Does the Vice President have their own plane in the United States?

The Vice President has a plane, titled Air Force Two, that has many of the same features as Air Force One. Although given the Air Force Two call sign only when the Vice President is aboard, this plane has also transported the First Lady and the Secretary of State.This aircraft features an enclosed stateroom, a communications center, a lavatory, and a galley. There is also a conference and staff facility with 32 business class seats, as well as a restroom and a galley.

Does the President fly in their plane alone?

The President will not customarily fly with the Vic President while in office. However, that does not mean that the President travels without essential staff.A presidential entourage usually includes:– Domestic, economic or national security advisors– Speechwriters– The protective press pool (containing 13 members)

What is Air Force One called if the Vice President is on board?

The Vice President does not usually fly on Air Force One, which would present a security risk. However, the Vice President uses a plane that goes by the call sign Air Force Two.

Can the President and Vice President Fly Together?

In practice, no. The President and Vice President almost never fly on the same plane, but it is a long-standing security custom rather than a law. A continuity-of-government expert described it to NPR as a "very strong prohibition" that is not absolutely universal. The point is simple: if one aircraft goes down, the country should not lose both of the top two officials at once.

Key Takeaways

The separation is a custom backed by security practice. We found no statute that requires it.
The two often appear at the same event, but they normally arrive on different aircraft.
"Air Force One" and "Air Force Two" are call signs for whichever aircraft carries the President or Vice President.

Why They Travel Separately

The reason is continuity of government. The President is followed in the line of succession by the Vice President, so putting both on one aircraft puts that chain at risk in a single accident or attack.

When a plane crash in April 2010 killed the President of Poland, along with the army and navy chiefs, the head of the national bank and a dozen members of parliament, NPR asked John Fortier, then executive director of the Continuity of Government Commission at the American Enterprise Institute, how the US handles the same risk. He said there is a "very strong prohibition" about the President and Vice President flying together, though "I wouldn't say that's absolutely universal." He added that, for the most part, the US does not let them travel on a plane together.

He also made a point about what the custom does not cover. The two do appear in the same place at the same time, which could be the subject of an attack or accident. And he said there is no rule that a large number of people in the line of succession cannot be together. The State of the Union is the obvious example, when almost everyone in the line is in one room. There is also a tradition of sending one member of the line away from such events.

Are There Exceptions?

Fortier gave an example: after the 1992 election and before the inauguration, President-elect Clinton and Vice President-elect Gore travelled together by bus from Charlottesville and often travelled together by plane. That was before they held office. For sitting officials, the custom has been to use separate aircraft, even when going to the same city.

What It Looks Like in Practice

The clearest recent example is a viral claim from March 2021 that President Biden and Vice President Harris flew to Atlanta together on Air Force One. The fact-checking site Lead Stories found that was false. They flew on separate planes to Atlanta on March 19, 2021, he on Air Force One and she on Air Force Two. After landing, Harris boarded Air Force One for a briefing with the President, and the two came down the steps together. A photo of that moment was misread as proof that they had flown together.

That pattern, separate aircraft and a joint appearance on the ground, is the normal one. The two officials can meet in the same place at the same time without sharing a flight.

What Air Force One and Air Force Two Mean

These are call signs, not names for particular airframes. Air Force One is the call sign used for an Air Force aircraft carrying the President, and Air Force Two is the one used when the Vice President is aboard. That is why reporters can write about the President flying on "Air Force One" in a different aircraft from one trip to the next.

What the Rule Is Not

It is not the 25th Amendment, and it is not the Presidential Succession Act. Those govern what happens if the President cannot serve. The custom about flying separately is a separate matter of travel security.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it illegal for the President and Vice President to fly together?

We found no law that requires them to fly separately. It is a long-standing security custom. A continuity-of-government expert told NPR it is a "very strong prohibition" but not absolutely universal.

Why do the President and Vice President fly on different planes?

So that one accident or attack cannot take both top officials at once. The Vice President is next in the line of succession.

Can the President and Vice President be at the same event?

Yes. They frequently appear together on the ground. The expert interviewed by NPR noted they are in the same place at the same time at events such as the State of the Union, and that there is no rule against a large number of the line of succession gathering.

Is Air Force One one particular plane?

No. It is the call sign for an Air Force aircraft carrying the President. Air Force Two is the equivalent when the Vice President is aboard.

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