A private jet is the most popular form of air transport for heads of state. From Donald Trump to Queen Elizabeth II, here’s a look at the private aircraft used by top world leaders:

When it comes to air travel, only private jets will do for the world’s most powerful leaders and heads of state, says a study by Air Charter Service. The company, which specialises in private jets and charters, has used research from its 20 global offices to discover how 13 of today’s most influential figures travel.

The results reveal exclusive details about the type of private jets used by world leaders, their estimated cost, special security features, and extravagant interior designs. While most heads of state prioritise comfort and luxury, some have much more modest tastes than others.

The most expensive private fleet, valued at £1.2 billion, belongs to Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The Emir of Qatar often travels with an entourage of over 1,000 people and even brings his limousine onboard to use at his destination. The Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah also has opulent tastes and has decorated his £170 million ‘flying palace’ with precious gems and metals.

For other world leaders, the emphasis is on size and security. The Russian president Vladimir Putin has a special coating on his planes to make them less visible, as well as jamming and disorientating radars and advanced communication systems. According to Air Charter Service, British Prime Minister Theresa May has the record for the aircraft with the largest capacity, her Airbus A330 holds 160 passengers.

From Queen Elizabeth II’s personal helicopter to the state-of-the-art security features on Donald Trump’s planes, here’s a closer look at the private jets used by some of the world’s most powerful heads of state.

Queen Elizabeth

Type of jet: Sikorsky S-76 Spirit helicopter

Value: £77.5 million

Queen Elizabeth's helicopter, registration number G-XXEB. Seen in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh during visit of the Pope
View of the Queen Elizabeth’s helicopter a Sikorsky S-76

The Royal Family used to rent planes from British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, but they’re now transported to events by the 32nd Squadron of the United Kingdom. Their £77.5 million fleet includes four BAE-146 airplanes, six BAE-125s which can cover distances of 3,000 kilometres, and two AW109 helicopters for short trips of up to 1,000 kilometres. The Queen also travels in her own personal Sikorsky S-76 Spirit helicopter, which belongs to the Royal household.

US President Donald Trump

Type of jet: Boeing 747-200B and C-32

Value: £780 million

The US president Donald Trump has three private jets at his disposal but whichever one he’s currently onboard is referred to as Air Force One. Trump normally uses one of his two identical Boeing 747-200B planes which have been serving presidents for 25 years, making them the oldest in the study. Each plane has been heavily customised with sophisticated security features such as secure communication channels and protection against standard attacks and electromagnetic pulses.

At 70-metres long with 65-metre wingspans, each presidential jet features large cabins fitted with a private bedroom, bathroom, office, gym, and medical suite with operating room. There’s space for 70 passengers and 26 crew members, including the president’s staff and accompanying journalists. Originally, former presidential wife Nancy Reagan decorated the planes in an ‘American Southwest’ style, but this has since been updated.

The Chinese President Xi Jinping

Type of jet: Boeing 747-400

Value: £195 million

The most modest world leader in the report is China’s president Xi Jinping, who doesn’t even own his own private aircraft. Jinping instead takes charter flights with Air China in one of two Boeing 747-400s, normally used as regular passenger planes. It can take up to two weeks for Jinping’s security team to check over the Boeings, then the cabin seats are taken out and replaced with a living room, bedroom, bathroom, and office. The interior décor, glimpsed through rare official photos, shows the president has minimalist, austere tastes.

Other world leaders mentioned by Air Charter Service include Nursultan Nazarbayev, who has the most-used private jet. The president of Kazakhstan spent 140 hours in his plane last year travelling over 99,000 kilometres to 15 countries. In Europe, the former French president Francois Hollande flies in a £210 million Airbus A330-200 which has a bedroom, kitchen, mini operating suite, office, and soundproof negotiating room. German Chancellor Angela Merkel also has a private negotiating room in her £235 million Airbus A340-313X VIP, as well as IFF missile defence systems.

Heads of state from all over the world spend billions of pounds on VIP air transport. While some have more spectacular tastes than others, it’s clear that private jets are the only way to travel for the world’s top leaders.