I toured Qatar Airways' $73 million Airbus A319 private jet to see how the ultra-rich travel. Here's what it was like.

Taylor RainsSep 2, 2023, 17:14 IST

Taylor Rains/Insider

Qatar Executive is the private charter arm of Qatar Airways, catering to the airline's most elite customers.
The company boasts a fleet of 20 private jets, two of which it showed off at the Paris Air Show in June.

Qatar Airways' award-winning business class is not the airline's only money-maker.

Unbeknownst to many flyers, Doha-based Qatar has a private charter division called Qatar Executive that caters to the airline's "ultra-high-net-worth individuals."

Founded in 2009, the wholly-owned business sports a fleet of 20 customized private jets, including the Gulfstream G650ER, the recently delivered Gulfstream G700, and the Bombardier Global 5000.

However, the biggest and most extravagant option is the $73 million Airbus ACJ319, which is the business version of the manufacturer's commercial A319 airliner. ACJ stands for Airbus Corporate Jets.

Qatar Executive actually has two versions of the plane, one with a VIP layout and one that serves as an air ambulance with two medical stations.

To get an idea of how the company's most elite customers travel, I toured Qatar Executive's VIP ACJ319 at the Paris Air Show in June — take a look inside.

Qatar Executive's ACJ319 is exactly what I imagine when I think of how the world's richest people travel.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Starting at the front of the jet, customers will enter and turn right into a narrow hallway that leads to the various seating options onboard.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Probably the most extravagant room available is the bedroom, which is located towards the front of the plane through a door to the left of the hallway.

Taylor Rains/Insider

The room is complete with a bed, plush linens, pajamas, a side table, and a large flatscreen television.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Near the bedroom is a large private lavatory stocked with towels and toiletries.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Beyond the bedroom is an open cabin that looks to be useful for meetings, dining, or playing tabletop games.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Separated by a curtain, the aft section of the ACJ319 is where those not lucky enough to claim the bedroom can get some shut-eye.

Taylor Rains/Insider

The cabin sports 12 lie-flat beds in a 2x2 layout, meaning they have business-class-like perks but window seat passengers lack direct access to the aisle.

Taylor Rains/Insider

The loungers are actually pretty similar to Qatar's old business class before it introduced its award-winning Q-Suites.

Taylor Rains/Insider

However, the seat did lack the large entertainment screens typically present on lie-flat products — but Qatar Executive has a different offering.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Behind business class, customers with find another lavatory, a closet, and two crew rest seats, all of which are curtained off.

Taylor Rains/Insider

As far as the meal service, guests can cater the food they want onboard, which will be served by flight attendants thanks to the large galley in the back of the plane.

Taylor Rains/Insider

For those looking to rent the carrier's luxurious ACJ319, it'll cost six figures for long-haul flights.

Taylor Rains/Insider

While Qatar Executive's biggest private jet option is the ACJ319, those with a smaller party may opt for the carrier's G700 plane once it starts flying.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Meanwhile, Qatar also sports the world's biggest fleet of Gulfstream G650ERs, as well as a handful of Bombardier Global 5000 private jets.

Flying on a Qatar Executive Gulfstream G650ER.Thomas Pallini/Insider

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I toured Qatar Airways' $73 million Airbus A319 private jet to see how the ultra-rich travel. Here's what it was like.

Qatar Executive's ACJ319 is exactly what I imagine when I think of how the world's richest people travel.

Starting at the front of the jet, customers will enter and turn right into a narrow hallway that leads to the various seating options onboard.

Probably the most extravagant room available is the bedroom, which is located towards the front of the plane through a door to the left of the hallway.

The room is complete with a bed, plush linens, pajamas, a side table, and a large flatscreen television.

Near the bedroom is a large private lavatory stocked with towels and toiletries.

Beyond the bedroom is an open cabin that looks to be useful for meetings, dining, or playing tabletop games.

Separated by a curtain, the aft section of the ACJ319 is where those not lucky enough to claim the bedroom can get some shut-eye.

The cabin sports 12 lie-flat beds in a 2x2 layout, meaning they have business-class-like perks but window seat passengers lack direct access to the aisle.

The loungers are actually pretty similar to Qatar's old business class before it introduced its award-winning Q-Suites.

However, the seat did lack the large entertainment screens typically present on lie-flat products — but Qatar Executive has a different offering.

Behind business class, customers with find another lavatory, a closet, and two crew rest seats, all of which are curtained off.

As far as the meal service, guests can cater the food they want onboard, which will be served by flight attendants thanks to the large galley in the back of the plane.

For those looking to rent the carrier's luxurious ACJ319, it'll cost six figures for long-haul flights.

While Qatar Executive's biggest private jet option is the ACJ319, those with a smaller party may opt for the carrier's G700 plane once it starts flying.

Meanwhile, Qatar also sports the world's biggest fleet of Gulfstream G650ERs, as well as a handful of Bombardier Global 5000 private jets.