United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby advocates for wealth and inheritance taxes

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has expressed support for a national wealth tax and significantly higher inheritance taxes to address wealth inequality, which he described as a danger to society. In recent discussions, Kirby stated that a wealth tax should be implemented at the national level to prevent individuals from moving between states to avoid it. He also suggested that inheritance taxes could potentially rise to nearly 100 percent at certain levels, adding, “I would pay them.”

Kirby’s comments come amid scrutiny of his own compensation. According to company proxy filings, his 2025 pay was valued at approximately $32.28 million, while the airline’s median employee earned $96,670, representing a pay ratio of roughly 334 to 1. His compensation package includes $1.2 million in base salary, $22.6 million in stock awards, and $8 million in non-equity incentives.

In addition to tax reform, Kirby proposed the idea of mandatory national service for all citizens, suggesting individuals spend time serving in roles such as teaching or firefighting. While facing criticism from political figures, Kirby clarified that he is not a policy advocate or a political candidate, but was providing non-consensus opinions when prompted.