Gulfstream GIV-SP

The Gulfstream GIV-SP is a heavy business jet with a stand-up cabin 1.88 m high and 2.24 m wide, usually seating 12 to 14. SP stands for Special Performance: compared with the first GIV, this version has a higher take-off and landing weight, so it carries more load for the same fuel. The last airframes of the series were sold under the G400 name.

Sectors that suit the type, all non-stop in the table:

• Geneva to Tenerife in 3:50 h and Zurich to Tel Aviv in 3:48 h
• Munich to Doha in 5:34 h and Geneva to Dubai in 6:18 h
• London Farnborough to New York in 7:00 h with a moderate load

A full washroom, a galley and a hold reachable in flight make the GIV-SP a sensible choice for a group of ten or more on three to six hours. For four people on a one-hour hop a light or midsize jet costs far less.

GIV-SP cabin: layouts and equipment

The cabin is 12.29 m long without the baggage hold and has six large oval windows on each side, typical of the Gulfstreams of this generation.

The most common layout has three areas:

The galley by the entrance serves hot meals, and the full washroom with a door and washbasin is at the rear. A cabin attendant flies often in this class, but it depends on the aircraft and the operator, so we confirm it for every trip. Some aircraft have satellite internet and new interiors, others keep the original seats and only a satellite phone. How many people can lie down on a night flight depends on the layout of the specific GIV-SP.

Baggage and payload

The hold takes the large suitcases of eight people, or for a smaller group also skis, golf bags or a folding pushchair. With a full cabin, one medium suitcase and hand luggage per person is the sensible limit. On legs of up to four hours the GIV-SP takes less fuel, and the 900 kg figure no longer matters; for Dubai or New York with every seat taken the operator recalculates the weight before confirming a non-stop flight.

Performance and airports

Two Rolls-Royce Tay 611-8 engines give 61.6 kN of thrust each. The 7,577 km range assumes four passengers; westbound winter headwinds shorten it, and detours around closed airspace lengthen routes to the east and south. The route table works with about 6,300 km per leg, which covers the Gulf and, from London, Paris or Madrid, the US east coast. The cockpit is the older Honeywell SPZ-8000, though many owners have added newer navigation, and we check ADS-B equipment, required in European airspace, for each aircraft.

Airports in practice:

• Cannes-Mandelieu (1,539 m) accepts the GIV-SP only at reduced take-off weight after the operator's check; Nice is the usual choice for the Riviera
• Sion (2,000 m) has a mountain approach and needs a trained crew, Lugano (1,414 m) is ruled out in practice, and from Samedan, at about 1,700 m elevation, the jet leaves only at a much lower weight
• The 537 m sloped Courchevel altiport is too short for the type and needs a special qualification; skiers land in Geneva or Chambéry
• In London the aircraft uses Farnborough, Luton or Biggin Hill

Flying the type in Europe

Gulfstream GIV-SP routes from European hubs

The table lists 30 one-way routes from all thirteen hubs: short business legs, the Balearics, Greece and the Canaries, the Middle East and the Gulf, and the North Atlantic from the western hubs. Prices are for the whole aircraft with crew and fuel, without airport fees and passenger taxes. Flight time follows the great circle with taxi, climb and approach added.

Business hops up to 2 hours

2 to 4 hours, where the larger cabin starts to pay off

Over 4 hours to the Gulf and across the Atlantic

• All rows are non-stop; the longest, Paris Le Bourget - New York, is 5,828 km in 7:21 h
• Across the Atlantic with a full cabin or a strong winter headwind the operator may plan a fuel stop in Ireland or Iceland; from Munich, Vienna or Milan New York needs one as a rule
• Routes to the Gulf depend on which airspace is open, so the operator confirms the flight time in the quote
• Miami, the Caribbean and the US west coast are beyond the GIV-SP non-stop; for those we quote a Gulfstream G550 or a Global

On Milan - Paris (1:16 h) or Paris - Nice (1:19 h) a small group pays for cabin space it does not use, and a midsize jet is clearly cheaper.

The calculator shows an indicative price for the GIV-SP on your route, including departures from regional airports across Europe.

How much does it cost to charter a GIV-SP

The rate starts at EUR 8,300 per flight hour for the whole aircraft with crew and fuel, the same for two passengers as for twelve. On short legs the total is clearly above the rate times flight time, because positioning, the operator's minimum charge and handling form a fixed part: Milan - Paris costs EUR 19,500 for 1:16 h and Paris - Nice EUR 20,000 for 1:19 h.

On longer sectors that fixed part weighs less per hour. Geneva - Tenerife costs EUR 41,000 for 3:50 h, Geneva - Dubai EUR 58,000 and London - New York EUR 63,000, one way for the whole aircraft. With few GIV-SPs in Europe, positioning is often the item that decides the final price.

Split between the passengers, Geneva - Dubai comes to:

How to pay less

Empty Legs on this type

Since few GIV-SPs fly in Europe, empty legs on this exact type are rare; they appear mostly between London, Geneva, Italy and the Gulf. Empty legs on comparable heavy jets are more frequent, and the price can be 30-60% below a normal charter, as an example rather than a promise. The date and route are set by the operator, and the flight can be cancelled if the aircraft gets a full charter.

Send the route and a date window to empty-legs@jets.flights or check the Empty Legs page, and we write when a suitable aircraft comes up.

GIV-SP, GIV, G400, G450 or Challenger 605

The nearest relatives are the other GIV versions; outside Gulfstream the usual comparison is the Challenger 605.

How to book

Send us:

• route, date and preferred time
• number of passengers, baggage and sports equipment
• whether internet, flat beds or a cabin attendant matter, as these differ from aircraft to aircraft
• whether a G450 or another heavy jet is acceptable

Within Schengen there is no passport control, but the operator needs passport or ID details for every passenger. EU citizens travelling to the UK need an ETA, and travellers to the USA under the Visa Waiver Programme need an ESTA.

Questions about the Gulfstream GIV-SP

• • How much does a GIV-SP cost from Geneva to Dubai?

  • From EUR 58,000 one way for the whole aircraft, about 6:18 h without a stop. With eight passengers that is about EUR 7,200 each. Airport fees and taxes come on top.

• • What makes up the price?

  • Flight hours at the rate, positioning, crew costs on stays, airport and handling fees, passenger taxes of the departure country and extras such as catering or de-icing, each shown in the quote.

• • How can I fly cheaper?

  • Open the request to the whole GIV family and the G450, keep dates flexible and compare a crew stay with two empty legs. For a small group on a short leg a smaller jet is the bigger saving.

• • Are there empty legs on the GIV-SP?

  • Rarely, as few fly in Europe. Empty legs on similar heavy jets are more common and can be 30-60% below a normal charter in some cases.

• • How many passengers does a GIV-SP take?

  • Usually 12 to 14, depending on the layout, and it is certified for 19. Up to four hours a full cabin is comfortable; for a night flight when everyone wants to sleep, plan a smaller group.

• • Is there a proper toilet?

  • Yes, a full washroom with a door and washbasin at the rear of the cabin.

• • Can it fly non-stop to New York?

  • From London, Paris or Madrid yes, about 7 hours with a moderate load. With a full cabin or winter headwinds, and from hubs further east, the operator plans a fuel stop in Ireland or Iceland.

• • How much baggage fits?

  • The 4.79 m³ hold, reachable in flight, takes the large suitcases of eight people. With full tanks about 900 kg remains for passengers and bags, so on the longest legs we check the list.

• • Can the GIV-SP land in Cannes or Courchevel?

  • Cannes-Mandelieu only at reduced weight after the operator's check, so we usually plan Nice. Courchevel is too short; skiers land in Geneva or Chambéry.

• • Can I take my dog?

  • Usually yes, in the cabin, once the operator agrees. Within the EU the dog needs a microchip, a pet passport and a valid rabies vaccination; other countries have their own rules.