Bezos & Sánchez’s wedding sparks luxury jet invasion over Venice

It wasn’t just champagne popping in Venice—it was jet engines roaring as the world’s wealthiest and most fabulous descended on Italy’s floating city for Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s ultra-luxe wedding. While love was in the air, so were Gulfstreams, Globals, and a flurry of air traffic control alerts. Welcome to the most glamorous airlift of the year.

As Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez tied the knot in Venice, Italy, the skies above Marco Polo Airport resembled an exclusive international airshow. But this wasn't just another glamorous celebrity gathering—it was a defining moment for business aviation in 2025.

The wedding attracted a who’s-who of the global elite, from Oprah Winfrey to Kim Kardashian. According to airport information, more than 33 private jets landed on Sunday alone, nearly doubling the typical daily volume of such traffic. As the wedding weekend unfolded, more than 90 private jets were expected to land—a staggering figure that underscores the magnetism of Bezos’s celebration and its impact on regional aviation.

Venice's Marco Polo Airport (VCE), primarily known for commercial tourism traffic, suddenly found itself functioning as a de facto VIP air hub. Typically handling modest private aviation flows, the airport was inundated with luxury aircraft—Gulfstreams, Bombardier Globals, Dassault Falcons—all delivering billionaire tycoons, media moguls, and fashion royalty to the Venetian lagoon.

The airport, which ranks in the top 15 busiest airports in Italy and among the top 50 in Europe by passenger traffic, operates with a single 3,300-meter runway and limited general aviation infrastructure. It isn't typically ranked among Europe’s business aviation hotspots like Le Bourget in Paris or Farnborough in London, but this event temporarily shifted its role.

While some celebrities arrived in personally owned jets—such as Oprah Winfrey and Kim Kardashian, both of whom flew in on their Gulfstream aircraft—a significant number were likely traveling via chartered aircraft. These include entertainment and fashion guests who commonly rely on luxury charter services like VistaJet, NetJets, and Flexjet.

Diane von Fürstenberg touched down on her personal Gulfstream G500, while Barry Diller arrived in his ultra-long-range Bombardier Global 7500 tracked via ADS-B data. Bill Gates’ aviation assets reflect his status as a high-profile private jet operator: two G650ERs, two Challenger 350s, and at least one Global Express. His G650s are high-capacity, long-range luxury jets, and recent data shows significant operational fuel use and carbon emissions.

At a gathering like Bezos’s Venice wedding, Gates would likely have utilized one of his G650ERs—a jet capable of directly reaching Venice’s Marco Polo with a single refuel stop, blending comfort, exclusivity, and logistical ease.

Tom Brady, Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner, among others, were also observed arriving aboard private aircraft, though many of these were likely high-end charters. Expected guests such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Mick Jagger, Eva Longoria, and Lady Gaga may have opted for similar arrangements through private operators or shared ownership models.

Private charter operators reported a marked increase in demand to Venice, managing repositioning logistics and accommodating last-minute VIP itinerary shifts—an operation worthy of a Hollywood production in itself.

Given the airport’s limited general aviation parking capacity, many aircraft were repositioned post-drop-off, flying to nearby airports such as Treviso (TSF) or Verona (VRN) for parking. Some ultra-long-range jets even hopped over to Swiss or Croatian airports to await their VIPs’ return flights.

Airport authorities managed the surge through a carefully coordinated slot allocation system, and temporary ground handling expansions were reported to accommodate the bespoke needs of VIP passengers.

Bezos’s wedding offers a rare glimpse into the sheer scale of wealth—and logistical complexity—associated with billionaire gatherings. It also highlights the economic footprint of luxury aviation: increased airport revenue, additional fuel sales, high-end FBO (Fixed Base Operator) services, and a boost for luxury concierge providers.

From a business aviation standpoint, Venice became a transient Monaco in the sky - a showcase of global private aviation muscle, turning Venice into a luxury aviation destination overnight.