Private Jet Boom Outpaces Tax Contributions and Fuels Climate Concerns

A new Institute for Policy Studies report, *High Flyers 2026*, documents a rapid expansion of private-jet travel in the United States. Between 2019 and 2025, fractional ownership rose 6%, and overall private-jet flights have surged, now representing roughly 16 % of flight operations overseen by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Despite this growth, the U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that non-commercial private jets make up 7 % of air-space activity yet contribute less than 0.6 % of the taxes that fund the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, which finances FAA operations.

The Guardian

The report’s Private Jet Emissions Tracker (PJET) shows climate-heating emissions from private jets have risen 50 % in recent years. Private jets emit direct carbon per passenger 10 to 14 times more than commercial aviation, making them the most polluting transport mode per traveler. An estimated 256 000 people—about 0.003 % of the world’s population—use private flights, but their environmental impact far exceeds their share of air traffic.

The Guardian

The Institute highlights tax policies that favor private-jet owners, who have a median wealth of $190 million, with fractional owners averaging $140 million. The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) spent approximately $2 million lobbying in 2025 to support legislation granting major tax breaks to private-jet owners. The report argues that this lobbying, combined with limited tax contributions, creates a subsidy for ultra-wealthy travelers.

The Guardian

• “At a time when most ordinary people are struggling to afford groceries, rent and healthcare, our report exposes how the ultra-rich and greedy corporations are private jet-setting at the expense of the rest of us, while trying to dodge accountability for fueling the climate crisis.” — Chuck Collins

The Guardian