Flexjet wants you to design the interior of a Gulfstream private jet

Private jet airline Flexjet is expanding its range of custom aircraft interiors by offering the opportunity to design one of its Gulfstream G650s, along with a $100,000 prize.

The winning Project LXi Contest design will be added to the Red Label LXi Cabin Collection, which includes more than 50 aircraft interiors.

North America the second largest private jet operator measured by fractional and charter flight hours it calls the Design the ultimate private jet interior design competition.

A jury will judge the entries up to ten entries. A public vote will limit the field to just three participants. The trio of designers will then fly to the company’s headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, where Flexjet Chairman Kenn Ricci will choose the winner.

While business jets are often equipped with inconspicuous beige and gray interiors, Flexjet has long used this LXi Cabin Collection as a differentiator.

“Beautiful design can completely transform an experience, and I have always enjoyed studying design, whether it is clothing, architecture or aircraft,” says Ricci, adding: “When it comes to the Flexjet fleet, we created a number of themes, just as boutique hotels often do with their rooms. The interior design of each aircraft creates interest and speaks to our fanatical attention to detail.

For those of you planning to submit an entry, Flexjet says the theme is up to you.

However, if you’re looking for clues, Ricci recently told attendees at Corporate Jet Investor that the company has been attracting younger customers since Covid. The company has also expanded its fractional ownership program in Europe.

Last year it unveiled a collaboration for bespoke interiors and exteriors with the British carmaker Bentley cars for a G650 and one of its Sikorsky S-76 helicopters. It is working with Italian yacht designer Ferretti Group on a similar project that will be unveiled next year.

What else could take you to the winners’ podium?

Ricci is known for his personal fashion style and often wears Italian designers Isaia Napoli. His Instagram feed reveals a love for Notre Dame Footballa good cocktail and his passion for aviation. In one recent role of his “I’ll tell you over a drink” series, Ricci, who started out as a corporate jet pilot, tells how as a young aviator he had to carry tens of thousands of dollars in cash when flying internationally. At the time, many ground handlers and tankers did not accept credit cards. “If we were going on a trip around the world, we would typically have $50,000 or $60,000 in cash,” he says. The best hiding place, Ricci reveals, was behind the plug-in coffee maker.

According to Flexjet: “There are many elements in the aircraft cabin that (participants) can use to bring together the story they want to tell to illustrate their theme – from the carpet pattern, the seating materials, the color and accents, the type of wood veneer, the color and material of the side walls. Furthermore, the Flexjet Gulfstream G650 is divided into four different zones – working, dining, sleeping and the family room also an essential element to take into account.”

In terms of current interior names there is Capris, based on the island in the Mediterranean; Art Deco, based on the Roaring ’20s; Southwestern-inspired Santa Fe and Boardroom, from the film, The Thomas Crown Affair.

How much does one cost G650 cost? The list price for a new airframe is approximately $78 million.

Deadline for entries is February 28, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST. That’s possible enter here.