Private jets pollute up to 14 times as much as commercial planes and are undertaxed in US, report says
Number of private jets has surged in recent years, but they do not pay commensurate portion of fees to FAA operations A new report has put a spotlight on the rapid expansion of private jet travel in the US, revealing that private jet owners are not paying their fair share of aviation tax despite the average owner’s wealth being $190m and private jets being up to 14 times more polluting than…
A new report has brought attention to the increasing usage of private jets in the United States and their disproportionate impact on aviation taxation. Private jet owners, with a median wealth of $190 million, are reportedly not contributing their fair share of fees to FAA operations. Private jets emit up to 14 times more emissions than commercial flights, despite being owned by just 0.003% of the global population.
The Institute for Policy Studies' report, High Flyers 2026, analyzed private jet flights using the Private Jet Emissions Tracker (PJET), which tracks flights arriving and departing at significant events like the Super Bowl, Kentucky Derby, and World Cup games. The report found that private jet flights have surged in recent years, with emissions linked to them rising by 50%.
Despite this, they contribute less than 0.6% of the taxes flowing into the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, which finances FAA operations. The report highlights the need for these wealthy individuals to pay their fair share and addresses the lobbying efforts by organizations like the National Business Aviation Association, which spent $2 million in 2025 to promote tax breaks for private jet owners.
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