You Pay Fuel Duty.
Why Don't Billionaires?
Private Jets are the most polluting way to travel, but they don't pay tax on the kerosene that fuels them.
Tax Private Jets, Fund Public Services
Right now, a drive to the shops incurs more fuel duty than a billionaire taking a jet to Dubai.
The crazy thing about this is that private jet fuel is actually subject to a tax, but at the same time it's exempt from paying that tax, so of course the tax never gets paid.
Governments should properly tax private jet fuel to help fund the things we all rely on from the people who can afford to pay.
A levy on premium travel — private jet flights and first and business class tickets — could raise up to €43 billion every year to pay for essential public services like healthcare, schools, transport, infrastructure, and disaster preparedness.
And: Governments across Europe should also close the private jet loophole in the EU ETS revision this July. This could raise between €304 million and €2.2 billion annually by 2030 .
Join the campaignHow much fuel duty do private jets pay?
Meanwhile, UK motorists pay 52.95p per litre (and the roads are still full of potholes).
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you want the UK and other governments to do?
- Stop allowing private jets — the most polluting form of travel — to claim a full rebate for any fuel duty owed
- Tax private jet fuel at the same rate that car, van and lorry drivers are charged for petrol or diesel by 2030 to raise vital public funds
- Close the private jet loopholes that exempt private jets from paying for their pollution in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) revision in July 2026
- Extend APD properly to private jets (currently only a quarter of private jets carry passengers paying the highest rate)
- Join the Premium Flyers Solidarity Coalition .
How much could taxing private jet fuel raise?
If UK private jets were taxed fairly, for example, Rachel Reeves could raise an estimated £2bn every year for essential public services and investment in clean transport.
Currently, private jets in the UK pay 0% tax on fuel (fuel duty), while UK motorists pay £0.5295 per litre for unleaded petrol and diesel. This is a cash cow that has been hiding in plain sight.
In Germany alone, a graduated levy on Business and First Class flights could generate between €158 million and €1.1 billion per year . If the German chancellor decided to add more consistent taxation of private jet kerosene, that figure would rise to up to €1.37 billion annually — money ordinary German people could benefit from through improved public services. With the German government about to reduce air traffic tax and lose all that critical revenue, increasing tax on premium travel like private jet flying matters even more.
Meanwhile, properly pricing private jet emissions in the EU ETS — where they currently get off scot free — could raise between €304 million and €2.2 billion annually by 2030 .
What's so bad about private jets?
Private jets are extremely polluting. A UK motorist would have to drive once around the equator to match the carbon emissions of the UK's most popular private jet route – from Farnborough to Nice-Côte d'Azur.
In terms of environmental impact, private jet travel is 15 times more polluting than commercial jet travel per passenger.
Meanwhile, 67% of private jet emissions are not covered by the EU ETS , which is specifically designed to put a price on pollution. Smaller private jet planes get off scot free because they are 'lightweight', and if the flight travels outside the EU it gets off scot free as well even though the emissions still go up into the atmosphere.
There was a 46% increase in emissions from private aviation between 2019-2023 , and this trend is growing. The private jet market is projected to increase by 50% by 2030 , and the growth of first class travel is now outpacing that of economy class.
Since the Strait of Hormuz was closed because of the war in Iran private jet flights have surged by 6% compared with the same period as last year — and that's despite a jet fuel crisis which has seen tens of thousands of economy flights cancelled.
What about jobs in the private jet industry?
If we run out of our carbon budget or jet fuel, both pose major risks to aviation workers.
Aviation workers understand that the pollution from air travel will need to be priced higher. These workers want that to be done in a fair and progressive way that encourages the industry to adapt while benefiting workers.
A fuel duty on private jets actually benefits workers as the money can be invested into decarbonising the aviation industry, which creates new jobs and sustains the industry in the long term.
Are any governments doing anything about this?
Yes. France already applies a solidarity levy to air tickets to help fund healthcare abroad. Nine countries, including France and Spain, have joined the Solidarity Levies on Premium Flyers coalition of the willing. Denmark has just announced it will add a levy to private jet flights.
These countries have committed to applying a solidarity levy on private jet fuel, and first- and business-class tickets in order to raise vital funds for public healthcare, schools, transport, infrastructure, and climate adaptation & resilience. The UK and Germany are among the many countries not yet part of this coalition.
What can ordinary people do about private jets?
Right now, governments all over Europe and the UK are wondering where to find money to fund our public services. Meanwhile, private jets are flying above our heads right now, paying nothing in fuel duty.
You can take action by writing to your MP and signing the petition calling for fairer taxes on private jet flights. We're asking governments to raise taxes on those with the broadest shoulders – and nothing says "I have money to spare" more than travelling by private jet.
