For companies tightening their belts, many CEOs seem to have missed the memo — at least, as it pertains to their private jets.
A new Wall Street Journal analysis found that more than half of America's 500 largest companies now pay for their chief executives to fly private, even as many slash budgets and lay off workers.
Collective spending on private air travel has soared nearly 77% since 2020, underscoring what one worker called "a lot of hypocrisy."
Meta, for example, paid $1.5 million last year to charter flights for CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who also gets a $14 million security allowance. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon received nearly $300,000 worth of personal jet travel on top of $36 million in pay.
And Starbucks reportedly covers its CEO's commute from California to Seattle — by private plane — while closing cafes, increasing food waste, and cutting staff.
Executives and companies justify the surge as a matter of safety. But critics say the optics are hard to ignore, especially when pollution from private flights is skyrocketing.
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A recent study by researchers at Linnaeus University in Sweden revealed that carbon pollution from private jets has surged 46% in just five years, with record sales in the business-jet industry fueling the increase.
One WSJ commenter summed up their frustration: "Too much of the cost of the aviation system is subsidized by the federal government, and the business of private aviation does not pay its fair share of the costs."
Private jets are also among the planet's most polluting forms of travel, releasing up to 10 times more pollution per passenger than commercial flights. Tesla CEO Elon Musk's own jets reportedly released 11 million pounds of carbon dioxide in 2024, despite the company's clean-energy image.
Another commenter on the Journal's story didn't mince words: "There are some companies with massive amounts of debt, a depressed stock price, but the C-suite is still making millions, flying private, and attending sporting events in front-row seats."
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Absolutely 💯 If this kind of excess leaves you fuming, there are ways to channel that energy into impact.
Supporting cleaner transportation policies, joining community solar programs, or using less expensive public transit options all help reduce the imbalance between corporate pollution and individual action.
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