20/Twenty: The In-Demand Gulfstream G650/G650ER

When it comes to private jets, there is no substitute for the Gulfstream standard of prestige, comfort, speed and support. And through the decades, its buyers have shown a willingness to pay top price and wait years for a new jet.

Such was the case with the large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G650 series. Between the jet’s unveiling in 2008 and first delivery in 2012, Gulfstream built a 200-aircraft backlog—nearly five years of production. If you wanted a new one, you waited.

This is an activity that Gulfstream buyers tend not to enjoy. So those who had ordered G650s held on to their older Gulfstreams, the G450 or G550, or went in search of one of those models as a “bridge” aircraft. Not surprisingly, the used market for those jets temporarily tightened as a result.

As the expression goes, history may not repeat itself, but sometimes it rhymes.

Gulfstream built 598 G650 and extended-range G650ER jets between 2012 and the end of production in 2025. In 2014, the manufacturer began offering the G650ER, which could carry about 1 hr. of additional fuel via wing-store optimization. Range increased to 7,500 nm from 7,000 nm at the long-range cruise speed of Mach 0.85, with eight passengers, four crew and NBAA IFR reserves.

Both models use the same 99-ft. 7-in.-long wing. The ER variant was a $2 million option, and regular G650s could be retrofitted via supplemental type certificate (STC). Many were modified, and only 116 legacy G650s remain.

In 2019, Gulfstream announced a stretched and reworked successor jet, the G700. The longer-range (8,200-nm) G800, announced in 2021, mated the G650’s shorter fuselage to the G700’s longer 103-ft. wingspan.

Orderbooks for both the G700 and G800 built up rapidly—a new one ordered today would be delivered in late 2028. One consequence of the backlog is that the preowned market for G650/G650ERs has tightened. Of the 18 that traded hands this year between March and August, six sold off market, according to Kyle Canna, manager of preowned acquisitions and inventory at Guardian Jet.

Besides the backlog of new orders at Gulfstream, Canna cites a variety of factors for the “unprecedented demand” for preowned G650s. Record wealth creation has produced a large pool of potential buyers, while preowned options are limited for those seeking a large-cabin jet with the G650’s capability. That includes current G450 and G550 owners.

Broker Josh Mesinger, vice president of Mesinger Jet Sales, is only half-joking when he says the average time on market for a G650 is “four and a half seconds.” Mesinger says his recent buyers have looked at the jet more as a long-term solution than as a bridge.

“An aircraft that is correctly priced and well represented often sells in less than a month,” he advises. “The market is tight because it is a nice, modern, capable aircraft.”

And of course, there is the price delta between a preowned G650 and a new Gulfstream. Retail prices range from $34 million (2012 model) to $63 million (2024) for a G650ER, according to the Aircraft Bluebook.

Compare that to $82.9 million for a new G700 or $78.4 million for a new G800 for a lot of the same capabilities and near-comparable passenger comfort.

Cabin Dimensions

The G650-series offers a cabin that measures 46-ft. 10-in.-long, 8-ft. 2-in. wide and 6-ft. 3-in.-tall, yielding 2,138 ft.³ of space. The baggage compartment accessible in flight is 195 ft.³.

The G650 has a flat-floor cabin that can be divided into three or four distinct living zones, with layouts accommodating 12-19 passengers with forward and aft lavatories and either a forward or aft galley.

Cabin options include a forward crew rest area for longer missions, an aft state room and an expanded aft lavatory with a dressing area and stand-up shower. The single executive seats recline to the full berthing position.

Natural light pours through 16 large Gulfstream signature panoramic oval windows with power shades. The LED cabin lighting is controlled through the cabin management and entertainment system, accessible though individual passenger control units or individual wireless devices. Gulfstream obtained STCs to install the Starlink satellite communications terminal on the G650/G650ER in 2024, and the Gogo Galileo HDX terminal this year.

The G650’s cabin altitude at 41,000 ft. is just 3,290 ft. The cabin environment is refreshed via Gulfstream’s 100% fresh-air system, which draws air from the high-pressure stage of the jet’s Rolls-Royce BR725 engines before combustion, then treats, delivers and removes it from the cabin via the outflow valve. The system replaces cabin air every 2-3 min.

On the flight deck, the Gulfstream PlaneView II avionics are built around Honeywell Primus Epic technology and link to full fly-by-wire controls and dual hydraulic systems with electrostatic actuators. Gulfstream began offering a Block 3 avionics upgrade in 2023 that incorporates a variety of enhanced safety features as either standard or optional, including runway overrun protection and predictive weather alerting.

Takeoff distance at maximum takeoff weight is 5,858 ft. for the G650 and 6,299 ft. for the G650ER. The Rolls engines burn 450-500 gal./hr. at cruise altitude.

After such a lengthy production run, Gulfstream has worked most of the bugs out of the G650. Total annual costs for 400 operating hours run $3.5-4.5 million. New paint and interior rerag can run $1.5-4 million.

And for that, you get a capable aircraft that looks brand-new and performs nearly as well as a new-production Gulfstream jet for tens of millions of dollars less. If you can find one.

BCA welcomes comment and insight from aircraft dealers and brokers for its monthly 20/Twenty pre-owned aircraft market feature. The feature aircraft for November is the Cessna Citation X and for December, the Bombardier Global 5000. To participate, contact [email protected].