United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby, who earned $32.3 million in 2025, has publicly supported a national wealth tax and an inheritance tax approaching 100%. Kirby made roughly 334 times the median employee pay at United, highlighting wealth inequality concerns. His comments were made in an interview with The New York Times published Sunday, where he emphasized the need for higher taxes on the wealthy to address societal dangers, according to fortune.com.
Kirby’s total compensation last year included $1.2 million in base salary, $22.6 million in stock awards, $8 million in non-equity incentive compensation, and about $500,000 in other compensation. The median United Airlines employee earned $96,670 in total compensation, per the company’s proxy statement. Kirby’s stance aligns him with other wealthy leaders such as Bill Gates and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, who have also advocated for increased taxes on the rich.
The CEO’s call for a national wealth tax reflects broader concerns about rising economic inequality in the U.S. CEO pay increased 11% in 2025, while worker pay rose only 0.5%, according to a study by the International Trade Union Confederation. Kirby argued that wealth taxes must be national to prevent wealthy individuals from relocating to states with lower taxes. His support for near-100% inheritance taxes at certain levels is part of a growing discourse on wealth redistribution among top executives.
Kirby’s comments come amid declining public trust in CEOs and growing debate over economic fairness. United Airlines’ 2025 proxy filing details his compensation and the median employee pay, providing a concrete example of the wage gap within major corporations.