Gently Used: Buy a Blinged-Out Boeing 747-8 From the Qatari Royal Family
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
On the market for a lightly used Boeing 747-8? Well, you're in luck. The Qatari royal family has decided that two 747-8 Boeing Business Jets is one too many, and they're putting their newest "BBJ" (registration VQ-BSK) on the market.
Built at the end of 2012, the jumbo jet underwent a multi-year "VVIP" interior installation before entering service with the Qatari royal family in 2015. According to the listing, the aircraft has only been flown 403.2 hours over 181 cycles (a cycle is a takeoff and a landing) ā making the aircraft practically brand new.
While the 747-8 is certified to carry up to 467 passengers, this aircraft is fitted with just 76 passenger seats and 18 crew seats. And a look inside the luxury cabins shows why. For starters, there's an incredible dining room / boardroom:
You and your friends will have plenty of space to spread out in the aircraft's various lounges:
You'll have to work out who gets to claim the even more exclusive upper-deck lounge:
That said, there are plenty of lounges and offices across the massive aircraft.
However, photos released from the interior reveal only one truly royal suite:
With 10 lavatories on-board (2 forward, 2 mid, 4 aft, 2 upper deck) for the maximum 94 people on-board, there should never be much of a line.
And since this aircraft is designed for "VVIP"s, there's even a medical suite on-board:
The aircraft is powered by four GE GEnx-2B67 engines ā serial numbers 959424, 959114, 959427, 959428 OR 959429, 959424, 959427, 959428 depending on which listing you check. These practically-new engines have a list price of $22.5 million each, making this aircraft a tempting purchase for any airline looking to pick up a few spares for cheap.
How To Purchase
How much are you going to have to shell out for the blinged-out bird? Well, there's no asking price. Instead, interested buyers are directed to call the AMAC Aerospace Switzerland AG airline broker Mohamad Badran at +41 58 310 32 58 to make an offer.
No word yet if they will take a credit card for the purchase. If so, the purchase is unlikely to code as travel, so you'd want to put the purchase on a card that earns points on general spend. With the demise of the Starwood Preferred GuestĀ® Credit Card from American Express earning rates (now 2x Marriott points = 1.8% return instead of 1x Starpoint = 2.7% return), we'd recommend using the Bank of AmericaĀ® Premium RewardsĀ® credit card (up to 2.625% cash back), Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard (2x miles per dollar towards travel with a 5% redemption rebate) or Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (2x miles).
While the The Blue BusinessĀ®ļø Plus Credit Card from American Express is generally a great everyday spend card, the 2x Membership Rewards points earnings are limited to only the first $50,000 in purchases (then 1x thereafter). If you haven't hit this limit yet, there's a possibility that a large purchase would all earn 2x points ā but it's not worth risking on such a massive purchase.
Unless you can get the broker to process the charge in the US, you'd want to steer clear of the Chase Freedom Unlimited or Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card 1.5% cash back (or 1.5x Chase Ultimate Rewards points) and the CitiĀ® Double Cash Card (2% cashback; 1% back when you buy and 1% back when you pay), as these charge 3% foreign transaction fees.
Make sure to give the bank a heads-up about the large purchase before running the card.
The aircraft has capacity for 225,486 liters (59,567 gallons) of fuel. With the current price of Jet A fuel in the US around $4.69 per gallon, you're going to want to use a card that maximizes earnings on that nearly $280,000 fill-up. If the fueling service codes as a "gas station," our recommendation would be to use the Citi PremierĀ® Card, which earns 3x points on purchases at gas stations.
H/T: The Drive
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership RewardsĀ® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
Thereās a lot to love about the Amex Gold. Itās a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If youāre hitting the skies soon, youāll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkinā credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, thereās no reason that foodies shouldnāt add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership RewardsĀ® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if youāre approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount ā all with no credit score impact. If youāre approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership RewardsĀ® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. Thatās up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American ExpressĀ® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American ExpressĀ® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American ExpressĀ® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership RewardsĀ® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership RewardsĀ® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICOĀ® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
Thereās a lot to love about the Amex Gold. Itās a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If youāre hitting the skies soon, youāll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkinā credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, thereās no reason that foodies shouldnāt add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership RewardsĀ® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if youāre approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount ā all with no credit score impact. If youāre approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership RewardsĀ® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. Thatās up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American ExpressĀ® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American ExpressĀ® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American ExpressĀ® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.