You used to catch Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez predominantly flying American Airlines. She’s a Member of Congress and they operate a majority of the flights at DC’s close-in National airport. Often she’s seen in first class. These days, though, she flies private. And she’s taking a lot of heat for it.
BREAKING: AOC was caught flying in a private plane after claiming that shes never flown in one before and exclusively flies with American Airline only.
Here's a look at and inside the plane.
The biggest irony behind this whole ordeal? She's flying on this plane for the "Fight… pic.twitter.com/8UCuDcwovQ
— aka (@akafaceUS) April 22, 2025
Here's the video catching her in the act.pic.twitter.com/Nx9mVm0sXt
— aka (@akafaceUS) April 22, 2025
AOC lambasted Elon Musk for flying private. The context was she argued his government staff-trimming efforts put commercial passengers at risk while he flew in his own jet (as though commercial and private aviation used different airspace or different controllers).
Make Elon fly 100% commercial if he’s so confident https://t.co/Jmhxw3onre
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 18, 2025
When challenged, she insisted that she eschewed private aviation. Now she’s on her Fighting Oligarchy Tour traveling between stops on a private jet.
I do. I commute to DC on either rail or commercial flight. Believe it or not, not everyone wants to screw over the public for personal profit.
A bizarre idea to many these days.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 18, 2025
Betting markets currently give her roughly the same odds as Gavin Newsom at securing the Democratic nomination for President in 2028, ahead of Josh Shapiro, Pete Buttigieg, and Gretchen Whitmer. She’s already running. That’s what her rallies with Bernie Sanders and her record fundraising are both about.
Sanders is passing the torch of the party’s Left to her, after party primary and convention changes were implemented to block him. Ironically, though, he managed to push the party far enough left that it created the conditions for Trump’s second term. Party primaries select for activist-favored candidates who don’t reflect the broader electorate that comes out in November. If AOC had the principles of Jared Polis or Josh Shapiro she’d be a far more formidable general election candidate (or even, for that matter, Gretchen Whitmer before her Oval Office blue folder and inability to lambast President Trump on tariffs).
When she enters the race to become the next Democratic presidential candidate, she’s going to be flying private a lot. And she should! Nate Silver says that right now she’s the most likely candidate. And once that happens she’ll even get her own campaign plane.
- Socialism in our time doesn’t just happen on its own, it’s hard work, and she needs to maximize her labor value to the extent possible.
- Flying private isn’t inconsistent with her principles. Even North Korea’s Air Koryo has business class, and general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping has his own Presidential planes.
Ironically, he uses Peoples Liberation Army Boeing 737s and an Air China 747 (plus Air China 747 cargo to transport limousines). A Democratic People’s Republic doesn’t, in fact, mean abolishing class. In socialist paradise “all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”
When Janet Yellen flew coach as Treasury Secretary that was performative and stupid. AOC should fly private. She’s using private donor dollars, not taxpayer funds. She just shouldn’t call out others for flying private, either.
All the right-wingers I know fear her. I like her.
Are we really writing about this socialist, AOC?
When is the new website redesign with the red sickle and hammer rolling out?
Rules for thee not for me. You should take Greyhound because you should care about “climate change.” But I’m more important and better than you ever will be and even commercial first is well below my station in life. And as you will see by commentors on this thread no shortage of people that fall for the con. One thing I have to give AOC, she’s absolutely has a knack of fooling the fools more foolish than she is. I wish I had that skill.
And yes Republicans should absolutely take her very seriously. Because promise people all kinds of free stuff and you will definitely get a following that will never ask hard questions.
To quote Glenn Reynolds, “I’ll believe it’s a problem when the people who tell me it’s a problem start behaving like it’s a problem.”
@Common Sense — *Democratic Socialist (you know, socialism, like, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, roads, the military, etc.)
@George N Romey — After your guy messes everything up, that pendulum will swing back. I’m looking forward to a second Progressive Era, after this current 2nd Gilded Age.
<>
I like her, too——the same way I like when my cats get me to smile and laugh because of their silly antics; or the same way a 3-month-old toddler would make someone crack up by throwing its bowl of formula onto daddy’s expensive suit.
AOC can be entertaining, no one should doubt that. However, in terms of her intelligence, she is one of the stupidest Members of Congress I’ve ever seen. In fact, she accomplishes something that is both rare and surprising——she makes Kamala Harris look like Einstein.
VFTW jumped the shark and is now a political blog.
Funny AOC jetting around in a private aircraft much like John Kerry telling all of us the world is going to end if we don’t change our ways with regards to climate. There are six years remaining until AOC’s prediction that the world was going to come to an end. Remember her stupidity in 2019. This is the same moron that chased away Amazon, its jobs and tax revenue it would have brought to her district and state. @1990. So similar to the word salad Kammy, that you voted for. Oh and I complete endorse her for 2028. Vance will crush the barista.
Rookie mistake flying on the Challenger 300 and not the Gulfstream G800 (Made in USA).
Just sayin’…
@1990 Please tell me what socialist country has had outstanding success? Venezuela? Cuba? That’s not to say our current system doesn’t need improvements. When a bunch of bloviated bankers can give mortgages out to people too dumb to realize their paycheck couldn’t possibly cover the payment and the bankers make out we have a problem. The only person that got slammed down was Madoff and his crimes were child’s play. Not to mention he was enabled to do so.
@Coffee Please Never underestimate the current crop of Americans from being taken in by a swindler. Don’t think so? One word, COVID. My parents generation may have saw through an AOC but today it’s pretty easy to fool the masses if you give them warm and fuzzies.
If someone want to fly private go for it. But then don’t lecture me and tell me about my ” carbon footprint.” I’m proudly flying mostly premium as the jet streaks across the sky.
I care about clean streets, parks, roads. Notice AOC never seems to complain about the trash I now see along the roads (as well as the junkies out on city streets) or praise cities that do an excellent job of creating green spaces to encourage people to get outside, get sunshine (Vitamin D) and get exercise.
1990, please don’t be naive. She will gladly throw you to the dogs just like all the other commies in history.
“So similar to the word salad Kammy, that you voted for.”
Is that a sentence?
“Oh and I complete endorse her for 2028. Vance will crush the barista.”
This comment reminds me that Trump’s strongest demographic was divorced men.
A lot of bitter, aging divorcees mocking people for working restaurant jobs won’t help America’s unpopular vice president maintain his thin populist veneer when he tries to run for president.
I am awaiting your celebration of Durbin announcing he is not seeking re-election as US Senator.
I don’t see the big deal with AOC flying private sometime(s). Better that than all the money taxpayers are forced to spend on expensive golf runs for the POTUS.
It is –among several other things in the text above– beyond me why you think public servants flying coach deserve your disdain.
“Common Sense” lacks common sense and believes there to be commies even where there is no Communist. But what can be expected of people who are part of the MAGA Lord’s cult.
@GUWonder – I include that in tomorrow’s roundup. And it’s not just his debanking a million Americans with the Durbin Amendment to Dodd-Frank, either. Remember, he’s long been an opponent of internet freedom, too. Terrible guy.
And as I say, I don’t see a problem with AOC flying private, either. It’s a tool, a way to efficiently move from one place to another. Imagine how much less efficient Walmart would be if teams of middle managers had to spend a day in each direction connecting between the stores they visit instead of hitting multiple stores in a day.
Just because they call it “socialist” or “communist” doesn’t make it so.
The closest nations to socialism might be Denmark and Sweden.
Venezuela is a dictatorship.
AOC may have just reached the point where she realizes that time = money, and since she has the donor money, she is using it appropriately.
@GUWonder. FYI, I am not a MAGA guy or gal. I just detest hypocrites and stupid, holier than thou, ones.
If you’re on a “Fight the Oligarchy Tour” or campaigning against Climate Change, and flying private – You are the exact reason why nobody takes you, or your cause seriously.
As someone who would like to see a President DeSantis or President Vance in 2028, I pray that she runs. What left wing people don’t realize about AOC, is that the way most of the country views Marjorie Taylor Green? Yeah.. They look at AOC as the Democratic version of that. These are candidates that can win in specific 1 party districts or deep blue or red states, and that’s about it. Please run AOC… make Jasmine Crockett VP also.
Pardon my delay, fellas. It’s lovely out in NYC this afternoon. Gotta soak up the sun.
I’ll say, regardless of Gary’s hot takes here, this is one of his better posts in a while, simply because it’s ‘freaking out’ the right-wingers.
Folks, it’s the economy, ultimately. Gravity does exist. Wow. Finally.
Many of you likely won’t admit it, but, metaphorically, there’s ‘blood in the water,’ solely thanks to #45/47’s wealth-killing tariffs, but also due to the general incompetence (Signal-gate #2, anyone?) and the betrayal of our allies (sorry, Canada and the EU, we’re doing our best to stop these tools).
My goodness, though, how many more unnecessary, self-inflicted wounds will it take to wake you guys up. The soy bean farmers who sell their crops to China aren’t getting a bailout this time. The CCP will just buy from Brazil. What we’re doing these days makes Liz Truss and Brexit look ‘smart’ by comparison–and those forced errors caused the British Pound to collapse; we’re going for 1929 if it were for all our 401(k) being directed by our employers. The dollar is cooked.
So, in a few years, yup, those ‘evil’ Democrats may even be backhandedly-thanking this administration for giving ‘the left’ a supermajority. Oh, what a mess we’ll have to clean up yet again.
Honestly, I’m genuinely surprised no one bothered to attempt to diminish her as a mere waitress. Might as well bring up #44’s tan suit or mom jeans while you’re at it. Ya got nuthin!
@GUWonder — That is a big deal. Time for the old guard to play an emeritus role and let the next generation of leaders actually have a chance. No more geriatrics. Please. Enough already. Thank you for pointing out what you did.
And now for the roast:
@Mangar — Please continue to ignore her rise, just like many of us brushed off #45/47. Good.
@Common Sense — Nice tactic. You’re disingenuous because all you do is attack the left and endorse the right, but nice try saying your not on any side. If anyone believes you, shame on them. Also, I love dogs. Let’s go, puppies!
@George N Romey — I’ll tell you which countries: The United States of America, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, much of the European Union, and more, each has aspects of socialism, like public education, retirement programs, universal healthcare, and other social safety nets. You conflate ‘socialism’ with dictatorship. You are lying to yourself and others. Thankfully, it won’t matter, because the people are already getting fed up with right-wing greed, austerity, and incompetence.
@Randy — Bah. “Are you not entertained?!” Seriously, your guy is a reality TV star, con-man who disinherited his niece, bankrupted casinos, and never kept a promise to his wives or those he’s contracted with. You trusted this guy, a second time!? Elect a clown, expect a circus.
@Coffee Please — The former VP, as with the former Secretary of State, were both right about everything. 2016 and 2024 should absolutely have gone the other way. We’re all going to pay a hefty price for these preventable horrors. I can’t wait for 2026 and 2028. Hope is coming back.
@Miguel95 — I see you can’t handle the heat, senor. Maybe, stay out of the kitchen. To those of you who seek to censor opposing viewpoints with ‘don’t get political,’ I’ll remind you that everything dealing with power, money, culture, and yes, travel, is inherently political, and I applaud Gary for continuing to host robust discussion here. Let’s get spicy. Picante!
Alright, preboards are finished. Who’s next? Let’s go! Boarding zone… 1!
@1990, I didn’t say I didn’t take any sides. I just said that I’m not a MAGA guy or girl. Big difference.
Tariffs are an unforced error, and hopefully he will be talked out of it soon. Canadstan is a disaster for human rights and so is much of the EU where the leftists protect the Islamists destroying the continent.
And, AOC is indeed the left’s MTG. The difference is most of the right treats MTG like the nutjob she is.
John McCain flew on Southwest Airlines to New Hampshire and carried his own luggage despite a bad shoulder.
He fought to get a DCA-PHX nonstop, which needed a waiver. However, he wanted to prove that it wasn’t for selfish reasons so he took connecting flights.
AOC is like Trump. The opposing party thinks AOC (or Trump) is/was a lightweight. Some Democrats even voted for Trump in the primaries to cause trouble. One Boston newspaper warned people not to do that because Trump could actually get the nomination for 2016. He did and won. Therefore, if one doesn’t like AOC, don’t underestimate her.
It’s plausible that she’ll tax frequent flyer miles so that we pay our fair share. We’re a bunch of snobbish fat cats that desire to be punished.
“If you’re on a “Fight the Oligarchy Tour” or campaigning against Climate Change, and flying private – You are the exact reason why nobody takes you, or your cause seriously.”
You nailed it. She’s a waitress that only the chronically stupid would support. Bernie isn’t much better- a “socialist” with millions and multiple homes.
Democrats keep doubling down on stupid and can’t imagine why they’re losing. If they keep behaving like this their future is grim. As much as I may disagree with Trump or other Republicans this is incredibly dumb.
Do they even know the meaning of the word hypocrisy?
@Common Sense — Nah, MTG has no substance. Nice try, though.
*cough* Stagflation says what? *cough* How is the price of eggs these days? Are the trans DEI immigrants still our problem? Or was that all a ruse. Oh yeah… ya got conned.
Canada’s wonderful. No place is perfect, but they’re doing well. Looking forward to Carney continuing on guard for thee.
“Common Sense” claims that much.of the EU is a disaster for human rights. That ridiculous claim means “Common Sense’” has a sense of “human rights” which are in common with Tr*mp/Vance, Putin, Netanyahu and the rest of the POC-hating Tr*mpublicans and their enablers.
In 1997 I was in the Denver Red Carpet Club and noticed Senator Al D’Amato sitting there. I was flying to Chicago and went to my gate. Al came to the gate a little later all by himself carrying his suitcase -not many rollers then. He got on the plane and sat right behind me in coach. No first-class or private for him.
AOC has substance? Carney is a good guy? Come on, man.
Anyways, good night. Hopefully you guys will wake up in the morning with your heads screwed on straight.
@1990. Bought 24 eggs today. Just over $6 for them. Now tell me what is the normal price for 24? By the way gas prices are down. Have you noticed?
@1990
Most rational people fear people like her.
Personally I like her because she makes the left look ridiculous.
AOC has become the elitist oligarc. Rules for thee but not for me sounds like every other hypocrite politician.
Last article of yours I will ever open. Good riddance.
@Miguel95 “VFTW jumped the shark and is now a political blog.”
Yet you still read it and post to it.
@Coffee Please “Bought 24 eggs today. Just over $6 for them.”
Cool story, bro.
Feed me more. Still hungry.
@Common Sense — As former regular @Mike P says: “I accept your surrender.”
@Coffee Please — If there’s even eggs in stock anymore… they’re more expensive now than before. Also, it was never about the relative price; your ‘team’ weaponized this, like ‘her emails’ and trans, DEI, immigrants, etc., instead of actually presenting real policy solutions, other than to destroy the government, smash and grab so the oligarchs can pillage our public good. Folks are finally starting to wake up and realize they got conned by a con man.
@Walter Barry — Says you, but not ‘most’ and like @Common Sense, just because you say so, doesn’t make it rational. Turn off Fox, OAN, Newsmax and the podcasts for a second and actually talk to real people about real things for once. If you have adult children, ask how they’re actually doing, the issues they’re facing. It ain’t pretty out there, and the real issue is affordability, housing, and opportunity, all of which are being denied to most for the benefit of the richest among us globally. We need to end the corruption from the top-down. It’s the loopholes, insider trading, special interests lobbying, regulatory capture, dark money in politics, monopolistic behavior in corporations, and diminishing of workers rights that are dragging us all down. Time to build back from the bottom up.
@Lightning1 — Naw. She’s doing great. You can say ‘1+1=4’ all that you want, it doesn’t make it so. Nice try, though.
@R — Bye Felicia!
She’s a smart, capable woman who’s worked a real job and wants super-rich people to share the wealth, universal healthcare, affordable housing, and better social safety nets for normal folks. I’m good with all that.
I find it interesting that anyone would fly from NYC to DC. It seems like you’d spend more time in the airport than just driving it or taking the train. Even Biden would take the train back in the day. But I’ll set aside her commute.
I’m not against politicians taking private jets as long as they are funded by themselves and not slush funds or taxpayer dollars (in many cases that don’t require high security like with the President, etc. ), or lobbying or foreign influencers like Soros.
The optics are very bad for her and others who preach about the theory or religion of climate change, but then again, they are the gander and not the goose or whatever. Nate Silver, who typically votes Democrat, even says AOC or himself, I assume, points out the plain fact that it is “Hard Work” to become like North Korea, which is what we all want in an AOC White House.
Gary, you and your staff are experts at throwing a bone to the dogs to get more clicks on your blog, politics, and TDS will always do that 🙂 And I can appreciate it. Thanks for the good work.
@DaninMCI – no staff, just me!
As someone else said, Gary, did you really have to delve (further) into politics? VFTW has (generally) been a place free of the rot that is the rest of the political discussion on the web.
Granted, there is frequently too much scatological click bait here but at least it has been free of the divisiveness of the rest of the web (and world).
@1990. Have never not once gone into a grocery store or warehouse store and not seen eggs available for purchase. Remember this all started in 2022 when Joe was sleeping on the beach. Nothing was said back then. Fast forward toTrump in office and now we have congressional Democrats putting on a show, some of them with egg props, jumping up and down blaming Trump for this when he was in office for less than 30 days.
@Christian — Couldn’t have said it better myself. She’s actually relatable. She’s done the work. She gets it. Bernie won’t be around forever; a new generation must take the mantle to fight the good fight. We’re going to need a lot more servant leaders, like AOC, with the courage to speak truth to power, and the drive to actually deliver for the people.
@Tom — Nah, the topic was relevant for VFTW. Air travel. Public figures. Sure, it does drive engagement. Gary’s got a website to run and fund. Good for him. Like, are you anti-business, Tom? Oof. (Sounds like you’re advocating for commu… nevermind!)
As I said above and many times before, if you can’t handle the heat, get out of the kitchen. Life is politics. I’m gonna presume you’ll deny it, but when the ‘red team’ is in-power, it’s ironic how folks like you want us all to ‘pipe down,’ but when it’s the other way around, y’all can’t help but complain about everything, even over things they can’t control. Hey, speaking of, where’s them ‘I did that’ stickers? Oh yeah, they don’t directly control prices now, do they… (‘Let’s go…Bra…,’ so much for ‘the party of family values…’) Nice try, fellas. I’m onto it.
@DaninMCI — If I didn’t already generally recall your comment history, your ‘tell’ is the use of ‘TDS’ and referring to right-wing boogeyman, Soros. Since we’re practicing medicine without a valid license here, I guess, I’ll diagnose you with ODS, after #44, which phonetically sounds like ‘odious,’ ironically like your political views. Further, on oligarchs, you fail to mention un-elected ‘richest man in the world’ unlawfully dismantling our government, Elon. Curious.
So, no, the ‘optics’ here are not bad for her at all. She self-funds her use of private jet, instead of using taxpayer funds. That is honorable. It is not merely ‘performative,’ and yes, it’s not ‘greenwashing’ either. So, fiscal conservatives should actually be applauding her, because even your ‘perceived enemy’ can do something right. Bah!
On the NYC-DC route, I actually live in NYC, and do visit DC on occasion. I’ve flown commercial (mostly Delta), taken Amtrak, and rented cars. My personal preference is Amtrak’s Acela. However, while lounge access beforehand is nice (especially at the new LGA SkyClub), those 1 hour ‘shuttle’ flights (much of the time is taxiing, not even ‘in-the-air’) are often delayed, making the train both more reliable and comfortable, because you don’t have to show up but for 10 minutes ahead of time, usually, and you can actually get work done on-board (and even take calls, which you can’t usually do on an airplane, if you’re decent and not in the ‘Quiet Car’ of course), and also better than dealing with traffic (or speeding ticket around the Beltway, those I-495 cameras will getcha, never pay, always contest, ask for calibration report, you can defeat those, relatively easily). Of course, flying private would be nice, but we’re not all self-funded by donors, or obscenely wealthy-enough to have the need to route via Teterboro for a 30-minute flight.
@Coffee Please — Please, do double-down on this, eggs included, because ‘retail’ is going to get absolutely crushed by what is coming, and people will feel that viscerally. Alfred Henry Lewis said we’re “nine meals away from anarchy.” (See @Mike P, I can quote people, too!) So, do realize when supply chains are severely disrupted (in this case, not by a global pandemic, but by our mad-king’s self-imposed unnecessary tariffs), or when food becomes so unaffordable, either way, people tend to starve, then regimes fall. But don’t just fear that (you know, like for fear’s sake, FDR warned against that nonsense), there’s a better way. I know that I want the relative peace and prosperity for all, not just those at the top. Yes, I passionately support and defend the US Constitution. Our founding document also demands good faith leaders who actually serve it and the peoples’ best interests, again, not just those at the top. So, maybe a recession will wake more people up, then you’ll realize that you’re not ‘in the club’ with those oligarchs, and never will be. (Or, you’ll just keep vilifying and scapegoating more vulnerable groups, which is wrong, doesn’t help, and is simply vile.) So, time to adopt policies and leaders that actually ensure everyone pays their fair share, and that the basic needs are met for everyone. In 2025, no one should be without shelter, medicine, food, education, or opportunity. We all deserve dignity and purpose. We don’t have to punch others down to get ahead. These present-day robber barons (oligarchs) are definitely holding us back. I hope for a ‘Teddy Roosevelt’ equivalent to bust these ‘trusts,’ reform labor and consumer protections, conserve the environment, regulate corruption out of existence, reform the tax code to be less complicated, more equitable, to preserve and expand civil rights, and ensure democratic and fair elections. If you’re against any of these ideas, and are able actually debate on merits without resorting to ‘isms’ and other boogeymen, then we can have a real conversation.
“I consider Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez to be the leader for the Democratic Party. She’s entitled to her opinion. I’m entitled to mine. As I’ve said about her before, I think she’s the reason that there are directions on a shampoo bottle.”- Senator John Kennedy(R-LA)
‘nuf said
@Win Whitmire — I disagree with his partisanship, but that Senator from Louisiana is genuinely funny. Like, he may literally have some of the better quotes out there.
Some of my personal favorites: “I trust Russia and China and Iran and North Korea like I trust a Jussie Smollett police report.” Or, “just because you’ve seen ‘My Cousin Vinny’ doesn’t qualify you to be a federal judge.” And he’s certainly a fan of hyperbole, too: “The price of gas is so high it’s cheaper to buy cocaine and run everywhere.” He knows it’s hard out there, too: “”Life is hard, but it’s harder when you’re stupid.” Even some good life-advice, “treat your children like the blessings they are or don’t have them at all.” I don’t care which party you prefer, those are are gold. He’s got the right ideas sometimes, too: “The Bill of Rights is not an a la carte menu.” True. 2A, too. 100%.
It wasn’t his original quote, but he did read that graphic passage from the book ‘Gender Queer,’ which is just hilarious to hear in his voice. Look that one up for a great video. Of course, I disagree with ‘book bans’ as I also oppose burning them or people (historically, it leads to the n-th degree…)
@1990. It was you that first made the reference to the price of eggs. I responded and then you doubled down about availability.
Durbin will be replaced by another deep state Durbin, only the name changes. @Win Whitmire , stop calling it the democratic party. Democratic process invites other opinions. The democrat party tells you your opinion and demonizes those who don’t agree.
Americans have no idea what socialism is. Bernie and AOC are social democrats, an ideology that has made living conditions in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden so miserable.
Imagine living in a country with free education and healthcare? A real hell!
A poor billionaire having to pay for the sickness or education of a lazy person is truly absurd. Let those lazy people just die in the streets!
I’m a proud MAGA Republican and I like when AOC talks. It’s like giving her all the rope she needs to figuratively hang herself with her unintelligent statements and hypocrisy.
Before some of you libtards start attacking me, allow me to remind you every single Democrat voted AGAINST no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and no tax on Social Security! They and the RINOS/globalists collectively hate all our guts.
Sweden isn’t such a nice place anymore. They’ve let in thousands of immigrants and their murder rate has gone through the roof.
@cairns: Yes, the murder rate in Sweden has risen to an alarming 1.15 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, has gone through the roof!! A real hell!
While in the US it has dropped to just 7,5 homicides per 100,000, it’s heaven on Earth!