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People Call Out Celebs’ Hypocrisy After 2024 Private Jet Flight Usage Leaderboard Is Revealed
Interview With Expert
A new report by CelebrityPrivateJetTracker.com revealed the top celebrity private jet users of 2024, with ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt logging 612,578 miles (985,617 kilometers), followed by Elon Musk and Kim Kardashian. The report highlighted the environmental impact of celebrity air travel. Experts reacted to the results, labeling the private jet emissions as “huge.”
Highlights
- Eric Schmidt logs 495 flights, topping celeb jet mileage at 612,578 miles in 2024.
- Elon Musk follows with 320 flights, totaling 577,531 miles on two planes.
- Kim Kardashian third with 236 flights, generating 4,701 metric tons of CO2.
- Top celeb jet users emit CO2 equating to many lifetimes of average emissions.
According to CelebrityPrivateJetTracker.com, Eric Schmidt flew the most, mile-wise, in his Gulfstream G650.
The 69-year-old billionaire’s total flights for the year amounted to 495, accumulating 612,868 miles, 712,100 gallons of fuel, and 7,116 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) pollution.
Elon Musk came in at a solid second, flying a total of 320 times in his own Gulfstream G650.
A new report by CelebrityPrivateJetTracker.com revealed the top celebrity private jet users of 2024
Image credits: Trac Vu/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
The Tesla owner traveled 461,191 miles (742,213 kilometers) using 511,250 gallons of fuel and 5,105 metric tonnes of CO2 pollution.
The SpaceX founder also flew 116,340 miles (187,231 kilometers) on his second plane, a Gulfstream V, and wasted an additional 1,301 metric tonnes of CO2 pollution.
Kim Kardashian and her Gulfstream G650 came in third with 236 flights, traveling 419,532 miles (675,170 kilometers) and using 464,320 gallons of fuel and 4,701 metric tonnes of CO2 pollution.
Image credits: jacksweeney
The 44-year-old socialite was followed by Sean “Diddy” Combs, who flew 308 times and a total of 415,139 miles (668,100 kilometers) in his Gulfstream V.
According to the website, the disgraced music star used 383,360 gallons of fuel and wasted 5,154 metric tonnes of CO2 pollution.
CelebrityPrivateJetTracker.com sparked a heated debate on social media, as a Reddit user commented: “In hindsight, Diddy’s name being on this list is horrifying.”
Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt logged 612,578 miles (985,617 kilometers)
Image credits: Shahar Azran/Getty Images
A person wrote: “The constant talk about it really made me expect Taylor Swift somewhere really high on there, but instead its a couple of names that have me wondering what they even have to jet that often for.”
Taylor, who has often been accused of unnecessarily flying in a private jet while ignoring climate change concerns, flew 80 times on her Dassault Falcon 7X, traveling 91,890 miles (147,882 kilometers) and using 70,420 gallons of fuel, in addition to leaving 830 metric tonnes of CO2 pollution.
CelebrityPrivateJetTracker.com further exposed the journeys of the 34-year-old singer’s second private jet, which has since been sold.
Image credits: Jesse Grant/Getty Images
According to the website, Taylor’s separate Dassault Falcon 900 flew 41 times, amassing 40,513 miles (65,199 kilometers).
“And I’m over here just trying to fly first class once in my lifetime lmao,” a netizen quipped.
An additional Redditor added: “What good is this information when it isn’t being used productively? These people should be penalized or taxed for this insane pollution.”
Schmidt was followed by Elon Musk and Kim Kardashian
Image credits: Arturo Holmes/Getty Images
A cybernaut questioned: “Ok but how do you take 408 flights in a yr???????”
Someone else penned: “So glad I take the time to clean my yogurt pots and recycle them, really gonna help to counter this.”
“We need a special carbon tax on private jet usage,” a commentator argued.
Image credits: Paras Griffin/Getty Images
A separate individual chimed in: “But remember to only use paper straws people
The top private jet users generate many lifetimes’ worth of CO2 emissions in just a single year compared to average individuals, according to Edward Gryspeerdt, a lecturer in Atmospheric Physics at Imperial College London, UK.
The professor told Bored Panda in an email: “I think some useful context here is that the average European produces about 7 tons of CO2 equivalent per year (and approximately double this for the USA).
“For a lifespan of 80 years, this is about 560 tons (or 1,120 for an American), so the top of the leaderboard is producing many lifetimes of CO2 emissions for an average person in just one year!
“Even worse – it is not clear to me that this leaderboard includes the non-CO2 effects of flying (the warming effect on contrails), so the actual climate effect might be around twice as large as the numbers here suggest!”
Travis Scott was also exposed as a top private jet user
Image credits: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images
The expert further highlighted that Donald Trump topped the leaderboard in fuel consumption, burning nearly 5 million gallons, but that this was likely because his flights were tied to his presidential campaign and carried many passengers.
The US president-elect flies a Boeing 757, which can typically hold 200 to 295 passengers, depending on the configuration.
“Ultimately, the worst impacts of climate change will fall on the people least able to afford them,” Professor Gryspeerdt said.
Image credits: Phillip Faraone/Getty Images
He concluded: “While private jets are a small component of the total CO2 emissions from aviation, per person they are absolutely huge emitters.
“Reaching net zero is essential to limit further dangerous climate change. A reduction in private jet flights looks like a good way to help with this, especially where there are simple alternatives available.”
Burning aviation fuel creates CO2, with each kilogram producing 3.15 kg of CO2, as per Dr. Guy Gratton, an associate professor of Aviation and the Environment at Cranfield University in the UK.
He told Bored Panda in an email: “The relationship’s pretty straightforward here. If you burn fuel – pretty much any fuel – the carbon in it combines with oxygen in the air to create carbon dioxide which is one of the most critical and well-understood greenhouse gasses.”
Other celebrities tracked on the leaderboard included Luke Bryan
Image credits: Scott Legato/Getty Images
Dr. Gratton explained: “If we’re talking about jet fuel […] 1 US gallon of it weighs about 3.1kg, so that’ll create about 9.77kg of CO2.
“So for Eric Schmidt at the top of the leaderboard, 7,121,000 US gallons of kerosene would create about 7 million kilograms or 7,000 metric tonnes of CO2.
“Close enough to the calculation on the leaderboard.”
According to the expert, to calculate a person’s carbon footprint from a flight, you would divide the total fuel used by the number of revenue-earning passengers.
Business jets consequently have a higher personal carbon footprint than commercial flights such as a full Ryanair Boeing 737, because they carry fewer passengers relative to the fuel burned.
“Clearly on the other side, business jets make huge sense for people who are either at risk from other people who wish them harm, or people whose time is so expensive that the few hours saved by not having to use connecting flights, bigger airports, and so-on are well worth it,” Dr. Gratton added.
Image credits: Lionel Ng/Getty Images
Additionally, he admitted: “For the record, although I don’t fly anything that posh myself, I’ve been in a few for professional purposes, and they really aren’t all that luxurious – it’s a cramped metal tube, often no headroom, and limited service.
“This really is all about speed, convenience, and security, albeit that they do normally have nice seats and a very comfortable ride.”
Comparing flights is difficult, but a modern narrow-body jet like an A320 or B737, when full, delivers about 100 miles per US gallon per passenger seat, generating roughly 100 kilos of CO2 for a 1,000-mile trip, according to Dr. Gratton.
This is comparable to the emissions of a family car with one to two passengers, though the flight is much faster.
The expert explained that a mid-sized business jet like a Hawker 800 burns about 417 gallons of fuel on a 1,000-mile trip, generating 4,000kg of CO2.
Bill Gates flew his Gulfstream G650 217 times
Image credits: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images
With four passengers, this results in roughly one metric tonne of CO2 per person for the flight.
Dr. Gratton concluded: “So, being really simplistic about it, but probably close enough for what you want, your lightly loaded business jet creates about ten times the CO2 per passenger of a full budget airliner doing the same trip.”
CelebrityPrivateJetTracker.com was created by Jack Sweeney, a Florida college student who first rose to fame as the creator of the @ElonJet account on X (formerly known as Twitter).
He has notably exposed flight-path data to track the movements of numerous celebrities.
Image credits: Gilbert Flores/Getty Images
Meta recently suspended several accounts that tracked the private jet flights of celebrities and tech moguls, including Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos, that were run by Jack.
He claimed his accounts were shut down without warning and accused Meta of selective enforcement, pointing out that accounts tracking the flights of figures like Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis remained active longer, The New York Post reported in October.
Upon exposing Taylor Swift’s carbon footprint last year, the songstress’ legal team sent Jack a cease and desist letter in December 2023.
The document stated that his “wrongful and dangerous actions must stop” and threatened legal action against him, Bored Panda previously reported.
“They give to ‘philanthropy’ so it makes it ok,” a reader commented
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What People Think
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Environmental Activist: Calls for stricter regulations on private jets due to their massive carbon footprint.
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Income Inequality Critic: Sees private jet usage as the elite's wasteful excess amidst climate crisis.
What do you think ?
Captain Grump 6 days ago
Everyone finds their own reasons to be an exception. I'm not excusing such blatant excess, but I've met very few middle class folks who don't use their car when it's most convenient. Most everyone who can afford it uses jet travel to have the occasional vacation. I rent a modest cottage on the east coast of Canada for a month every summer, and drive 1,600 km each way for it - nobody bats an eye. I'm not engaging in "whataboutism" so much as pointing out that these stupidly rich folks are obvious outliers, and that most of us tend to privilege personal comfort/satisfaction over carbon footprint considerations.
Donald 6 days ago
I get where you're coming from but I've read on more than one occasion how someone like Kim K will take a flight to Paris from LA, to eat her favorite cheese cake and then fly home. That is just egregious waste coming from someone who brags about using reusable containers in all 7 of their 10,000 square foot homes. You driving 1,600km for a vacation is even apples to oranges its like Godzilla to geckos.
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Captain Grump 6 days ago
Everyone finds their own reasons to be an exception. I'm not excusing such blatant excess, but I've met very few middle class folks who don't use their car when it's most convenient. Most everyone who can afford it uses jet travel to have the occasional vacation. I rent a modest cottage on the east coast of Canada for a month every summer, and drive 1,600 km each way for it - nobody bats an eye. I'm not engaging in "whataboutism" so much as pointing out that these stupidly rich folks are obvious outliers, and that most of us tend to privilege personal comfort/satisfaction over carbon footprint considerations.
Donald 6 days ago
I get where you're coming from but I've read on more than one occasion how someone like Kim K will take a flight to Paris from LA, to eat her favorite cheese cake and then fly home. That is just egregious waste coming from someone who brags about using reusable containers in all 7 of their 10,000 square foot homes. You driving 1,600km for a vacation is even apples to oranges its like Godzilla to geckos.
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