How Much Did Lionel Messi Pay For His Private Jet?

Lionel Messi is quite possibly the most famous footballer in the world. The well-known player began his career with FC Barcelona in 2003. During his time at FC Barcelona, Messi recorded a total of 474 goals in 520 appearances. During his time with the club, which lasted from 2004-2021, Barcelona won 34 total club trophies. The club’s trophy case includes:

• Ten La Liga titles
• Seven Copa del Rey titles
• Four Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League titles

After dominating the sport at FC Barcelona, Messi transferred to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) from 2021-2023. He scored 22 goals in 58 appearances with PSG before transferring to Inter Miami of Major League Soccer (MLS), where he currently plays. Messi has had one of the most successful careers in football history.

He has won eight Ballon d’Or awards, which is a record, six European Golden Shoes, and was FIFA’s best player in the world eight different times. He represents Argentina in international play, and he has recorded 106 goals in 180 appearances.

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What Type Of Private Jet Does Lionel Messi Fly?

The soccer star operates a large Gulfstream V business jet.

Due to his successful career, Messi has accumulated a net worth that is estimated to reach $500 million. Because of this, Messi and his family typically fly privately when they travel around the world. This provides him with the ultimate flexibility. Private jets are typically smaller than commercial aircraft, meaning they can land on shorter runways. This frees up many smaller airports that may be closer to their intended destination. It also allows Messi and his family to fly direct routes whenever they would like, meaning they do not have to wait for scheduled commercial flights.

It is no wonder that Messi and his family fly privately when traveling. Let’s take a closer look at the private jet Messi uses and some of the jet’s unique features that may have swayed Messi to operate this business jet.

What jet Messi operates

In the past years, Messi owned and operated an Embraer Legacy 650. However, Messi recently sold this aircraft in favor of a different option. Currently, Messi and his family operate a Gulfstream GV. However, even though Messi has a net worth of approximately $500 million, he does not own this jet. He operates it by leasing it or renting it for his family’s various trips, per The Sun. Even though he does not own the jet himself, he is free to use it whenever he wants due to his lease. Messi is also not responsible for maintenance, hangar rental, or other typical aircraft fees. Instead, he just pays a leasing cost to operate the private jet whenever he would like.

The Gulfstream GV that Messi flies in is quite unique. This aircraft, which is registered as LV-IRQ, was originally manufactured by Gulfstream in 2004. However, Messi began operating this aircraft as early as 2018. It was purchased by the charter company, Flyzar, which also offers helicopter tours and other private aviation services. Flyzar operates LV-IRQ out of San Fernando Airport (SADF), which is near Buenos Aires, Argentina, where Messi is from.

Flyzar upgraded both the interior and exterior upon purchasing the aircraft, per Central Jets. The exterior refurbishments include the addition of the number 10 on the tail of the aircraft, which is Messi’s playing number. The interior upgrades include the addition of Messi’s wife’s name, Antonella, and the names of their three children, Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro, engraved on the steps of the aircraft.

Brief history of the Gulfstream GV

Gulfstream first began developing the Gulfstream GV in the early 1990s. It was meant to rival the newly released Bombardier Global Express aircraft. The aircraft flew for the first time in November 1995, and it received its type certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in April 1997. This aircraft was considered to be Gulfstream’s first ultra-long-range business jet. It was officially introduced to the market in June 1997. Nearly 200 Gulfstream GVs were produced.

Photo: Lithium366 | Shutterstock

Beyond the basic level business jet, a military variant was also developed. Most of the time, the aircraft were utilized for VIP transport and were used by the government. Some variants utilized dial-and-gauge cockpits in case an electromagnetic pulse knocked out the basic avionics system. Some of the operators include:

• Algerian Air Force
• Hellenic Air Force
• Italian Air Force
• State of Kuwait
• Japan Coast Guard
• United States Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), with the tail number N1
• National Center for Atmospheric Research
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

This aircraft was developed from the Gulfstream IV, but included a new supercritical wing that had additional fuel capacity. The Gulfstream GV also utilizes Rolls-Royce BR700-710A1 engines, which produce nearly 15,000 pounds of thrust. The aircraft has the following specifications:

Current value of a Gulfstream GV

Although Messi leases his Gulfstream GV, the market for this large business jet is still very active. Currently, newer variants of this aircraft are selling for around $10 million. Per Global Air, the average price of Gulfstream GVs for sale is about $8,425,000.

Photo: eka.viation | Shutterstock

These aircraft vary in price depending on how many flight hours the aircraft has and how many landings it has made. Late model aircraft with low flight hours can reach up to $12 million, with older, outdated aircraft remaining around $6 million.

Operating costs for these aircraft are additional costs. Per Liberty Jet, annual operating costs, which vary depending on the amount of hours flown per year, can hover between $1.8 million to $3 million. Some variable operating costs may include fuel costs, maintenance, and engine overhaul. Fixed operating costs may include crew costs, insurance, and other management costs.