Tracking the 2024 US presidential campaign aircraft

Nick Benson - JetTip.net

N629NP, a New Pacific 757-200, is the most recent addition to the campaign fleet.

Politics may divide us, but we can agree that it's fun to see unusual aircraft! Here's an overview of how both campaigns are traveling ahead of the election on November 5th. If you haven't already, please register to vote!

Both campaigns have aircraft in special liveries (paint schemes) to carry their candidates and surrogates to rallies, interviews, and fundraisers, especially in the battleground states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Scheduled appearances generally get announced a few days in advance, though in some cases, may not be made until the morning of. If you'd like to see any of these aircraft, monitoring 4President.us and your local media is a great first step. The FAA's VIP flight restrictions (TFRs) are another resource for an early heads-up.

Of course JetTip's smart flight alerts will keep tabs on all sorts interesting commercial jets, including the Harris/Walz 757 and CRJ, whose schedules aren't private or "blocked," like the rest of the aircraft mentioned here.

Nick Benson - JetTip.net

Air Force One, carrying President Trump, making a dramatic arrival at MSP in October, 2019. This campaign season might mark the last visit of the VC-25A at a few airports - Boeing will be doing their best to have the new VC-25B in service by 2028.

For timing hints to see President Biden and Air Force One, check the detailed schedule posted the day of here.

If you'd like to keep tabs on the realtime position of all of the jets mentioned below by both campaigns, including Air Force One and Two, give this link on adsb.lol a whirl.

Finally, if you're excited to document any of these aircraft, keep in mind that some places, especially on/in airport property, might be a bit less permissive with cameras than usual - you might be well-served to have an alternate photo location in mind a safe distance out that you can get to quickly if shooed away from your usual spots.

Vice President Harris

Nick Benson - JetTip.net

Vice President Harris exiting a C-32 (757-200 derivative) in March, 2024.

Vice President Harris travels on Air Force Two, with the campaign reimbursing the government at a fair market rate. Commercial flight trackers like JetTip won't send alerts for these aircraft, but you can keep tabs on them in realtime with the unfiltered, indie flight trackers (check out the adsb.lol link above).

Generally the role of Air Force Two is served by the military version of the 757-200, the C-32, though Harris has previously traveled on the 737 NG derived C-40B, they've been sticking with the C-32 recently.

President Biden has also done some campaigning for Harris, so Air Force One, the 747-200 based VC-25A, may make a few appearances. Between shifting electoral maps, and upcoming replacement VC-25B (747-8i derivative), it's entirely possible a few airports might see their last VC-25A visit in coming weeks - catch it if you can!

Obligatory disclaimer: while "Air Force One" or "Air Force Two" are casually used to refer to the VC-25 and C-32, they're actually callsigns that would apply to any USAF aircraft that happens to be carrying the President or Vice President.

Former President Trump

Nick Benson - JetTip.net

"Trump Force One," N757AF, departing LAX after a fundraiser in September, 2024.

Former President Trump has is already well-known in avgeek circles for having his own 757-200, which has after a few years of inactivity, is now back in service. Its tail number is N757AF. It is the only aircraft remaining in the Trump Organization fleet. His aircraft's schedule is not published through commercial trackers like JetTip.

On at least two occasions this May replacement aircraft were needed when the 757 was unable to fly. He used N254CA, a Gulfstream G-IV, and N550GP, a G550, which briefly wore Trump decals (and was the source of a minor scandal).

Governor Walz

Nick Benson - JetTip.net

N778MA, a KaiserAir 737-800, served a very brief stint for the Harris-Walz campaign in early September.

Governor Walz has been flying on a mix of aircraft, with the campaign recently utilizing a New Pacific 757-200, N629NP out of MSP, as well as an Aurora Anguilla (Best Jets International) E170, N175RS from STP.

Previously Walz was assigned a Breeze A220, N224BZ, another New Pacific 757, N627NP. N778MA, a KaiserAir 737-800 briefly wore campaign graphics in the first half of September, but only did a handful of flights.

Senator Vance

Nick Benson - JetTip.net

Senator Vance arriving at MSP for a fundraiser in October, 2024 on N917XA, a 737-800 that's been flying for the campaign since July.

Senator Vance has been assigned a 737-800, "Trump Force Two," N917XA, which is operated by Eastern Air Express. If you get a smart flight alert for an unidentified Eastern Air Express from JetTip, there's a chance it's this aircraft - doublecheck on one of the indie trackers to confirm before getting too excited. The aircraft and special livery were revealed in July on the same day Vance was announced as Trump's running mate.

Avgeek aside: Eastern purchased Hillwood in 2023 and started doing 737 charter work, and then purchased the vast majority of bankrupt iAero's (formerly Swift Air) fleet earlier this year.

Second Gentleman Emhoff

Brett Johnsen for JetTip.net

Tri-State Charter's N907SA, departing Milwaukee in October, 2024.

While the spouse of the President is flown by the Air Force, it appears the policy doesn't extend to the Vice President's spouse. As such, First Gentleman Emhoff, who's been actively campaigning for his wife, has frequently be flying on CRJ2, N907SA, which is operated by Tri-State Charter, and appears to have been working for Harris-Walz since mid-August.

Nick Benson

Nick lives in Burnsville, Minnesota with his wife and three children. He grooves on railroad and aviation photography, politics, geography, weather, and LEGO. He started JetTip's smart flight alert service in 2017, and is now a full-time avgeek. He can frequently be found atop a step ladder at MSP's Aircraft Viewing Area.