Private jets pollute up to 14 times as much as commercial planes and are undertaxed in US, report says

A recent report has highlighted the alarming disparity between the pollution caused by private jets and the minimal taxes they contribute in the US. The Institute for Policy Studies' new report, High Flyers 2026, reveals that private jet owners are not paying their fair share of aviation tax, despite their average wealth being $190 million. Private jets emit up to 14 times more carbon emissions per passenger than commercial flights, making them the most polluting form of transport.

The number of private jet flights has significantly increased in recent years, with climate-heating emissions rising by 50%. This surge in private aviation has led to private jets accounting for roughly 16% of flight operations handled by the Federal Aviation Administration. However, despite making up 7% of airspace activity, these noncommercial private jets contribute less than 0.6% of the taxes flowing into the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, which finances FAA operations.

The report, developed in collaboration with over 20,000 open-source trackers, also points out the lobbying and tax policy benefits enjoyed by private jet owners. The National Business Aviation Association spent around $2 million on lobbying in 2025 to support legislation providing tax breaks to private jet owners. Report co-author Chuck Collins argues that the rest of us should not have to bear the cost of the luxury excess of the private jet billionaire class, emphasizing that our tax dollars should not subsidize their reckless air travel habits that harm our warming planet.