Inside Trump's $400m 'palace in the sky' gifted from Qatar

by · Mail Online

The $400 million jumbo jet the Trump Administration has reportedly agreed to 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, this is no cheap re-gift by the Qatari government. It's essentially a fully-furnished flying mansion.

The soon-to-be Air Force One was 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. It 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, the president stated that he plans to accept the lavish gift, stating that the Boeing 747-8 airliner will 'temporarily' serve as the interim Air Force One until the new American jets are completed.

The private 747 comes with a master bedroom, a guest bedroom, two full bathrooms, nine lavatories, five small kitchens, and a private office (pictured)
The massive plane has been renovated to fit five different lounges throughout the aircraft's two main decks, including this one on the 747's upper deck

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 space on board the massive plane has been renovated to fit five lounges throughout the aircraft's two main decks, which are connected by a luxurious staircase. 

It also comes with all the modern air travel accommodations like 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 has plush carpeting, leather couches, and golden furnishes.

The conference room has gorgeous tan and cream chairs with deep cushions that are adjustable with the push of a button.

The corridors of the plane are lined with reflective, gold-colored walls that are reminiscent of Trump’s design choices at his own properties such as Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan.

Once the 747-8 is handed over to the US Department of Defense, it'll undergo a major overhaul to make sure it's properly equipped for the commander-in-chief. 

Unlike your everyday commercial 747 which holds over 460 people, this jumbo jet only has five rows of standard business class seating.
The various lounges, kitchens, and bathrooms are connected by a luxurious staircase (pictured). The plane is capable of carrying up to 90 VIP guests
The private lounge (pictured) is located on the same deck as the 747's master bedroom  and guest bedroom
This is also conference seating in the jumbo jet's main lounge (pictured) and the entire area can accommodate up to 16 guests

Defense contractor L3Harris has been picked to lead the jumbo jet's refit, adding in security and communication features needed on board 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 US.

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 H.W. Bush was president.

The new model from Boeing was scheduled to be completed in 2024, but delays have reportedly pushed its debut to 2027.

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
Usually, a commercial 747 can carry up to 467 passengers, but this private plane for VIPs carries less than a quarter of that number
President Trump has said this plane will serve as the interim Air Force One until Boeing completes the new version, which has fallen far behind schedule

Its a major setback for Boeing, which had been tapped in 2018 during Trump's first term to deliver a new pair of state-of-the-art planes to replace the old ones that have been in service for nearly 40 years.

Boeing has fallen so behind on the six-year, $3.9 billion project that it now fears it won't be able to finish building the planes before Trump leaves office after 2028.

A series of supplier and engineering snags has caused the project to take years longer and go billions over budget.

Behind the scenes it appears Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg's visit to the White House on April 18 did nothing to smooth things over.

The 747-8 will become the longest plane to ever serve as Air Force One, measuring 250 feet long. According to the design layout, the master bedroom sits at the front of the plane, with the master bathroom and guest bedroom and bath behind it. A private lounge for the president sits at the end of a private hallway outside the bedroom
The plane has a main lounge can hold up to 16 people and has a private office (pictured in green) which seats 4 people and has its own private toilet. There are also multiple kitchens (galleys) down the hall from the main lounge
There is also more business class seating, lounges with couches and big-screen TVs on the upper level for VIPs. At the back of the upper deck lounge (pictured in purple) there is a full kitchen, a bathroom, and a staircase to the main deck of the Boeing 747
The plane has been used by Qatar Amiri Flight, a division of Qatar Airways that transports royals and other government officials. There are 4 rows of business class seating near the back of the plane along with another kitchen and 2 more toilets

Trump's frustration with the project eventually led him to select L3Harris to refit the $400 million gift from Qatar. 

The advanced communications and defense systems are needed to make the aircraft ready for the president and his team 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 the US were under attack.

It'll even give the president some protection from nuclear shockwaves in the event of an all-out world war.

The Qatari royal family has reportedly offered this new 747-8 as a gift to the White House, which is estimated to cost $400 million
Defense contractor L3Harris will still need several months upgrading the plane so it can properly carry out the duties of the normal Air Force One
On Truth Social, the president stated that he plans to accept the lavish gift , stating that the Boeing 747-8 airliner will 'temporarily' serve as the interim Air Force One until the new American jets are completed 

AMAC Aerospace, a Swiss-based company specializing in aircraft maintenance and refurbishments, was in charge of turning the 747-8 into a flying palace.

They spent over two years installing all the luxury features into the plane. The company 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 ferrying Qatari elites around the world, it's 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.