A new report says private aviation in the US is expanding rapidly while wealthy owners pay a disproportionately small share of aviation taxes. Private jets produce up to 14 times more direct carbon emissions per passenger than commercial flights, raising concerns about climate damage and public subsidies.

The report estimates that private jets and charter services account for about 16% of Federal Aviation Administration operations, while non-commercial private aircraft contribute less than 0.6% of taxes supporting FAA activities. Private jet use involves roughly 256,000 people globally, with median owner wealth of $190m; fractional ownership rose 6% between 2019 and 2025, while the aviation sector’s climate-heating emissions increased by 50%. It also highlights growing infrastructure demand and lobbying for tax breaks, including approximately $2m spent by the National Business Aviation Association in 2025.