June 1, 2025 | Luxury Marketplace

Everything You Need to Know About Flexjet

Flexjet’s corporate jets bridge the gap between owning and chartering a private aircraft.

Owning a private jet offers the promise of luxury, flexibility and efficiency. However, having the keys to a private plane also comes with its own set of inconveniences and drawbacks. Whether it is arranging storage, ensuring regular maintenance or hiring a crew, full ownership is a beneficial option only to very few elite travelers.

This is why private jet providers and companies increasingly offer programs that suit different needs, from frequent executive travel to occasional family getaways. And if owning an entire jet can be overwhelming, owning a jet card or shares of a jet is often a great alternative option, especially as buyers can choose to buy the percentage of shares that best suits their flying frequency and preferences.

What is Flexjet and how does it work?

Flexjet entered the private aviation market in 1995 when it started offering fractional ownership programs as a division of Bombardier Aerospace. Today, the American company operates under the umbrella of Directional Aviation and offers its flagship shared ownership program as well as jet cards, plane leasing and helicopter services.

Whether the priority is guaranteed availability, swift callout times or competitive pricing, Flexjet’s diverse range of offerings ensures that every flyer’s needs and preferences are met.

What is perhaps most representative of the jet company’s dedication to bridging the gap between owning and chartering a private aircraft is the Red Label membership.

This premium subscription provides passengers with more personalized service, including dedicated crews assigned to each jet who quickly learn flyers’ unique preferences, from pouring your favorite champagne to setting the ideal cabin temperature. The membership also unlocks access to luxurious bespoke interiors from the LXi Cabin Collection, which help create the ultimate lavish and elegant home – or office – in the sky.

Flexjet is an expert at crafting experiences that especially appeal to business executives and corporate travel in general. The company offers unmatched time flexibility to all fractional owners, ensuring bookings are seamless, even at the last minute, and always designed to fit the demands of busy schedules. In addition to that, the cabin provides a quiet and private space where passengers can have conversations, hold meetings or get some work done during the flight.

What are the best Flexjet corporate jets?

Gulfstream G650

Travelers who regularly use private aviation, be it for work or pleasure, hold some of the highest standards when it comes to quality, service and flexibility – which is why it’s vital they choose the correct provider. Qatar Executive is the private jet charter division of Qatar Airways, so it’s safe to say they know a thing or two about getting passengers from point A to B in a stylish and efficient manner.

Qatar Executive was established back in 2009 with the goal of transforming the private jet charter industry with its own brand of luxury, privacy and exclusivity. With Qatar Airways’ commercial wing over 15 years old at this point, the brand was already experienced in the challenging logistics of aviation, making adding a private charter division a smooth and natural process.

Today, 16 years later, Qatar Executive is now established as one of the industry’s main providers, with a loyal base of customers that return for trip after trip. With clients ranging from high-net-worth individuals and government officials to corporate clients, Qatar Executive is able to offer an attractive alternative to commercial aviation.

At the heart of Qatar Executive lies its exemplary fleet which is focused on the popular Gulfstream brand of aircraft. By concentrating on ultra-long-range travel, Qatar Executive has formed one of the most elevated fleets of aircraft in the business, while giving its customers the ability to reach almost anywhere in the world. This impressive reach, combined with bespoke schedules, personalized in-flight experiences and the privacy of exclusive terminals are just a few of the many reasons Qatar Executive customers keep coming back.

These high standards are set to continue long into the future, as Qatar Executive is both the launch partner and first commercial operator of the Gulfstream G700. Set to revolutionize the field of ultra-long aviation, the G700’s range of 7,750 nautical miles ensures private jet passengers can travel further and faster than ever before. While performance is greatly improved, those aboard these aircraft will also enjoy an impressively spacious cabin, that provides all the modern conveniences of luxury air travel.

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Best Luxury Cars for 2025

To determine the best luxury cars, iSeeCars analyzes data from over 12 million new and used vehicles to evaluate each luxury car’s reliability, value retention, and safety ratings.

Reliability is a reflection of a vehicle’s long-term quality and durability. It is often reflected in lower operating costs for a vehicle owner, as well as reduced time and energy spent visiting dealerships to address issues beyond scheduled maintenance.

Value retention indicates how much market value a vehicle has after several years of use. This is typically the most expensive factor in vehicle ownership. Models that lose a substantial amount of value over time contribute far less to a consumer’s future trade-in value for their next purchase, or what the vehicle can be sold for in the used car market.

Safety ratings come from a standardized set of safety tests performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). These organizations perform comprehensive studies to determine the potential for occupant injury or death if a vehicle is involved in an accident.

For each model, the data related to these three components is aggregated across multiple model years and updated regularly. The data is combined to create a Quality Score, and that quality score is compared across all models within a segment to determine the ranking for best cars.

What Kind of Luxury Cars Are Available?

Luxury cars are offered in varying sizes and body styles, and with several drivetrains that include hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and electric models. They typically include premium styling cues, such as sleeker profiles, larger wheels, and generally more sporty design features. These visual upgrades are supported by upgraded powertrain specs and tech features, reflected in higher horsepower figures, more advanced infotainment systems, and a superior driving experience.

For a long time the most prominent luxury vehicles were full-size flagship sedans like the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Cadillac Eldorado, or Mercedes-Benz S-Class. And while luxury SUVs from brands like Range Rover have stolen some of their thunder in recent decades, there remain enough luxury cars across the automotive landscape to satisfy premium customers seeking luxury accommodations in a non-SUV form.

What Type of Luxury Car Should I Buy?

Whether seeking high performance, high style, or high fuel economy, luxury shoppers should first decide what form of luxury car they’re after. Premium sports cars from brands like Ferrari and Porsche possess powerful engines and deliver exceptional performance, but they aren’t very practical and, even by luxury car standards, they have a high MSRP.

Luxury sedans, whether casual cruisers like the Genesis G90 or sports sedans like the BMW 5 Series, offer a much better balance between premium and practicality. These models offer fully functional rear seats and can be equipped with all-wheel drive to take on inclement weather conditions. Luxury wagons are another option, providing many of the same traits as their sedan counterparts, but with more cargo capacity.

At the top of the luxury car price range are super luxury models like the Bentley Continental and Rolls Royce Phantom. These automakers don’t scrimp on material quality and often feature cutting-edge touchscreen entertainment and seating technology to coddle back seat passengers. But these brands also cost multiple times the price of a typical German luxury car, forcing buyers to decide how much those exclusive badges are truly worth.

Buyers who want to combine premium transportation with maximum fuel economy should consider the growing field of hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and pure electric luxury models. Nearly every luxury brand offers at least one new car with hybrid technology, and while none of these models challenge the Toyota Prius in terms of maximum fuel efficiency, they all deliver better fuel efficiency and lower fuel costs.

Here is a list of the best luxury cars across multiple categories ranked by their iSeeCars Quality Score.

Best Luxury Small Cars

Lexus IS 350 – 9.1 / 10
Lexus IS 300 – 8.9 / 10
BMW 3 Series – 8.6 / 10
Volvo S60 – 8.6 / 10
Acura ILX – 8.6 / 10

Best Luxury Midsize Cars

Lexus ES 250 – 9.0 / 10
Lexus ES 350 – 8.7 / 10
Lincoln MKZ – 8.6 / 10
Mercedes-Benz E-Class – 8.5 / 10
Lexus GS 300 – 8.4 / 10

Best Luxury Large Cars

Buick LaCrosse – 8.4 / 10
Acura RLX – 8.3 / 10
Lincoln Continental – 8.2 / 10
Lexus LS 500 – 7.8 / 10
Mercedes-Benz S-Class (coupe) – 7.7 / 10

Best Luxury Hybrid Cars

Lexus ES 300h – 8.7 / 10
Lincoln MKZ Hybrid – 8.5 / 10
Lexus LS 500h – 7.9 / 10
Chevrolet Corvette (hybrid coupe) – 7.7 / 10
Acura NSX (hybrid) – 7.6 / 10

Best Luxury Plug-in Hybrid Cars (PHEV)

Volvo S60 (Plug-in Hybrid) – 7.6 / 10
BMW 3 Series (Plug-in Hybrid) – 7.3 / 10
Porsche Panamera (Plug-in Hybrid) – 7.3 / 10
Audi A8 L (Plug-in Hybrid) – 7.2 / 10
Volvo S90 (Plug-in Hybrid) – 7.2 / 10

Best Luxury Electric Cars

Tesla Model 3 – 8.3 / 10
Tesla Model S – 8.1 / 10
BMW i3 (electric) – 6.8 / 10
Porsche Taycan (wagon) – [Score not listed]
Porsche Taycan – [Score not listed]

Best Luxury Sports Cars

Porsche 911 (coupe) – 9.2 / 10
Porsche 911 (convertible) – 8.6 / 10
Audi TT (coupe) – 8.3 / 10
Chevrolet Corvette (coupe) – 8.2 / 10
Audi TTS (coupe) – 8.2 / 10

Best Luxury Convertibles

Porsche 911 (convertible) – 8.6 / 10
Audi TT (convertible) – 8.1 / 10
Chevrolet Corvette (convertible) – 8.0 / 10
Porsche 718 Boxster – 7.9 / 10
Mercedes-Benz E-Class (convertible) – 7.7 / 10

Best Luxury Wagons

Mercedes-Benz E-Class (wagon) – 8.7 / 10
BMW 3 Series (wagon) – 8.5 / 10
Volvo V60 – 8.3 / 10
Volvo V60 Cross Country – 8.2 / 10
Audi A4 allroad – 7.3 / 10

Best Luxury 2-Seater Cars

Porsche 911 (coupe) – 9.2 / 10
Chevrolet Corvette (coupe) – 8.2 / 10
Audi TT (convertible) – 8.1 / 10
Chevrolet Corvette (convertible) – 8.0 / 10
Porsche 718 Boxster – 7.9 / 10

For the complete list of cars across all categories, refer to our full Best Luxury Car list.

Luxury Island Tourism

Inexpensive hotels and swaying palm trees have long attracted travelers to Southeast Asia, but Singapore is doubling down on a different strategy — focusing on increasing tourism receipts instead of traveler arrivals.

Officials on Friday outlined a plan to increase tourism revenue in the city-state from a record-breaking $29.8 billion in 2024 to $47 billion-$50 billion in the next 15 years.

Singapore’s “Tourism 2040” strategy centers on increasing demand from two distinct groups — business and stopover travelers, Grace Fu, Singapore’s minister for sustainability and the environment, said at the country’s Tourism Industry Conference 2025.

Officials aim to triple tourism revenue from so-called “Mice” travelers, or those who travel to attend meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions, Fu said.

“On average, a Mice visitor spends two times as much as a leisure visitor, making it an exceptionally valuable segment for Singapore,” she said. “The global Mice sector [is] expected to double in value over the coming decade.”

The country is also looking to develop a new Mice hub in the downtown area of Singapore, said Fu.

Benefits of the Mice industry go beyond tourism receipts, Singapore Tourism Board CEO Melissa Ow said at the event.

They “will further deepen our connection to priority industries, enable us to grow our economic heft by convening influential actors and thoughts leaders in Singapore, thereby amplifying our status as the World’s Best Mice City,” she said.

Ow announced that Singapore had secured its largest Mice event yet, Herbalife Extravaganza 2026, which she said is expected to draw 25,000 visitor arrivals.

Stopover travelers are also expected to bring more tourism revenue, especially after the opening of Changi Airport’s Terminal 5, which is scheduled for the mid-2030s.

Ferrari U.S. Tariff Risks

Luxury carmaker Ferrari on Tuesday reported a significant upswing in first-quarter profit, citing robust demand for personalized vehicles — but warned U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade policy could hit earnings this year.

The Maranello, Italy-based sports car manufacturer posted net profit of 412 million euros ($466.3 million) for the first three months of the year, reflecting a 17% increase from the same period last year.

Analysts had expected first-quarter net profit to come in at 410 million euros, according to Reuters poll.

“Another year is off to a great start,” Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna said in a statement.

“In the first quarter of 2025, with very few incremental shipments year on year, all key metrics recorded double-digit growth, underscoring a strong profitability driven by our product mix and continued demand for personalizations,” Vigna said.

Looking ahead, Ferrari warned that the introduction of U.S. tariffs on EU cars imported into the U.S. could negatively impact the firm’s profitability this year.

“The [2025] guidance is subject to a potential risk of 50 basis points reduction on profitability percentage margins (EBIT and EBITDA margins), in relation to the update of the commercial policy following the introduction of import tariffs on EU cars into the USA,” the automaker said in its earnings report.

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Luxury Jewelry Brands

With a diamond encrusted ring here and a rare gemstone necklace there, the world’s wealthiest are continuing to adorn themselves with the finest jewelry even as broader luxury shoppers pull back.

But make no mistake, one mother-of-pearl bracelet is not to be confused with another. As the super rich grow even more selective, increasingly only the best will do.

That spells positive news for Swiss luxury group Richemont, which boasts some of the luxury jewelry market’s most sought-after brands, including Van Cleef & Arpels, Buccellati and Cartier.

“Richemont’s jewelry brands are really at the top of consumer desirability,” Luca Solca, sector head for global luxury goods at Bernstein, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe.”

“There’s no debate. Despite the efforts by LVMH to challenge this leadership, I think that other brands are clearly behind.”

Richemont on Friday reported better-than-expected fiscal fourth-quarter sales, led by 11% growth within its Jewellery Maisons division. For the full year, jewelry was also the group’s strongest segment, growing 8%.

The travel industry is one of the sectors most susceptible to fraud, with scams rising 18% during the summer peak season and 28% in the winter peak season in 2024, according to a new report.

The report, published last Tuesday by the Mastercard Economics Institute, showed that fraud related to travel agency and tour company bookings is more than four times higher than the fraud average of other industries.

“Once paid, the tour may either never occur or be drastically different from what was promised,” it said.

However, scam risks vary significantly from city to city, said David Mann, chief economist at the Asia-Pacific division of the Mastercard Economics Institute.

“In certain destinations, you can end up seeing a lot more of the fraud coming from the travel and the tour company side. In other cities, it can even be in things like food services. So a good example, over in Los Angeles, [food is] the biggest portion of where we see some of the fraud,” he told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” on Friday.

According to Mastercard’s data, tourists reported the lowest rates of fraud in San Francisco, U.S.; Dublin, Ireland; Seoul, South Korea; Budapest, Hungary; and Edinburgh, Scotland.

However, travelers to other cities reported higher levels of fraud: Cancun, Mexico; Hanoi, Vietnam; Dhaka, Bangladesh; and Bangkok, Thailand.

The type of scams commonly reported in cities also varies, with taxi and car rental problems comprising just 2% of reported fraud cases in Hong Kong and Barcelona, but 66% in Jakarta, Indonesia, the report showed.