Private jets, the most polluting form of transport per passenger, continue to soar in popularity despite growing climate concerns. A new report by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) reveals that each private jet emitted, on average, the same greenhouse gases in 2023 as 177 cars or eight heavy trucks, while transporting far fewer people.
In total, private aviation produced 19.5 million tons of CO₂ equivalent last year — nearly matching emissions from all flights departing Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport. The ICCT counted 3.57 million private flights in 2023, with U.S.-based jets making up two-thirds of global departures and over half of emissions. Florida and Texas alone emitted more than the entire EU.
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The report underscores how private jet use is both unequal and inefficient. While the ultra-rich take short, discretionary trips (half under 900 km), the climate impact is disproportionately felt by the world’s poorest. Researcher Dan Rutherford argues that taxing private jets could fund sustainable aviation and climate adaptation, especially since jet fuel remains untaxed while car gasoline is not.
The ICCT calls for stricter CO₂ efficiency standards, mandatory use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), and replacing short flights with high-speed trains. Although private jets account for just over 2% of total aviation emissions, their growth and elitist use raise broader questions of fairness and accountability in the climate crisis.
