Buffett followed his advice and ?sheepishly? spent $850,000 on a used Falcon 20 jet, author Alice Schroeder wrote in ?The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life.? Buffett wrestled with the ostentatious purchase because it clashed with his upbringing and self-image.

Warren Buffett’s primary personal aircraft is a Bombardier Challenger 600, a high-performance business jet known for its wide cabin and transcontinental range. Despite his famous frugality—symbolized by his $3 breakfast habit—Buffett has a long, humorous history with private aviation. He bought his first used jet, a Falcon 20, in 1986, which he initially nicknamed "The Indefensible" because the purchase clashed with his thrifty public image. After realizing the immense time-saving value of private travel for managing the sprawling Berkshire Hathaway empire, he jokingly renamed it "The Indispensable." While his company, Berkshire Hathaway, actually owns NetJets—the world's largest private jet fractional ownership company—Buffett often uses his personal Challenger for his own travel needs. In 2026, he remains an advocate for the efficiency of private flight for business purposes, even if he still occasionally quips about the "bacteria-like" expense of owning such a luxurious asset.