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According to reporting by The Guardian, which cited a Wall Street Journal report and people familiar with the situation, DHS officials arranged an attempted purchase of 10 Boeing 737s from Spirit Airlines in 2025. The reported plan was paused after officials learned Spirit did not own the aircraft and that engines would have to be acquired separately. DHS said some reporting about the purchases was inaccurate but did not specify which details it disputed.
What was the reported Spirit Airlines deal?
The Guardian reported in November 2025 that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and adviser Corey Lewandowski had arranged to buy 10 Boeing 737s from Spirit Airlines. The aircraft were reportedly intended to expand deportation flights and also for personal travel. This was an attempted deal as described in the reporting; the sources do not establish that DHS bought the planes from Spirit.
The key problem, according to that account, was ownership: Spirit did not own the aircraft. The report also said engines would have to be acquired separately. With those issues identified, the plan was paused. DHS told the Wall Street Journal that some reporting about the purchases was inaccurate, but declined to say which details were wrong. The Guardian’s November 2025 report and the Wall Street Journal are the sources for those claims.
Was that the same as DHS’s later aircraft purchases?
No. The reported Spirit attempt should be distinguished from later transactions involving DHS and aircraft suppliers. The Washington Post reported in December 2025 that DHS signed a nearly $140 million contract through Daedalus Aviation for six Boeing 737s. In August 2026, a Senate press release described a separate $464 million no-bid contract for 10 aircraft: three luxury business jets and seven Boeing 737 passenger jets.
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| Transaction | What was reported | What the evidence establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Spirit Airlines attempt, 2025 | 10 Boeing 737s | The Guardian’s account of Wall Street Journal reporting describes an attempted purchase that was paused; it does not establish a completed purchase. The Guardian |
| Daedalus Aviation contract, December 2025 | Nearly $140 million for six Boeing 737s | The Washington Post reported that DHS signed the contract. The Washington Post |
| Later no-bid contract, described August 2026 | $464 million for 10 aircraft: three luxury business jets and seven Boeing 737 passenger jets | These figures are from a Senate oversight release, not an independent audit finding. Office of Senator Adam Schiff |
The Senate release said most of the later aircraft had sat idle for months and that lawmakers had seen no public information showing they were used for removals. Those are the senators’ statements and oversight concerns; the release does not independently establish the fleet’s final operational status. The senators requested records on cost-effectiveness, use, storage, retrofit and conversion, movement, maintenance, and future plans. The August 25, 2026 Senate release describes the request.
Why did DHS want aircraft, and what did it say they would save?
For the separate six-plane Daedalus contract, DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said the planes would save money “by allowing ICE to operate more effectively, including by using more efficient flight patterns.” She said the effort would save $279 million, but the Washington Post report did not provide supporting specifics for that estimate. The figure is DHS’s stated estimate, not a verified net saving after purchase and operating costs. The Washington Post’s December 10, 2025 report covered the contract and the department’s rationale.
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Flight volume provides context, but not a cost comparison: Human Rights First’s ICE Flight Monitor counted 1,701 deportation flights to 77 countries from January 20 through October 31, 2025, as reported by the Washington Post. The monitor also tracked transfers within the United States, so its figure should not be treated as a count of deportations alone. The Washington Post reported the monitor’s figure.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How does owning aircraft compare with chartering flights?
Owning planes may offer DHS more direct control over aircraft and flight planning, but it also means the government must account for costs and responsibilities beyond the purchase price. Chartering can provide access to aircraft already managed by contractors and lets an agency adjust flight activity as needs change.
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- Total cost: A fair comparison would include acquisition, engines, retrofits, storage, maintenance, and crews—not just the contract price. The available reporting does not provide a verified total-cost comparison.
- Speed and capacity: Contractors with an existing fleet may be simpler to engage than building an agency-operated fleet, but the sources do not quantify how quickly either option can add capacity.
- Control: Government ownership can give an agency more direct control over aircraft use, while charter arrangements rely on contractor-managed planes.
- Flexibility: The Washington Post reported that chartering has historically allowed administrations to scale flight activity up or down; owning and maintaining a fleet brings continuing operating and staffing considerations.
Former acting ICE director John Sandweg said, “It’s so much easier to issue a contract to a company that already manages a fleet of airplanes.” He argued that chartered flights could already accomplish much of the administration’s stated objective. The Washington Post’s December 10, 2025 report included his assessment and the comparison with chartering.
What remains unclear about the aircraft costs and use?
The sources do not establish a final audited comparison of owning planes versus contracting for flights. The $279 million savings estimate for the six-plane contract was not explained in the Post report, and the Senate’s later request for records indicates lawmakers sought more information about costs and use. The Senate release does not provide DHS’s answers or settle the fleet’s ultimate operational status.
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