as fractional programs, charter or a management arrangement. Those options have different cost structures, and a licensed aviation adviser can compare them against your expected flying.