US and Chinese Presidents' Flights: A Tale of Two Jets

The Boeing 747-200Bs used by US President Joe Biden are highly customized and permanently configured for presidential travel. In contrast, China's top leader, Xi Jinping, travels on specially prepared Air China Boeing jets.

Air Force One is a symbol of the American presidency, with its exterior bearing the words 'United States of America', the American flag, and the seal of the US president. The aircraft has 4,000 square feet of floor space across three levels, including a presidential suite with an office, lavatory, and conference room.

The VC-25B Bridge, a customized Boeing 747-8I, entered presidential service earlier this year as an interim aircraft, valued at an estimated $400 million. China's top leader does not travel on the domestically produced C919, which has raised questions in recent years.