Rubio’s Family Trips on Government Jets Cost $1.2 Million

Marco Rubio’s travel to Gainesville, Florida, aboard government aircraft has cost taxpayers about $1.2 million, based on Defense Department rates, with the total excluding a trip on November 7. The flights have drawn scrutiny because Rubio’s personal travel appears to exceed that of his predecessors, according to former State Department officials cited in coverage of the flights.

Rubio has flown to Gainesville at least 23 times in 21 months, including to attend at least 10 University of Florida football games. His son Anthony plays running back for Florida’s football team as a non-scholarship player. The State Department classified 15 trips as solely personal, costing about $770,600, and seven as a mix of personal and official travel, costing another $443,900.

As secretary of state, Rubio cannot travel on commercial flights because of security requirements. For personal travel on government aircraft, he must repay the equivalent of an economy-class ticket, but that covers only part of the expense. Rubio and the State Department did not disclose how much he has repaid. The aircraft used included Gulfstream jets billed to federal agencies at about $9,100 an hour and, on three trips, a Boeing jet billed at about $18,600 an hour.

Rubio said he would keep trying to attend events important to him and his family. Leavitt, who left her White House press secretary role in August, wrote that the coverage confirmed Rubio was “a great dad.” Critics argued taxpayers were subsidizing trips that many parents could not afford. Supporters said Rubio’s security restrictions make government aircraft necessary and defended his efforts to attend his son’s games.

The dispute also revived scrutiny of Rubio’s criticism of government-plane use by others. In 2023, he urged a probe of Pete Buttigieg’s time as transportation secretary and his flights; an inspector general later found Buttigieg had followed federal rules, and his travel totaled $59,000.

Rubio’s Game-Day Flights Put Taxpayer Costs in Focus

The cost of Marco Rubio’s personal travel on government aircraft has reached about $1.2 million, excluding a November 7 trip. The secretary of state has flown to Gainesville at least 23 times in 21 months, including to at least 10 University of Florida games featuring his son, a walk-on running back.

The State Department counted 15 flights as solely personal, at roughly $770,600, and seven as a combination of personal and official travel, at another $443,900. The aircraft rates used to calculate the cost were about $9,100 an hour for Gulfstream jets and $18,600 an hour for a Boeing jet used on three trips.

Rubio cannot fly commercially for security reasons, but personal trips on government aircraft require repayment at the equivalent economy-ticket rate. That reimbursement covers only a fraction of the government’s costs, and neither Rubio nor the department disclosed how much he has paid back. Taxpayers are left without a clear accounting of the personal travel bill.

Rubio said he would continue trying to attend family events. Leavitt responded to the scrutiny by calling him a great dad, while critics pointed to families who cannot afford comparable travel. The issue also highlights Rubio’s earlier demand for an investigation into Pete Buttigieg’s government-plane use; an inspector general found Buttigieg had complied with federal rules, with his travel totaling $59,000.

Rubio’s Security Rules Didn’t Stop Him Showing Up as a Dad

Marco Rubio’s flights to Gainesville have become a target of criticism even though security requirements prevent the secretary of state from taking commercial flights. He has traveled there at least 23 times in 21 months, including to watch his son Anthony, a University of Florida walk-on running back, play football.

The flights cost about $1.2 million using Defense Department rates, excluding a trip on November 7. Fifteen were classified as solely personal, at about $770,600, and seven combined personal and official travel, at about $443,900. Rubio must repay the government the equivalent of an economy-class fare for personal travel, though the amount he has reimbursed has not been disclosed.

Supporters see the focus on the games as an attack on a father for showing up for his child when his job imposes strict travel rules. Rubio said he would keep trying to attend events important to him and his family. Leavitt summed up that view by calling him a great dad.

The criticism also invites comparison with Rubio’s 2023 demand for a probe of Pete Buttigieg’s use of government aircraft. The Transportation Department inspector general found that Buttigieg complied with federal rules, and his travel totaled $59,000. The figures differ, but the central issue for Rubio’s defenders is that his position requires government-aircraft travel.