Key facts
- A new presidential jet, a Boeing 747-8, was gifted to President Donald Trump by the Qatari royal family in May 2025.
- The new Air Force One features enhanced luxury and a new color scheme.
- The aircraft serves as the president's flying command center, office, and private quarters.
- The first aircraft for US presidents was the Douglas VC-54C Skymaster, 'Sacred Cow,' used from 1944 to 1961.
- President Dwight D. Eisenhower was the first to travel on a jet aircraft in 1959.
- President John F. Kennedy used a jet specifically designed for the president, SAM 26000.
A new presidential jet, a Boeing 747-8 gifted by the Qatari royal family, was accepted by President Donald Trump in May 2025. This aircraft, nicknamed the 'flying Oval Office,' is set to bring a new level of luxury and a revised color scheme to the presidential plane, continuing its role as a mobile command center, office, and private quarters.
The history of presidential air travel includes several notable aircraft. The first dedicated presidential plane was the Douglas VC-54C Skymaster, known as 'Sacred Cow,' which operated from 1944 to 1961 and served Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry Truman. This aircraft featured unique amenities for its time, including an elevator for Roosevelt's wheelchair and a conference room.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower was the first to utilize a jet aircraft for presidential travel in 1959 with his Boeing 707 Stratoliner, nicknamed 'Queenie.' This jet included telecommunications facilities and accommodation for 40 passengers.
President John F. Kennedy was the first to use a jet specifically designed for presidential use, a customized Boeing VC-137C known as SAM 26000. This aircraft featured living quarters, a bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen. The distinctive blue-and-white exterior design of this plane, featuring an American flag on the tail and presidential seals on the nose, was created by Raymond Loewy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.
Following President Kennedy's assassination in 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson took the oath of office aboard SAM 26000, which was then designated Air Force One.