Inside Trump's $400m 'palace in the sky' jumbo jet gift from Qatar
The $400million jumbo jet the Trump Administration will reportedly accept as a gift from Qatar is nothing short of a luxury palace in the sky.
The private Boeing 747 comes with a master bedroom, a guest bedroom, two full bathrooms with showers, nine smaller lavatories, five small kitchens, and a private office.
Qatar 's royal family has offered President Donald Trump the luxury private jet to use as a replacement for the current Air Force One plane.
Although the plane is over 10 years old, the fully-furnished flying mansion comes with oversized couches and recliners, wood paneling, and more than 40 televisions, including 10 big-screen TVs.
The plane can hold approximately 90 passengers and 14 crew members and was previously used by a division of Qatar Airways that serves the nation's royal families and other government officials.
Trump has been waiting for Boeing to complete the next generation of presidential planes, but the beleaguered aerospace company has fallen behind schedule and is already over budget.
On Truth Social Trump stated that he plans to accept the lavish gift from the Qatari government saying that the Boeing 747-8 airliner will 'temporarily' serve as the interim Air Force One until the new American jets are completed.
Unlike your everyday commercial 747 which holds over 460 people, this jumbo jet only has five rows of standard business class seating.
The rest of the massive plane has been renovated to fit five lounges spread over the aircraft's two main decks, which are connected by a luxurious staircase.
It aircraft also comes with all the modern air travel accommodations such as live TV and radio access, 13 Blu-ray players, and internet connectivity.
The plane is considered one of the most lavish in the world, according to Business Jet Traveler.
The interior of the plane, decorated by famed French interior design firm Alberto Pinto Cabinet, is filled with ornate suites, staterooms, lounges, and dining rooms.
Nearly every room on board boasts plush carpeting, leather couches, and golden furnishes.
The conference room has gorgeous tan and cream chairs with deep adjustable cushions.
The corridors of the plane are a reflective, gold color which are reminiscent of Trump's design choices at his own property Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan.
Once the 747-8 is handed over to the U.S. Department Of Defense it'll undergo a major overhaul to make sure it is properly equipped for Trump.
Defense contractor L3Harris has been picked to lead the jumbo jet's refit, adding in the required security and communication features for Air Force One.
L3Harris, while not necessarily a household name like Boeing, does have the distinction of being the sixth-largest defense contractor in the U.S..
Once President Trump begins using the new plane, it'll become the longest passenger jet ever used as Air Force One, measuring in at 250 feet long.
The current presidential plane has been in use since the 1990s, when George W Bush was president.
The new model from Boeing was scheduled to be completed in 2024, but delays have reportedly seen its debut pushed back to 2027.
Boeing had been tapped in 2018 during Trump's first term to deliver a new pair of state-of-the-art planes to replace the current ones which have been in service for nearly 40 years.
The company has fallen so behind on the six-year, $3.9billion project that there are now fears it won't be completed until after Trump leaves office in 2028.
A series of supplier and engineering snags has caused the project to go billions over budget and take several years longer than promised.
Behind the scenes it appears Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg's visit to the White House on April 18 did little to smooth things over.
Trump's frustration with the project eventually led him to select L3Harris to refit the $400million gift from Qatar.
The advanced communications and defense systems are needed for the aircraft to ensure the president and his team are prepared in case of an emergency.
The upgrades will give the president the ability to have a mobile command center in the sky so he can make crucial decisions in event that the U.S. were under attack.
It'll even give the president some protection against nuclear shockwaves in the event of an all-out world war.
AMAC Aerospace, a Swiss-based company specializing in aircraft maintenance and refurbishments, spent over two years turning the 747-8 into a flying palace.
The company installed all the luxury features into the plane and released a detailed summary of their work in 2020, when the Boeing 747 went up for sale.
Although the luxury aircraft has spent the last decade servicing Qatari elites it is actually returning home as the plane itself was built by Boeing in their Washington state facility.
The new plane also flies farther and faster than the current Air Force One, being able to travel up to 7,730 miles at a top speed of 660 mph.
The current Air Force One has a range of 6,800 nautical miles and can reach 644 mph.
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