The senators spending the most on flights
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Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) has spent more taxpayer money on travel than any other senator's office since the fall of 2024 — including $625,000 on private charter companies, according to an analysis of public disclosures provided to Axios.
Why it matters: Senators routinely fly between Washington and their home states on taxpayers' dime. But only a handful regularly rely on private flights.
Between the lines: Many senators with the biggest travel bills live in remote or large states, where there can be fewer commercial flight options home and longer routes to visit constituents across the state.
- There had been no flights leaving Pierre, South Dakota that worked with the Senate schedule "until recently," so Rounds took chartered flights to Minnesota before flying commercial, a spokesperson told Axios, with approval from the Senate Rules Committee.
- Rounds now flies commercial through Denver, his spokesperson said, after new service from Pierre began last year.
- The disclosures also do not capture all senator travel. Sen. Jim Justice (R-W. Va.) pays out of his own pocket for his frequent use of a private jet, for example.
Zoom in: Rounds' office spent the most overall on travel, and more than $625,000 went to private charter companies, according to the analysis of public records by a group opposing Rounds.
- The data covers Senate office spending between Oct. 1, 2024 and March 31, 2026.
- Rounds spent more than $400,000 more on charters than Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), the second-highest spender.
- Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) do not have the most expensive travel bills overall, but are in the top five for charter spending — $197,000 and $70,000, respectively.
The bottom line: "Anyone who lives in rural South Dakota knows how challenging air travel can be," the Rounds spokesperson said.
