If you're in the market for a private plane or a luxury yacht it should come as no surprise that fueling those toys are going to cost you. Sometimes, the cost to operate is a bit steeper than one would prefer but if you can afford to buy the aircraft in the first place, the fuel probably isn't too much of an issue. However, if you have the means and want a ballpark figure of what that private jet will run per hour, this is a good start.
Private Jets
The cost of jet fuel is typically one of the highest costs of owning a private jet and it's never a stable number. According to AirNav.com, if you're filling up your tank in the San Diego, CA area, the average cost of fuel is around $6 per gallon. If you're in New York City, it spikes a little higher with an average of around $7. The average nationwide is around $6. Some jets, like the fairly light Eclipse 550 from Eclipse Aerospace, consume as little as 59 gallons of fuel an hour, costing around $413 per flight hour if you go by the nationwide average cost of fuel. Other larger jets, like Gulfstream's G550 business jet, can span much larger areas (like Florida to South Korea, flying nonstop for 14.5 hours) but can burn through over 400 gallons of fuel an hour, which would cost you over $2,400 an hour if using the nationwide average. (Photo Courtesy of iStockphoto | Thinkstock)
Luxury Yachts
The cost of fueling your yacht is going to depend on many factors, including the duration of use and the tank capacity. Due to varying sea conditions, the fuel consumption of boats is calculated by gallons per hour. If you're fueling up in California, prices range from $6.50 a gallon for gas and $6.99 for diesel to $4.50 for gas and $4.60 for diesel. Prices drop over on the east coast, seeing rates of around $4.70 for gas and anywhere as low as $4.19 for diesel. If you're planning on heading to Bahamas, you can expect anything as high as $6.28/gas and $5.94/diesel and as low as $5.10/gas and $5.05/diesel.
Riva Yacht's new 122' Mythos has an overall length of around 34 meters and a fuel tank capacity of 4,887 US gallons, meaning that it may cost you around $25,000 to fill the tank up. You also have to consider how quickly your yacht burns through fuel and how long you plan on being out on the water for. According to The Wall Street Journal, you can expect to be spending around $2,500 an hour for boats over 71 meters that are cruising at around 15 to 20 knots. With those numbers, cruising for ten hours could cost you well over $26,360. (Photo Courtesy of F1 Online | Thinkstock)
According to Business Insider, there are superyachts out there, like the 191-foot Unbridled, that promise to be capable of traveling long distances (like Los Angeles to Tokyo) by using just one tank of gas, which can hold 34,000 gallons - though that one tank of gas may cost you around $237,660.
The Boat U.S. Foundation gives some easy ways you can get the most for your dollar, such as keeping your boat's bottom barnacle free and to try to keep the load's weight evenly distributed (meaning you shouldn't put all your heaviest furnishings on one end). You should also make sure to use the correct oil mix for the engine and invest in a fuel flow meter. Of course, one of the best ways to save money on gas is to make sure the yacht's engine is designed for fuel efficiency. (Photo Courtesy of iStockphoto | Thinkstock)
Jet Ski
Jet Skis can be tons of fun and are pretty easy to fuel up since you can usually get the gas at any vehicle gas station (just make sure you follow the manufacturer's directions on possible oil mixture and take note of the type of gas your jet ski was made for). According to Fuel Gauge Report, the current national average price for regular gasoline is around $3.297, mid is $3.451, and premium is $3.607. if you have Sea-Doo's GTX Limited iS 260 jet ski, which has a fuel capacity of 18.6 gallons, it would cost you around $61.32 to fill the tank with regular fuel. With a top speed of 70 miles per hour, you would probably use up around 18 gallons per hour, but you can save some money if you keep to a cruising speed, which would only use around eight gallons an hour. (Photo Courtesy of iStockphoto | Thinkstock)
JustLuxe is a luxury Web publication providing objective analysis and information to affluent consumers to assist with their decision making, such as chartering a yacht, purchasing a jet membership card, booking a luxury hotel, traveling to a specific destination, or buying real estate. Our writers conduct interviews with industry executives and leaders in their fields, analyze product offerings and review the Web sites of leading companies to ensure our readers have up-to-date data to make informed decisions. Consumers can find purveyors of fine luxury goods, services and travel solutions throughout the pages of JustLuxe via content or with our advertising partners. See our Best of Luxury high-end brands and partners.
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