United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby stated in an interview published Sunday, October 18, 2026, that the United States should implement national wealth and inheritance taxes. Speaking to The New York Times, Kirby argued that wealth inequality has become a danger to society and said the federal government must address the issue. He noted that he would be willing to pay such taxes himself.
Kirby’s comments come amid a broader debate over taxation policy following the re-election of President Trump and the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act by Republicans in Congress. That legislation made lower marginal tax rates for high incomes permanent. While previous proposals under the Biden administration sought to tax unrealized gains for individuals with a net worth of at least $1 billion, those measures did not pass.
In the interview, Kirby specified that a wealth tax should be national rather than state-based to prevent individuals from relocating to avoid the cost. He also proposed that inheritance taxes should approach 100 percent at certain wealth levels, though he did not specify the exact thresholds. Kirby, who received $32.3 million in total compensation in 2025, also defended airline industry practices such as charging fees for aisle and window seats, stating that customers who pay more receive more.
The scale of potential revenue varies by proposal. According to an analysis by economists Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zuchman, a 5 percent annual wealth tax on households worth over $1 billion could raise $4.4 trillion over 10 years and reduce the wealth of a typical billionaire by half after 15 years. Alternatively, a Tax Policy Center study estimated that a 1 percent tax on households with assets exceeding $50 million—or $25 million for unmarried filers—would generate nearly $2 trillion over a decade. For a household with $60 million in assets, a 1 percent tax would equate to an annual payment of $600,000.
While Kirby advocates for national action, specific tax changes are currently occurring at the state level. In California, voters will decide this midterm season on Proposition 40, which proposes a one-time 5 percent tax on billionaire wealth to fund healthcare, food assistance, and education. A September poll by the University of California Berkeley showed 45 percent support for the measure, which is below the majority needed for passage. Congressional legislation introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) in March 2026 remains a separate proposal for a national 5 percent annual tax on billionaires. No effective date for a national wealth tax has been established as no federal bill has reached the floor for a final vote.