Sipping champagne at 40,000 feet, flying from the glittering party to the awards shows and back in time for bed – it’s a tough life being an A-lister in your own luxury jet. But the high life has come under fire this week as celebrities are named and shamed for their overuse of private planes.
A private jet emits as much carbon dioxide in one hour as the average person does in a year
A single private jet emits as much carbon dioxide in one hour as the average person emits in a whole year, while private flights are 14 times more polluting (per passenger) than commercial jets.
And yet their super-rich owners — many of whom brag about their obvious green credentials — hop on and off their jets for trips that take less than 15 minutes.
Using data compiled by an international flight tracker, UK marketing agency Yard has compiled a list of the worst offenders.
So whose plane is the biggest polluter? And who is the biggest climate hypocrite among the high-flyers?
KylieJenner
Kylie Jenner, 24, shared a picture on Instagram showing two private planes – her own and one owned by her rapper boyfriend Travis Scott – with the smug caption, “Want to take mine or yours?”
THE JET: Kim Kardashian’s younger sister Kylie has been labeled a ‘climate criminal’ for repeated short-haul flights on her £60million jet.
Last month, the 24-year-old social media billionaire shared a picture on Instagram showing two private planes – her own and one owned by her rapper boyfriend Travis Scott – with the smug caption, “Want to take mine or yours?” ”
She bought the all-white, 59.6-foot Bombardier Global 7500 in 2020 while reportedly going shopping. The exterior features her name and a barbie-pink stripe, while the interiors feature white seats, pink satin pillows, eye masks (with the lettering “Kylie Skin,” which is the name of her makeup line) and colored lights that can be set in different shades depending on the time of day.
There are Hermes blankets for guests, two bathrooms, a master suite and a cloakroom.
FLIGHTS: 64 this year.
SHORTEST FLIGHT: 12 minutes (Van Nuys to Camarillo, both in California).
CO2 emitted: 1,682.7 tons – 240 times the average person.
ECO-CLAIMS: Kylie is proud to have bought eco-friendly products for her daughter Stormi, four, and went vegan with her makeup range last year, telling followers she’s going “vegan and clean” because it is “time for exaltation” planet.
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift, 32, used to own two jets but sold the smaller one (worth just £4.9million) in early 2020.
THE JET: The 32-year-old singer – valued at an estimated £470million – bought her private jet, a Dassault-Breguet Mystere Falcon 900, in 2011 for £33million.
With its plush cream interior and built-in flat-screen TVs, it has 18 fully reclining seats and a distinctive number 13 on the side (her lucky number and birthdate in December).
She used to own two jets but sold the smaller one (worth just £4.9million) in early 2020.
FLIGHTS: 170 this year
SHORTEST FLIGHT: 36 minutes (Missouri to Nashville, Tennessee).
CO2 emitted: 8,293.54 tons – 1,185 times the annual carbon emissions of an average seven-ton person.
ECO GEARS UP: In 2020, Taylor was branded a “sustainable fashion influencer” by Vogue.
In another interview that same year, she called climate change a “terrible situation.”
A representative defended her apparent mileage, saying her jet is “regularly loaned to other people.” They added, “Ascribing most or all of these voyages to her is patently wrong.”
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey (pictured with her husband Stedman Graham) bought a £62million Gulfstream G650 in 2016
THE JET: With an estimated net worth of more than £2billion, it’s no wonder TV presenter Oprah has her own swanky plane. The 68-year-old bought a £62million Gulfstream G650 in 2016 after she was reportedly irritated when a female fan asked her for a hug while waiting in an airport queue.
The opulent jet, which comfortably seats 16 people, is divided into four themed areas: Dine, Work, Entertain and Relax. There is a double bed, a conference room and dining area, and an onboard chef.
FLIGHTS: 68 this year.
SHORTEST FLIGHT: 14 minutes (Van Nuys to Santa Barbara, California).
CO2 emitted: 3,493.17 tons – 499 times the average person.
ECO RESTING: “The future of life as we know it will be determined by everything we do — and don’t do — now,” Oprah wrote in a 2019 post, urging fans to credit their contribution to the environment Afford.
Mark Wahlberg
Mark Wahlberg, 51, came under fire last month for taking a series of short flights from London to Dublin (48 minutes) and then on to Shannon (23 minutes) for a round of golf
THE JET: Actor Mark, 51, owns a £9.9million Bombardier Global Express jet which he bought in 2016.
The top model, which he had extensively modified last year, has a large “W” at the stern and a cabin so spacious that the fitness-obsessed star can work out on board.
Images from his social media show soft beige furniture and polished wood, as well as multiple screens so his four children can take advantage of the high-speed WiFi.
Mark came under fire last month for taking a series of short flights from London to Dublin (48 minutes) and then on to Shannon (23 minutes) for a round of golf.
FLIGHTS: 101 this year.
SHORTEST FLIGHT: Nine minutes (Los Angeles to Van Nuys, California).
CO2 emitted: 3,772.85 tons – 538.9 times the average person.
ECO REST: In 2020, Mark publicly pledged to eliminate meat and dairy to reduce his impact on the planet. Still, he has said his jet is his “21st-century personal transporter,” taking him “anywhere in the world.”
Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian, 41, owns a Gulfstream G650ER, a sleeker version of Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk’s planes
THE JET: The reality TV star’s £124million jet ‘Kim Air’, decked out in cashmere, is as gaudy as you might expect.
Kim, 41, owns a Gulfstream G650ER, a sleeker version of Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk’s planes. Hers was custom designed inside and out, led by interior designer Waldo Fernandez, whose clients have included Elizabeth Taylor and Brad Pitt.
The 18-seater jet features wood paneling, two beds and two bathrooms, and “enhanced air ionization” that creates a fresh breeze at high altitude.
Guests wear slippers from Skims, Kim’s underwear brand, so they don’t soil the carpet.
FLIGHTS: 57 this year.
SHORTEST FLIGHT: Ten minutes (Van Nuys to Camarillo, California).
CO2 emitted: 4,268.5 tons – 609.8 times the average person.
ECO BOASTS: The reality star has spoken out in the past about wanting his businesses to go green. In 2019, she praised climate activist Greta Thunberg, and a year later she tweeted, “Climate change is real” alongside a broken heart emoji.
Tom cruise
Tom Cruise, 60, often flies his private planes himself after earning his pilot’s license in 1994
THE JET: The Top Gun star, 60, owns not one but five private jets – the most opulent of which is the 19-seat Gulfstream IV, valued at around £16.5million. Dubbed the limousine of the jet world, the aircraft features a whirlpool bath and a first-class cinema auditorium, as well as elegant upholstered furniture.
The actor often flies his private planes himself after earning his pilot’s license in 1994.
He also sends them on gratuitous gifting missions around the world. Last Christmas, he reportedly flew 300 cakes by private jet from his favorite bakery in California to London for the cast and crew of the Mission: Impossible film series — a 5,500-mile round trip.
FLIGHTS: 20.
SHORTEST FLIGHT: 12 minutes (Shannon to Killarney, Ireland).
Emitted CO2: 149.6 tons – 21.4 times the average person.
ECO REST: In 2019, Tom was among A-listers criticized for flying privately to Google’s climate camp in 2019, a faux pas he repeated this May when he flew one of his jets to the eco-friendly film festival of Cannes drove.
Floyd Mayweather
Flord Mayweather, 45, owns a £50million Gulfstream G650 jet called ‘Air Mayweather’.
THE JET: One of the ‘richest athletes of all time’ (his career earnings are over £900million), the 45-year-old retired boxer owns a £50million Gulfstream G650 jet dubbed ‘Air Mayweather’.
Floyd bought it for his 41st birthday and shares pictures of massages, haircuts and poker games on board.
On the outside, the 12-seater jet bears the boxer’s last name alongside the letters “TBE” – “The Best Ever”. Floyd also has a fleet of personal pilots who wear branded uniforms with the insignia “TMT” or “The Money Team.”
FLIGHTS: 177 this year.
SHORTEST FLIGHT: Ten minutes (within Las Vegas).
CO2 emitted: 7,076.8 tons – 1,011 times the average person.
ECO BOASTS: Floyd makes flippant comments about his jet, such as, “If you’re living that lifestyle, just fuel it.”