The pollution generated by private jets is disastrous for the environment, and unfortunately, the worst perpetrators are often popular celebrities.
On the r/popculturechat subreddit, a Redditor shared data from the Celebrity Private Jet Tracker listing the top 10 worst offenders for private jet usage in 2025. Leading the list were Donald Trump, musician Travis Scott, and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt.
Also appearing in the top 10 were Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and P. Diddy. The publication ranked planes by total carbon dioxide pollution, with some planes producing tens of thousands of metric tons (over 11,000 tons) of the toxic gas.
Some commenters pointed out that it’s common for the wealthy to rent out or lend their planes to friends and other celebrities when they’re not using them. So a high ranking on the list doesn’t necessarily mean the plane’s owner took every trip logged.
“You can do this with yachts too,” one user commented. “A lot of billionaires charter their yachts out for a week or two at a time to make back some of the operating costs.”
“It also gives them a break on luxury tax if they lease out the plane for commercial use,” another replied. “Then it’s a business asset and not just for personal use.”
No matter the reason for the flight or who takes it, the damage to the environment is done.
Celebrities sometimes take private jets for short distances, adding unnecessary pollution to the atmosphere. There is always an uptick in jet traffic during star-studded events, like the Super Bowl, awards shows, and celebrity weddings.
Private jet usage has been a serious climate problem for decades, but the industry is booming like never before. Interest in private jets has increased due to new tax breaks on the planes in the United States.
They let buyers write off the entire cost upfront, rather than spreading the deduction over time. This makes it cheaper for the rich and famous to partake in private travel and pollute the planet.
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Commenters were appalled by the stats but not surprised by the people on the list.
“Don’t worry guys. I take tote bags to the supermarket with me every time. We’ll be fine,” one joked.
“Nightmare list of people,” another user commented.
“The fact some people have multiple private jets when there’s people starving in the world is so so gross,” a third said.
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