34-year-old Canadian rapper and private plane aficionado Drake continues to live the sweet life with his own private 767 plane. A handsome freebie from Canadian freight firm Cargojet, Drake’s plane has leather seating, nice taps, ample legroom, and there’s no squabbling over armrests.
How much did Drake pay for that 767?
Drake scored his new plane early in 2019. According to Boeing’s website, a new 767 costs around $200m, although that would be for a brand new 767-300ER. Air Drake was an ex freighter, converted to a private jet (probably at great expense). Brand new, Airways Mag reckons these cost around $185m, but this would probably be a fair bit less on the second-hand market.
However, with Drake himself valued at US$150 million, and a customized 767 costing north of that, it looks like a champagne purchase from a rapper with a (premium) beer budget.
Last year, Simple Flying’s Jo Bailey did some digging. It turns out the plane isn’t Drake’s exactly. It’s more like a car that belongs to your Dad that he lets you drive, and you like to think of as your own. Drake’s private jet sugar daddy is Ontario-based Cargojet, who deal in time-sensitive. overnight air cargo services.
“We are very excited to partner with Drake as our ambassador and assisting him with his logistical needs and requirements,” said Ajay Virmani, Cargojet’s President, last year.
“We have had a lengthy relationship with Drake, and this partnership has grown organically between both parties. Cargojet and Drake are both great Canadian successes. We are thrilled to be partnering together.”
Drake scores a jazzed up second hand 767 ex-freighter
Like any good Dad, while Cargojet’s gift/loan is undoubtedly generous, it does have bounds. The 767-24QER (registered N767CJ) is customized, and it sure beats flying commercial. But it is also a rackety old second-hand freighter that’s being tarted up with a fresh paint job, faux wood panels, and a bit of interior bling.
The plane was built at Boeing’s Everett site and is 24 plus years old. It previously belonged to Mid East Jet, a charter airline working out of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. It was sold in 2018 to Elan Express. From there, it found it’s way to Drake via Cargojet
Inside, the plane is appointed in a style you’d expect from any self-respecting rapper. Last year, Drake let his camera do the talking and posted a clip of the plane’s interior on Instagram.
Still, a big step up from flying commercial
You have to admit it’s quite a step up from Delta Comfort Plus. Gold walls are offset with chocolate brown sofas and plush striped carpets. There seems to be plenty of places to hang out, from dining areas to lounges, with giant TV screens throughout the aircraft. All good spots to drink some champagne and have a snooze.
With no overhead lockers to accommodate, the aircraft is spacious and airy. Custom lighting adorns the ceilings, and there are plenty of other luxurious touches – check out those standard lamps! But I don’t know, the color palette, it’s a bit same same.
That said, Drake seems to like it. Since Dad gave him the keys, Drake has been making good use of his wheels. There have been new paint jobs, new Instagram clips, and just enough tweaks around the edges to keep people guessing. At the end of the day, Cargojet is letting Drake use this old Boeing in return for publicity and brand awareness. Drake delivers that in spades.
Drake, operating as @champagnepapi on Instagram, has 72 million-odd followers (more than Snoop Dogg but a lot less than Beyonce). How many of those 72 million followers end up sending a time-sensitive parcel via Cargojet, we cannot say, but the freight business must be getting something out of the deal.
As for Drake, he gets to skip the airport terminal blues and easily maintain an appropriate social distance on his flights. When you are only one of ten passengers on a 767, no-one can hear you cough. Or, as it’s your plane, no-one would care.
