We were among the first to go onboard Gulfstream’s new $78 million G700 and saw how it plans to stand out among encroaching rivals – see inside

Gulfstream is preparing to debut its largest private jet yet, catering to an elite class of traveler that can afford a $78 million price tag.

The G700 will enter service next year and offer the wealthy an unprecedented combination of spaciousness, range, and luxury in a purpose-built private jet three years in the making.

Travelers will be able to fly between any two cities in the world in one-stop or fewer thanks to the G700’s impressive range of 7,500 nautical miles. And all while flying in the largest cabin that Gulfstream has ever constructed.

Gulfstream’s G700 debut will arrive amid a field of tough competitors, namely Bombardier’s Global 7500. The Canadian private jet currently leads the pack as the world’s longest-ranged purpose-built private aircraft, and the largest currently in service.

And in France, the Dassault Falcon 10X will soon be a competitor that offers an even larger cabin than the G700 with a range of 7,500 nautical miles.

Meet the Dassault Aviation jet that one expert describes as a category killer.

Gulfstream just recently debuted the jet to the public, at an unveiling with launch customer Qatar Executive in Doha, Qatar, and Insider was among the first onboard. Here’s what it was like.

It’s impossible not to notice how much space the G700 occupies. Even in an otherwise empty aircraft hangar, the aircraft presence is undeniable as it boasts a triple-digit 103-foot wingspan typically reserved for airliners.

Two Rolls Royce Pearl 700 engines exclusive to the G700 enable a top speed of Mach .925 and the maximum range of 7,500 nautical miles.

Climbing onboard the aircraft, the built-in airstairs allow for flyers to ascend directly into the airplane and the awaiting cabin.

This is the first G700 that Gulfstream has fitted with an interior and flew to Doha in just over 13 hours. A speed record was broken between the two cities, flying 6,711 nautical miles in 13 hours and 16 minutes, even with a full contingent of Gulfstream staff onboard.

This demonstration aircraft had a relatively low-density configuration with seating for 15 across four living spaces. But as many as 19 people can be seated on the G700 in a high-density configuration.

Even with the additional cabin space, however, a 19-passenger seating configuration is a rarity in the industry where privacy and exclusivity is paramount. Most private owners will only fly with a handful of other select passengers.

Stepping inside the cabin, it appears no different from its sibling aircraft and has the same cabin height and width dimensions as the smaller G650ER. But the true beauty of the G700 is its length, offering an additional 10 feet and one inch of living space.

The demonstration aircraft included the traditional private jet seating features included two pairs of seats in the front of cabin…

Followed by an additional seat pair over wings, which could be replaced with a divan…

A conference and dining area in the back with a total of six seats…

And a private stateroom including a seat pair and a divan.

The demonstration aircraft also featured a 10-foot-long “ultragalley” where flight attendants will craft the meals, drinks, and snacks for the flight.

Opposite the galley is a private room for a crew member to rest if a flight exceeds a certain distance.

But the cabin is completely customizable and owners can have as many or as few seats as they desire. And owners now have nearly 57 feet of cabin length to fill with as many or as few seats as they want.

The 56-foot and 11-inch long cabin is complemented by a height of six feet and three inches and a width of eight feet and two inches. It’s a larger cabin than anything currently in service with Dassault and Bombardier, but not for long.

Gulfstream’s design teams will spend time with individual aircraft owners to learn their tastes and what style will meet their needs. including spending time in their homes.

The interior was guided by customer feedback, including in the galley, and with the expectation that customers will be using the aircraft to its fullest capabilities.

The cabin is interconnected with everything from cabin lighting to window shades controllable from a mobile device.

Controls, though, can be found at each seat so that customers don’t have to use use the app on their phone for basic functions if they don’t want to.

Entertainment screens around the aircraft offer ultra-high-definition displays in 4K. Entertainment, like comfort, is vital when flying the long distances of which the G700 is capable.

Illuminating the cabin during the day is a total of 10 windows on each side of the aircraft allow for unprecedented levels of natural light.

And with a diameter of 28 inches, there’s no need to crane one’s neck to get a good view, as Insider found on a demonstration flight with Gulfstream’s G650ER aircraft featuring the same windows.

Here’s what it’s like flying on a Gulfstream G650ER. 

Gulfstream used pressure mapping to design new seats for additional comfort on flights. Seat-backs are also hardshell to reduce the wear and tear on the leather.

Any of the seats on the aircraft can be made into a bed but the extra length offered in the aircraft allows room for a full-size bed if an owner so chooses.

The G700 falls into a limited class of private jets that are large enough to accommodate a shower. This model didn’t have the shower but a frequent long-haul flyer might consider it a necessity.

The cockpit is yet another Gulfstream innovation that takes some of the latest systems from Honeywell Aerospace.

High-definition displays and touch screens largely replace the buttons and switches found in traditional airliner cockpits.

The simplified experience is designed to ease pilot workload. Pilots can arrive at the aircraft and be ready to fly in under 10 minutes, assuming the aircraft is fully fueled and appropriately stocked.

The result, Gulfstream believes, is pilots that are less fatigued and can fly longer distances while still maintaining situational awareness and sharp decision-making skills.

The effects of poor weather and reduced visibility are also reduced given that a heads-up display lets pilots see through clouds and avoid terrain.

Wealthy travelers that don’t want to spend $78 million to buy a G700 can turn to one of the few charter and fractional ownerships companies that are investing in the G700 for their passengers.

Qatar Executive, the private jet division of Qatar Airways, has an order for 10 aircraft. The first aircraft will arrive in late 2022.

Here’s how Qatar Executive is finding success through buying some of the world’s latest private jets.

In the US, fractional ownership provider Flexjet will also add the G700 to its lineup.

The G700 won’t be Gulfstream’s flagship for long as the two new aircraft types have already been announced by the manufacturer, including one that can fly further than the G700.

Meet the Gulfstream G400 and G800.

The G800, with a range of 8,000 nautical miles, will soon surpass the G700 and G650ER as the longest-ranged aircraft that Gulfstream has ever produced. But the 500-nautical mile increase in range comes at the expense of space in the cabin.

In terms of sheer size, the G700 will reign supreme for the foreseeable future, at least in Gulfstream’s lineup.

And even amid a field of tough competitors, the unmistakable Gulfstream look conveys a sense of class and style that other aircraft builders may never be able to match.