In the face of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, more and more travelers are trying out private planes. Nothing signifies wealth than owning a private jet, and it’s increasingly common for luxury travel participants to steer clear of commercial flights.

Are you interested in the personal jet out of respect for their design, a desire for fast flying, or simply want to peer into the lives of the wealthy?

Let’s take a look at 7 surprising facts about the private jet and luxury travel.

1. The Fastest Civilian Aircraft in the Whole World Is a Private Jet

To be the proud owner of the fastest aircraft available to a civilian, it’ll cost you a cool $23 million. The Cessna Citation X is powered by two Rolls-Royce engines and was certified by the AA at Mach 0.935 (993 km/h).

If one of your main interests in flying private is in the time savings, flying on the fastest civilian aircraft available only means you’ll maximize your time even more.

With the capacity to carry two crew members and twelve passengers, you and your closest friends will be able to fly quickly and in style all around the world.

2. Almost Half of All the Private Jets in the World Are Owned by American Citizens

Wealthy Americans love their private jet. 49.7% of all the private jets in the world are owned by U.S. citizens. In contrast, about 20% of the world’s private jets are owned by individuals living on the European continent.

3. Van Nuys Is the Busiest General Aviation Airport in the World

General aviation airports are civilian airports and therefore typically serve small aircraft charter operations and private aircrafts.

As the American hub of celebrity and culture, it might not come as a surprise that the busiest general aviation airport is in the central San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles. In 2012, over 259,000 private takeoffs and landings occurred at Van Nuys Airport.

4. The Cessna Citation Excel/XLS is the Most Popular Private Jet in the U.S.

This mid-sized Cessna jet is the most popular private jet in the U.S. With space for twelve passengers in its first-class cabin, there’s room to comfortably stand and move around the cabin easily.

5. The Most Expensive Private Jet in the World Cost $500 Million

The Airbus 380 is the biggest private jet in the world as well as the most expensive. Costing $500 million, this impressive and over-the-top jet is owned by the Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal al-Saud.

Both Singapore Airlines and Emirates Airlines use the same model of plane in their fleets. During commercial flights, this plane can carry up to 800 passengers.

Al-Saud’s Airbus 380 is basically a palace that flies through the sky. It has an elevator that connects the three floors as well as a spiral staircase. It even has a prayer room that automatically turns it’s electronic mats towards Mecca, no matter where it is in the world.

There are of course luxurious family and VIP suites, but can you believe there’s also a concert hall with a grand piano? There’s also a Turkish bath, a full-size boardroom, and plenty of parking space for al-Saud’s Rolls Royce. If all that isn’t enough, it also has stables for camels and horses.

6. Corporate Jets Are Far Less Likely to Crash Than Owner-Operated Private Jets

In 2011, there were 1466 private jet crashes which resulted in 263 deaths. If you’re flying on a private plane, it’s statistically safer to fly on a company plane.

The accident rate globally for corporate jets is much less than that of owner-operated jets, with corporate jet accidents occurring about 1/6 the amount of time compared to private jets.

The list of famous people who have died in aviation crashes is far too long. While hundreds of thousands of private flights take off and land without incident every year, it is always tragic when things go awry.

7. The List of Celebrities That Own Private Jets Is Long

When celebrities rich a level of wealth and fame, they inevitably add a private jet to their list of assets.

Taylor Swift has a $40 million private jet, with room for 12 passengers allowing her and her friends and family to fly with style around the world.

The founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, has a luxurious Bombardier BD-700 Global Express. With room for 19 people, this $40 million jet is the pinnacle of comfortable travel.

Even though Jim Carrey no longer stars in nearly as many movies as he once used to, his $150 million net worth allows him to easily own a $59 million jet. He even rents out his jet for $8,000 an hour!

Oprah is one of the richest women in the world, with a net worth of over $2 billion. She claims she had a rude encounter with someone at an airport in 1991, and that’s what motivated her to purchase her $42 million Bombardier Global Express XRS.

Other celebrities that own a jet include the Beckhams, Tiger Woods, Jay-Z and Beyonce, Angelina Jolie, Celine Dion, Tom Cruise, Donald Trump, Harrison Ford, John Travolta, Marc Cuban, Jimmy Buffett, and many more.

The Private Jet Is the Ultimate in Luxury Travel

Who wouldn’t want to fly on a private jet? Nothing says luxurious and enjoyable travel like the prestige of flying privately. The mean average net worth for people who own jets is $1.5 billion, but that doesn’t mean you need to be a billionaire to fly on one. It’s increasingly common to charter flights on private planes, and there are a lot of persuasive reasons to use private jets for business.

Is your interest in personal jets piqued? If so, check out these seven awesome reasons to charter a private plane to Los Angeles.