The money was doled out by her campaign committee, with the most spent in 2022 during her reelection campaign against former Rep. Lee Zeldin.
A pilot experienced in private aviation told the New York Post that Hochul’s use of a private jet is “very wasteful.”
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“It’s very wasteful, especially for an elected official,” he said. “There is no reason why any elected official in New York should be taking a private jet. Nearly everywhere in New York or upstate has a [commercial] airport that will take you anywhere in the country.”
Private jets are known to be especially wasteful, considering the small amount of passengers they carry. A 2021 report from the European Federation for Transport and Environment found that private jets are five to 14 times more polluting per passenger than commercial flights and 50 times more polluting than trains.
Hochul utilized two private-airline companies, Zephyr Jets and Apollo Jets, and spent no less than $5,000 on each flight while her most expensive journey was $38,594.00.
The New York State Democratic Committee, which Hochul commands, spent an additional $75,000 on four private flights in 2021 and 2022.
Hochul’s private jet usage is contradictory to the message she’s sent out about how the state will address climate change. “I’m the only candidate for Governor of New York who is committed to cracking down on polluters, cutting carbon emissions, and treating climate change like the crisis that it is. Our environmental progress is at stake in November,” Hochul said in an X post from October 2022.
A Hochul spokesman defended her after being asked about the flights, saying the trips are “strictly allocated for legitimate campaign activities.”
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“As the leader of the New York State Democratic Party, Governor Hochul frequently travels to campaign rallies, fundraisers, and events like the Democratic National Convention. These travel expenses are covered by the appropriate political entities,” Hochul spokesman Brian Lenzmeier said.
She’s not the only governor to make use of private jets for campaign-related trips; Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker took multiple private charters to New York and Washington, D.C., the first time in Illinois history, which cost him and his campaign over $150,000.
Criticism of Hochul flying private comes after Republicans attacked her for overusing the state’s aircraft in 2022. She used the aircraft 140 times in a seven-month period, costing taxpayers $170,000. Her predecessor, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, was similarly criticized — he used the state aircraft more than any other governor during his reelection run in 2018, which some argued gave him an advantage over his primary opponent.
Hochul is facing immense internal pressure from New York Democrats who want to oust her for the 2026 gubernatorial race. She faced previous criticism for down-ballot House losses in 2022 but recovered some ground during the 2024 elections, winning several seats back.
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Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) is one of her main detractors. He has his eyes on the governor’s office in just a few short years.
“When it comes to combating climate change, the governor is conspicuously failing to practice what she preaches. New Yorkers viscerally resent hypocrisy, and the governor’s hypocrisy here is as staggering as her carbon footprint,” Torres told the New York Post.
