Private jets are producing a disproportionately large share of aviation emissions, a new report has found, raising questions about policy, subsidies and climate responsibility as countries pursue emissions reductions.
Report highlights concentrated ownership and soaring emissions
The US-based Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) reported that the United States holds nearly 69 per cent of the world’s registered private jets. Independent analyses cited by the report indicate private-aviation emissions are rising rapidly: a 2025 assessment by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) estimated private jets emitted up to 19.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gases in 2023, while a separate scientific study found private-aviation emissions increased by 46 per cent between 2019 and 2023.
“Most people wish they could fly private, especially with how degrading the experience of commercial travel is,” Chuck Collins, a co-author of the IPS report, told Reuters. “But people don’t know that we subsidise commercial and private jet consumption here in the US and it’s the most polluting form of transportation.”
The climate impact of private jets is magnified by two key factors: the small number of passengers on each flight and the altitude at which many private aircraft operate. Fewer passengers mean emissions per traveller are much higher than on commercial flights; emissions at higher altitudes can also have additional warming effects beyond carbon dioxide alone.
- Private-jet passengers can generate 10 to 14 times the emissions of a passenger on a comparable commercial flight, according to the IPS summary of prior research.
- Private-jet travel can produce roughly 50 times the emissions of travelling the same route by rail.
- Private-aviation emissions were estimated at up to 19.5 million tonnes in 2023 by ICCT.
Policy and equity implications
The concentration of private jets in one country — and the high per-passenger emissions — raise immediate policy questions. Subsidies, favourable tax treatment, airport incentives and the lack of pricing for climate externalities can all encourage more private-jet use. The IPS report argues that those who can afford private aviation currently contribute disproportionately to transport-sector emissions, complicating national and international efforts to cut greenhouse gases.
Climate scientists and transport analysts point out that emissions at cruise altitudes can create additional radiative forcing effects through contrail formation and short-lived climate pollutants. Those non-CO2 effects can increase the overall warming impact of a flight, meaning simple carbon accounting may understate the true climate cost of private aviation.
Numbers in context
To understand scale: while 19.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gases from private jets are significant, they remain a fraction of total global transport emissions. Nevertheless, the rapid percentage growth (a reported 46 per cent increase between 2019 and 2023) and the extremely high per-passenger footprint make private aviation a target for efficiency and regulatory measures.
| Metric | Reported value |
|---|---|
| Share of world’s private jets registered in US | ~69% |
| Estimated private-jet emissions in 2023 (ICCT) | 19.5 million tonnes |
| Private-aviation emissions increase (2019–2023) | 46% |
| Private vs commercial per-passenger emissions | 10–14× |
| Private vs rail per-passenger emissions | ~50× |
These figures are taken from the IPS report and the ICCT analysis cited within it. They provide a snapshot rather than a definitive global inventory; different methodologies and data limitations mean exact totals may vary between studies.
Options for mitigation
Analysts and campaigners suggest several policy levers that could reduce the private-jet climate burden without impeding necessary air services:
- Remove or reform subsidies and tax benefits that favour private aviation;
- Introduce or strengthen carbon pricing or levies specific to private flights;
- Improve reporting and transparency of private-jet activity and emissions;
- Promote sustainable aviation fuels and technological improvements while recognising current limitations.
As governments aim to meet national and international climate targets, the disproportionate emissions from the wealthiest travellers will pose political and technical challenges. The IPS report and the ICCT analysis underscore that addressing emissions inequity in aviation is now part of broader debates on fairness, subsidy reform and realistic pathways to decarbonise transport.
