Credit: Gulfstream

More than a half-century after a Bell X-1 rocket plane shuddered and shook its way through a newly discovered pressure wave with Captain Charles “Chuck” Yeager at the controls on October 14, 1947, it is the private aviation market pushing speed boundaries. Here we examine 10 of the fastest private jets, ideal for traveling in comfort and luxury while cruising miles above the Earth at nearly supersonic speed. These aircraft offer the fastest travel currently available.

Credit: Bombardier

A large-cabin, long-range jet, the Global 6000 offers a comfortable space for 17 passengers, plus a crew of four — necessary for its 6,000-nautical mile range. Coupled with its impressive speed (its typical cruise speed is Mach 0.85), the 6000 offers excellent flexibility for its $73m price tag. Bombardier worked hard to keep this jet light for its size, with generous use of carbon fiber materials, which are responsible for the lightweight feel and a major contributor to its substantially improved fuel efficiency. Price: $73m

Credit: ©Paul Bowen Photography

Many aviation industry insiders consider this large-cabin business jet to be the most advanced and proficient long-range premium jet for long-distance travelers. In May 2018, Bombardier introduced the Global 6500, which entered service in 2019. This jet has an improved wing for a Mach 0.90 high speed. Its latest Rolls-Royce Pearl powerplants consume 13% less fuel burn for a range of 6,600 nautical miles and have reduced operating expenses. Price: $56m

Credit: Dassault

Dassault’s Falcon 7X and the subsequent Falcon 8X offer a maximum speed of Mach 0.90. The expansive 43-ft-long cabin of the 8X offers space to seat up to 16 passengers and a range of more than 7,400 miles. Aside from their roomy cabins, these Falcons have the agility to fly the steep approaches into, and fast climbs out of, many airports like Lugano — runways off-limits to other big jets. The 8X offers a fuel efficiency advantage of about 30% over rivals, a result of aerodynamic improvements to the Falcon’s wing and the higher efficiency of updated Pratt & Whitney Canada PW300 powerplants. 7X from $55m

Credit: Bombardier

Joining the market in December 2018, this private workhorse boasts the highest flight speed of 710 mph, Mach 0.925, and an impressive range of 7,700 nautical miles. Its 54.5-ft cabin recently received a Red Dot Design Award and it is the first business jet to receive a third-party audited Environmental Product Declaration giving detailed information about its environmental footprint. Price: $73m

Credit: Bombardier Global 8000

Bombardier’s Global 8000 exceeded 650 mph during test flights, ensuring its place among the world’s fastest private aircraft. First entering service in December 2018, this jet also has an impressive range of 7,900 nautical miles. In addition to its top-leading range, the Global 8000 has a cabin with three individual suites, each designed to boost comfort and convenience. As with most jets in this class, the 8000 aircraft features a creative cabin custom-made to the specifications of the owner with quality to meet the demand of every customer. Price: $72m

Credit: Gulfstream

Like Bombardier, Gulfstream seeks to extend the range of nonstop flights with its G800. The Savannah, Georgia-based manufacturer boasts: “The all-new G800 is the world’s longest-range business aircraft, extending your reach to more people and places around the globe in a single flight.” The G800 will be able to fly 8,000 nautical miles at Mach 0.85 and 7,000 nautical miles at Mach 0.90 with the combination of a Gulfstream-designed, advanced high-speed wing and new high-thrust Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines. Inside, Gulfstream’s newest addition features newly designed ergonomic seats with a capacity of up to 19 passengers, sleeping for up to 10 passengers, a high-definition circadian lighting system, 100% fresh, never recirculated air, and claims for the lowest cabin altitude in the industry. And when it comes to admiring the view there are, of course, the largest windows in the industry. Price: $74m

Credit: Dassault Falcon 10X

French manufacturer Dassault hopes its Falcon 10X will redefine the large-cabin, ultra-long-haul private jet segment, bridging the gap between purpose-built private jets and VIP airliners, which are aircraft converted from commercial airline usage for private flying. The Falcon 10X will have the biggest cabin of purpose-built private jets. Its cabin will be 6-ft, 8-in high, and 9-ft, 1-in wide. Dassault claims the 10X is almost 8-in wider and 2-in taller than its closest competitors. The cabin will also be brighter. The 10X comes with windows nearly 50% larger than the Falcon 8X. Its 38 windows will make it the “brightest cabin in business aviation,” according to Dassault. In terms of speed and range, the new jet will have a top speed of Mach 0.925 and fly 7,500 nautical miles nonstop. That will allow owners to fly nonstop from New York to Shanghai or Los Angeles to Sydney. Price: $75m

Credit: ©Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

The long-range Gulfstream G650 and its longer-range variant, the G650ER, can reach the highest speeds of Mach 0.925 at, respectively, a nonstop range of 7,000 nautical miles and 7,500 nautical miles. In the real world, that means a westbound G650 can travel the planet in just over 41 hours. The G650ER has notched up 22 world records and over 110 world speed records. The jets, with their 47-ft-long cabins, offer a large, spacious interior with seating for 19 passengers and sleeping accommodations for as many as 10. G650 from $62m

Credit: Cessna

Though no longer in production, the Citation X+ is hugely sought after on the secondhand market and is on record as the world’s fastest private jet. The FAA certified the Citation X in 1996 and pegged its maximum speed at Mach 0.935, or 717 miles per hour. Cessna introduced its second incarnation of the Citation X as the X+ (10-plus) in 2014, with improved interior accoutrements, improved seating and galley, an all-new avionics suite from Garmin and the G5000 system. This Cessna boasts a maximum range of 3,460 nautical miles. The X+ seats as many as 12, with extra-large, extra-cabin comfortable seating and a fully equipped galley. Price: $24m

Credit: Gulfstream

With officially the longest, widest and tallest cabin in the industry, the Gulfstream G700 stands at nearly 57ft long, more than 6ft tall and over 8ft wide. It's also the fastest, as although it has an official top speed of 0.935, the jet went all the way to the sonic boom precipice, recording a top speed of Mach 0.99 during a 2020 test flight. Price: $85m