Flexjet Expands Fleet With Gulfstream G500 and Additional G700s for Fractional Owners

Flexjet Expands Fleet With Gulfstream G500 and Additional G700s for Fractional Owners

BY KALUM SHASHI ISHARA Published 9 hours ago 0 COMMENTS

Flexjet is broadening its large-cabin lineup. The Cleveland-based fractional ownership provider announced it will add the Gulfstream G500 to its fleet and place additional orders for the flagship G700, giving fractional owners more options for long-range international travel.

 

The move signals continued investment in Gulfstream products at a time when demand for private aviation remains elevated and operators are competing for owners who want newer airframes with longer legs and bigger cabins.

 


 

 

What Flexjet Is Adding

 

The G500 is new territory for Flexjet's fractional program. The aircraft slots into the large-cabin category alongside the company's existing Gulfstream offerings, and it gives owners access to a jet built around Gulfstream's Symmetry Flight Deck and active control sidesticks. The G500 carries a range of 5,300 nautical miles at Mach 0.85, which puts cities like London to New York or Los Angeles to Honolulu comfortably within nonstop reach.

 

On the G700 side, Flexjet already operates the type and is now expanding that commitment. The G700 is Gulfstream's flagship, with a published range of 7,750 nautical miles and the longest cabin in the manufacturer's current production lineup. For fractional owners who fly transpacific or want a true ultra-long-range option without buying a whole aircraft, the addition matters.

 

Flexjet has not publicly disclosed the total dollar value of the expanded order or a precise delivery schedule for every airframe involved.

 

Gulfstream G500
Photo: AeroXplorer/ Josh Holsenbeck

 

Why the G500 Fits the Program

 

The G500 first entered service in 2018 and has built a reputation among operators for combining long-range capability with operating costs lower than the larger G600 and G700. For a fractional operator, that economic profile matters. Owners typically buy shares measured in hours per year, and the underlying cost structure of each airframe feeds directly into pricing.

 

The cabin holds up to 19 passengers in a typical layout and offers a quieter pressurization environment than older Gulfstream models. Pratt and Whitney PW814GA engines power the aircraft, and the Symmetry Flight Deck uses touchscreen controls in place of traditional cursor control devices.

 

For owners who currently fly a G450 or G550 share, the G500 represents a natural step into newer technology without committing to the size or cost profile of the G700.

 

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The G700 Picture

 

Flexjet became one of the early fractional operators to take delivery of the G700 after the aircraft received FAA certification in March 2024. The type went through a longer-than-expected certification process, but Gulfstream has now ramped up deliveries.

 

The G700 cabin stretches across five living areas and can be configured with a dedicated crew rest, a forward galley, and an aft stateroom. Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines power the aircraft. For fractional buyers, the appeal is straightforward. You get flagship Gulfstream capability without the roughly $78 million sticker price of a whole airframe.

 

Adding more G700s to the fleet gives Flexjet the ability to schedule the type on more routes and reduces the chance that a fractional owner requesting the aircraft gets offered a substitute.

 

Where This Fits in the Fractional Market

 

The fractional segment has consolidated around a small number of large operators. NetJets remains the largest by fleet size, with Flexjet positioned as its primary competitor in the large-cabin and ultra-long-range categories. Both companies have leaned heavily into Gulfstream and Bombardier products to attract owners who want range and cabin volume.

 

Flexjet has differentiated itself in part by emphasizing crew continuity, with pilots assigned to specific aircraft rather than rotating across the fleet. The company has also pushed customized interiors, which is unusual in fractional ownership where standardization typically keeps costs predictable.

 

Adding the G500 to the menu fills a gap between the company's super-midsize options and the G650 and G700 at the top of the lineup. It gives sales teams a clearer path to upsell owners who outgrow smaller shares.

 

Gulfstream G700
Photo: AeroXplorer/ Dohwan Kim

 

What Owners Get

 

Fractional ownership at this level usually starts with a share representing 50 flight hours per year, though structures vary. Owners pay an acquisition cost tied to their share percentage, a monthly management fee, and an occupied hourly rate. In exchange, they get guaranteed availability with relatively short call-out windows, typically 10 hours or less for large-cabin aircraft.

 

The economics favor flyers who use between roughly 50 and 400 hours annually. Below that, charter or jet cards tend to make more sense. Above it, whole-aircraft ownership starts to pencil out.

 

For enthusiasts watching the market, the addition of more Gulfstreams to Flexjet's fleet reinforces a trend. Operators are betting that demand for large-cabin and ultra-long-range aircraft will hold, even as the post-pandemic surge in private aviation traffic has cooled somewhat from its peak.

 

 

The Bigger Picture for Gulfstream

 

The order is positive news for Gulfstream parent General Dynamics. The G700 had a slower path to revenue than originally planned, and the manufacturer has been working through its backlog. Fractional operators' ordering in volume help stabilize production rates and gives the company predictable delivery slots to work against.

 

Gulfstream is also continuing flight testing on the G800, the ultra-long-range derivative of the G700, which is expected to enter service in the coming years. How fractional operators respond to that aircraft will be worth watching once certification arrives.

 

For now, Flexjet owners get more choices, and Gulfstream gets a larger installed base in the fractional segment. Both outcomes point in the same direction. Large-cabin private travel continues to attract capital, and the operators serving that market are willing to commit to long-term aircraft orders to keep up.

 

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Kalum Shashi Ishara
I am an Aircraft Engineering graduate and an alumnus of Kingston University. It was a passion that I have had since childhood driven me to realise this goal of working in the Aviation and Aerospace industry. I have been working in the industry for more than 13 years now, and I can easily identify most commercial aircraft by spotting them from a distance. My work experience involved both technical and managerial elements of Aircraft component manufacturing, Quality assurance and continuous improvement management.

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NEWS Flexjet Gulfstream G500 Gulfstream G700 Fleet Expansion Fractional Ownership Business Aviation Aircraft Delivery Fleet Modernization

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