Zuckerberg and his former No. 2 enjoyed private jet travel – and Meta paid a small fortune

In a striking revelation of corporate extravagance, Meta Platforms, previously known as Facebook, spent a staggering $6.6 million on private flights for its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, and former COO, Sheryl Sandberg, in the year 2022.

This represents a significant 55% increase compared to the costs incurred in 2019, with Zuckerberg’s flights alone accounting for $2.3 million within the same year.

Flight-tracking data exposed that, during just two months in 2022, Zuckerberg’s private jet undertook 28 journeys. These flights contributed to carbon emissions that were an astonishing 17 times higher than the annual average for an American.

In 2021, Meta’s lavish spending on security and private travel for Zuckerberg amounted to almost $27 million, with flights alone costing $1.6 million. The subsequent year saw a modest increase to $1.8 million in expenses for his private flights, as disclosed in the company’s 2023 proxy statement.

Meta’s extravagant expenditures align with a broader trend among S&P 500 companies, which collectively spent over $41.3 million on private jet travel for their CEOs in 2022. This reflects a growing practice of executives enjoying complimentary flights, accompanied by escalating costs related to operating private jets.