Lionel Messi Arrives In India In Gulfstream V Private Jet: Know Cost, Facilities, Range About The Ultra-Luxurious Plane
Lionel Messi-mania has clearly gripped Kolkata. Thousands braved the December chill and waited past midnight to give a rousing welcome to the Argentine superstar footballer
Lionel Messi-mania has clearly gripped Kolkata. Thousands braved the December chill and waited past midnight to give a rousing welcome to the Argentine superstar footballer as he arrived in Kolkata for his whirlwind three-day, four-city G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025. The Barcelona legend's 2:26 a.m. touchdown in the early hours of Saturday sent the city into a frenzy. Barricades, police deployment, and non-stop cheering completed a citywide eruption of "Messi mania." Messi arrived with long-time strike partner Luis Suarez and Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul. Over the next 72 hours, he will zip across Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi, meeting chief ministers, corporate leaders, Bollywood celebrities, and eventually Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. (Live Updates)
Heavy security meant Messi was whisked out of the airport and taken to his hotel around 3:30 a.m. through a back entrance, giving hundreds of waiting supporters a complete miss.
According to news agency PTI, only a handful of lucky airport staff managed a fleeting glimpse of the Argentine superstar as he stepped off the private Gulfstream V jet, looking dapper in a black suit over a white T-shirt, before being driven straight off the tarmac.
VIDEO | West Bengal: Argentine footballer Lionel Messi arrived at Kolkata Airport accompanied by Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 12, 2025
(Source: Third Party)#LionelMessi
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/nNVfGvfpnX
According to aircharterserviceusa.com: "The Gulfstream V (GV) is an ultra-luxurious, ultra-long-range business jet capable of carrying passengers up to 6,500 nm, completing non-stop flights from New York to Tokyo and London to Singapore with ease.
The GV is certified to fly at 51,000 ft, which means it has the potential to avoid most air traffic, and can cruise at over 550 mph. At 96.42 ft long and 25.83 ft high, the cabin is slightly more spacious than Gulfstream's G500 and G550."
According to Google AI Overview: "A used Gulfstream V (GV) costs roughly $9 million to $14 million, depending on age, condition, and upgrades, while new GVs (now often the G550/G650 variants) can be $40M+. Expect annual operating costs around $2-$4 million for fuel, crew, maintenance, and hangar, making total ownership expensive."
Lionel Messi