The World’s Largest Twin-Engine Private Jet Now Features Royalty-Worthy Interiors

Imagine entering a plane and stepping into a luxurious, cocoon-like private suite, complete with a king-sized bed and a bathroom featuring the largest rain and massage shower ever created for an aircraft. The space can even merge with the bedroom to create a private, self-contained sanctuary for ultimate privacy.

This is the star feature of Lufthansa Technik’s innovative design for the upcoming BBJ 777-9, a private jet version of Boeing's 777X widebody aircraft. Named CelestialSTAR, the cabin design fully utilizes the 343-square-meter (3,700-square-foot) interior, offering long-haul comfort with the ability to fly non-stop for 22 hours, connecting any two cities globally without needing a stopover.

However, with a combined cost of over half a billion dollars for the plane and its custom interior, this will remain a luxury accessible to only a select few. Lufthansa Technik, the engineering arm of Germany’s flagship airline, unveiled the design at the Dubai Airshow, targeting primarily royal families in the Middle East.

The design blends Middle Eastern cultural motifs with a sleek, modern aesthetic. Hassan Gasim, a sales director at Lufthansa Technik, explains: 'It’s a fusion of traditional Middle Eastern elements with contemporary design. This region values its heritage while confidently embracing the future.'

Additional features include a versatile 'work & balance' area located beside the bedroom and bathroom, equipped with rotating and sliding seats. These seats can be adjusted for work around large desks or repositioned towards the side divans for meetings and conversations. The room also features trapezoidal wall niches that can serve as display spaces, which can then be hidden behind the walls for a clean, seamless look.

The spacious dining area is designed to function as a traditional Middle Eastern 'majlis,' a space for social gatherings and meetings. It accommodates 11 individual seats and includes advanced features like retractable monitors integrated into the table. The second half of the cabin offers six luxurious suites for guests or delegations, alongside 32 executive seats equivalent to business class. At the rear, there's an Entourage Area, similar to a premium economy cabin.

Delayed Giant

The highly anticipated 777X, the world’s largest twin-engine jet, is scheduled to enter service in 2025. Currently, the concept exists only on paper. However, Lufthansa, one of the first airlines set to operate the model, confirms that the design is based on the actual specifications of the aircraft, meaning it can be realized once a customer places an order.

Gasim reveals that Lufthansa Technik has outfitted over 150 Boeing BBJ aircraft in various configurations. Due to confidentiality agreements, they’ve never been able to showcase this work publicly. 'That’s why we’ve developed these conceptual designs to demonstrate what’s possible and provide a foundation for discussion,' he explains.

At the Dubai Airshow, attendees could explore the designs through virtual reality. As for the real aircraft, the wait will be a bit longer. Clemens Schrettl, another sales director at Lufthansa Technik, notes, 'Assembling such an aircraft takes time, so the first deliveries will likely occur in 2027 or 2028.'

Schrettl predicts strong demand for the business jet version of the 777X in the GCC region, which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. He points out that over 30 Boeing 747s are already flying as private jets in the region, and adds, 'I believe the demand for the 777X will exceed even that number.'

Beyond Private Jets

The Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) range was introduced in the late 1990s, based on the Boeing 737, to create dedicated corporate jets, explains Gary Crichlow, an aviation analyst at AviationValues. 'Boeing later expanded the BBJ concept to include all of its aircraft models, including widebodies,' he says. 'The BBJ line is primarily aimed at ultra-high-net-worth individuals and heads of state.'

Crichlow notes that details on buyers and sale prices are seldom shared due to privacy concerns. 'The final price depends entirely on the customer's imagination and budget,' he says. 'It’s a custom project from start to finish. Once the design is finalized, the interior fitting is handled by specialized completion centers, not Boeing, after the aircraft is delivered.'

Boeing has delivered over 250 BBJs to date and currently offers variants based on the 737 MAX, the 787, and the upcoming 777X. According to Syed Zaidi, an aviation consultant at Cirium, the majority of the BBJ fleet consists of narrowbody aircraft.

The widebody BBJ family is extremely exclusive, with only about 20 aircraft currently in service, nearly all of which are used by national governments or heads of state, according to Zaidi.

Private jets come with significant environmental impacts, as they emit 10 times more pollutants per passenger than commercial airliners.

The Boeing 777X was a highlight at the Dubai Airshow, where it showcased its flight capabilities. In one of the biggest deals of the event, Emirates, which had already placed an order for 105 777Xs, committed to an additional 90, bringing its total to 205. The airline also added 35 more 787s and 15 Airbus A350s to its fleet.