Towards the end of January, politicians from around the world will once again gather at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. They prefer to travel there by private jet. The number of takeoffs and landings tripled between 2023 and 2025.

The 56th WEF will take place in Davos from January 19 to 23, 2026. The new Greenpeace study "Davos in the Sky" analyzes the number of takeoffs and landings of private jets related to the WEF. The study was authored by the Berlin-based think tank T3.

The study covers the years 2023 to 2025. The following airports are included: Zurich, Geneva, Altenrhein (SG), Dübendorf military airfield (ZH), Samedan (GR), Friedrichshafen (Germany), and Euroairport (Basel/France).

Study provides important insights

During last year's WEF (January 20–24, 2025), 709 additional private jet flights were recorded compared to normal flight traffic. This represents an increase of 10% compared to 2024, when there were 628 flights, and a threefold increase compared to 2023, when 227 flights were recorded.

The increase from 2023 to 2025 is not due to a higher number of participants at the WEF, but to repeated arrivals and departures. In 2024 and 2025, many private jets flew to Switzerland several times during the WEF week.

Train journeys offer an alternative

Greenpeace has calculated that around 70% of private jet routes could easily be covered by train – with a day trip or a night train plus a connecting train.

Almost a third (32.1%) of all private jets coming to the WEF originate in France (19.8%) and Germany (12.3%). Both countries have very good train connections to Switzerland.

Ban private jets

As Herwig Schuster, campaign manager for Greenpeace in Central and Eastern Europe, explains, it is hypocritical for the powerful and super-rich in Davos to discuss global challenges while literally burning up the planet with the emissions from their private jets. Greenpeace is therefore calling for luxury flights to be banned.