For celebrities, government officials, and other prominent figures, private jets are the ultimate way to avoid long lines, crowded terminals, and airport delays. But comedian and podcast host Conan O'Brien is getting attention for saying he would still rather fly commercial — even though he could easily afford not to.
O'Brien made clear that price is only part of the equation. What he values most, he said, is being around other travelers instead of sealing himself off from them.
What happened?
Asked about the subject on musician and podcast host John Mayer's "How's Life?" podcast, O'Brien said private flying has never been especially enticing to him. As Upworthy reported, he framed it as a question of more than money or convenience.
"My rule is I'll fly on a private jet if someone else is paying for it. That's my rule," O'Brien said. "But for the most part, I would rather educate my children. So I fly commercial, and you know, I'm fortunate I get to fly in the part of the plane where I get some leg room."
Upworthy reported that he also stressed that the sheer price of private jets makes them hard to justify, joking that they are a good way "to go broke."
"It's gonna sound crazy, but I really like to go through and chat up the people at the TSA. I don't mind taking the belt off," he said. "I like being in the world with other people that are traveling."
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Why does it matter?
O'Brien's comments come at a time when private jet use has become a flashpoint in broader conversations about wealth, pollution, and social disconnect. Chartering a private plane can cost tens of thousands of dollars for a single trip, while owning one can add millions in purchase costs, along with maintenance and operating expenses.
Another downside he raised was emissions, reflecting a broader criticism of private aviation: a very small number of passengers can produce a disproportionate amount of pollution.
According to Upworthy, his view also fits into the broader idea some writers call "frictionmaxxing" — a pushback against stripping every inconvenience out of life, and a belief that small discomforts can help people stay grounded, patient, and connected in shared spaces.
What are people saying?
Similar concerns have been voiced by filmmaker and activist Abigail Disney, who has warned that extreme convenience can cut people off from ordinary life. Reflecting on her father, Roy Disney, she said, "You don't have to go through an airport terminal, you don't have to interact, you don't have to be patient, you don't have to be uncomfortable. These are the things that remind us we're human."
Writer Kathryn Jezer-Morton framed the broader idea this way: "Tech companies are succeeding in making us think of life itself as inconvenient and something to be continuously escaping from."
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