Gulfstream GIV

The Gulfstream GIV, also written Gulfstream IV or G-IV, is the first version of the family that later produced the GIV-SP, G300, G400, G350 and G450. Compared with the Gulfstream III it gained a longer cabin with a sixth window on each side, more economical Rolls-Royce Tay engines and a cockpit with electronic displays. Gulfstream built 196 of them, and most fly in North America.

GIV cabin: three seating groups and up to six beds

The cabin is 12.29 m long without the baggage hold, with twelve large oval windows. Seats swivel and recline, and the sofa opens into a bed.

The most common layout has 13 seats:

• Galley at the entrance, where hot food can be prepared
• Washroom with a door and a basin at the rear, with the baggage hold behind it
• In charter the crew is usually two pilots and a cabin attendant, depending on the operator
• Internet and satellite phone depend on how the aircraft has been upgraded

Baggage: 4.79 m³, but watch the weight

The hold is heated and pressurised, so you can fetch things during the flight. Skis and golf bags fit when the cabin is not full, and hand luggage and coats stay in the cabin wardrobes.

A dog or cat can fly in the cabin if the operator agrees, which we check before booking. Within the EU it needs a microchip, a rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel and an EU pet passport; dogs bound for the UK, Ireland, Malta, Finland or Norway also need a tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before arrival.

Speed, range and runways

Two Rolls-Royce Tay 611-8 engines power the aircraft, flown by two pilots. Its maximum landing weight is 26,535 kg against 29,937 kg in the SP version, which limits the fuel it can carry on short legs. A Gulfstream-approved modification brings an aircraft up to SP standard, so ask about it in the quote. The route table plans non-stop legs up to about 6,000 km.

Runways in practice:

Flying the type in Europe

GIV routes from European hubs

Thirty routes from all thirteen hubs, from Paris - London (0:54 h) to London - Dubai (7:00 h), each without a fuel stop. Prices are one way for the whole aircraft with crew and fuel, without airport fees and passenger taxes. Flight time follows the great circle plus taxi, climb and approach.

Up to two hours: short hops for a large cabin

Two to four hours: Greece, Iberia, Morocco and the Canaries

Over four hours: the GIV near its planning limit

• Geneva - Dubai (4,930 km, 6:18 h) and London - Dubai (5,531 km, 7:00 h) work with a light cabin; with 12 or more passengers the operator may plan a fuel stop
• New York is at the edge of the range and usually needs a stop in Ireland or Canada, so it is not in the table
• Miami, Asia and southern Africa always need a fuel stop

The calculator gives an indicative price for the GIV or a jet of the same class on the route you choose.

How much does it cost to charter a GIV

The flight-hour rate starts at EUR 8,300 for the whole aircraft with crew and fuel. On short legs the total is well above that rate multiplied by flight time, because positioning, the operator's minimum charge and handling form a fixed part: Paris - London costs EUR 16,000 for 0:54 h. Longer legs spread that part over more hours, so Paris - Tenerife costs EUR 40,000 for 3:50 h and Geneva - Dubai EUR 58,000.

The price is for the aircraft, so on Paris - Tenerife the share per person depends on how many fly:

How to fly for less

• Accept a GIV-SP or G450 in the same quote: the cabin is almost identical, and an aircraft based closer saves a long positioning flight
• For a return after a few days, compare the jet waiting with its crew against two separate flights; we always try to quote both
• Give a time window, so the operator can link your trip with another one
• For eight people or fewer on a short leg, a smaller jet is the cheaper choice

Empty Legs on this type

With so few aircraft in Europe, empty legs on this type are rare. On its younger sisters they come up more often, and the price can be 40-65 % below a normal charter, as an example rather than a promise. Date and route are fixed, and the operator can cancel the leg if the aircraft gets a full charter.

Send your route and a date window to empty-legs@jets.flights or through the Empty Legs page, and we include all three types in the search.

GIV, GIV-SP, G450, Challenger 604 or Legacy 600

The closest alternatives are later versions of the family and large-cabin jets that are easier to find in Europe.

How to book

Tell us:

• route, date and number of passengers
• baggage and sports equipment
• any dog or cat on board
• whether the SP version or a G450 is acceptable, which widens the choice

We check free aircraft with operators holding an AOC and send offers with cabin photos and the operator's name. Within Schengen there is no passport control, but the operator needs a passport or ID for every passenger, and EU citizens flying to the UK need an ETA.

Questions about the Gulfstream GIV

• • How much does a GIV flight cost?

  • The rate starts at EUR 8,300 per flight hour. Paris - London costs from EUR 16,000, London - Palma from EUR 25,000 and Paris - Tenerife from EUR 40,000, one way for the whole aircraft, without airport fees and taxes.

• • What is added to the table price?

  • Positioning from the aircraft's base, airport and handling fees, passenger taxes of the departure country, catering, winter de-icing and crew costs if the jet waits for you.

• • How can the trip cost less?

  • Accept a younger family member based closer to you, keep the departure time flexible, and on a return after a few days let us compare waiting with two separate flights.

• • Are there Empty Legs on the GIV?

  • Rarely, as few aircraft fly in Europe. On the SP version and the G450 they appear more often, sometimes 40-65 % below a normal charter, with a fixed date and route.

• • Is the GIV often available in Europe?

  • No. Most of the 196 built fly in North America, so with every request we also offer the SP version and the G450, which are easier to find here.

• • How many passengers fit?

  • Usually 12 to 14. With a full cabin, passengers and baggage limit the fuel load, so on long routes plan a smaller group or take the SP version.

• • Is there a proper toilet on board?

  • Yes, a washroom with a door and basin at the rear, with the baggage hold behind it, reachable in flight.

• • Can I take my dog?

  • Usually yes, once the operator agrees. Within the EU the dog needs a microchip, a pet passport and a valid rabies vaccination.