1 Emissions are clearly increasing and will get worse
Private jets emitted 15.6 million tonnes of CO2 of direct emissions in 2023, for a total estimated between 892 and 936 million tonnes for commercial aviation. A marginal share (1.7 to 1.8%), but which represents an average of 3.6 tonnes of CO2 per flight, when a French person emits on average 9.2 tonnes per year (2022 figure). Especially since almost half of these flights correspond to a journey of less than 500 km and 4.7% to a journey of less than 50 km.
Above all, “industry estimates suggest strong growth over the next two decades,” the researchers note. The number of private aircraft registrations increased by 6.45% per year between 2019 and 2023, emissions by almost 10% per year and the total distance traveled by these planes by 11.31% per year. And the devices in question generate large volumes of CO2with some models emitting more per hour than an average human over a year. 8,500 business jets must be put into circulation by 2033, while the current fleet is 26,000 aircraft worldwide.
2 Strong regional concentrations
Private jet users represent 0.003% of the world population, notes this study, people with an average wealth of $123 million.
Most private air traffic takes place in the United States, where 68.7% of private jets are registered. With major points of concentration: the Miami region, for example, “alone represents 6% of all departures”. Traffic is also significant in Europe, but rarer in Asia, Oceania, Central and South America, with the exception of Brazil and a few capitals. More surprisingly, it is in Malta that we find the highest density, with 46.5 private planes per 100,000 inhabitants.
Map of private flights around the world in 2023.
Communications Earth & Environment
3 Event traffic
In its 2025 budget proposal, the French government raised the possibility of increasing taxation on private jet passengers, provoking an outcry from the sector which ensures that these devices are mainly used for medical transport and professional travel. But the study published Thursday shows an “obvious seasonal use, with a summer peak”, particularly towards the Balearic Islands, the Côte d'Azur or even the Hawaiian, Polynesian and Caribbean islands.
