To understand just how far college football has drifted from its old-school roots, we can’t start with NIL deals or transfer portal chaos. We need to start on the runway because, in 2025, while fans argued about culture and loyalty, Alabama was busy burning jet fuel. 

According to public records obtained by Front Office Sports, Alabama’s spending on private aviation for recruiting lapped the field, setting a new benchmark in the sport’s financial arms race, spending a jaw-dropping $1,235,418 on private jet travel. This isn’t reckless spending, as these trips were primarily for recruiting, portal movement, and program operations. It shows how far powerhouses are willing to go to secure talent far and wide. 

For a storied program built on regional grit, this massive aviation budget shows how the landscape of the game has changed. Staying on top now requires a nationwide, airborne approach rather than just relying on local tradition.

Under Kalen DeBoer, Alabama is trying to outpace modern recruiting. His contract also includes 30 hours of private flight time annually for personal use, a perk that tells you everything about how big-time this job has become. And while the report didn’t specify how much of that he used, the bigger picture shows this is a program operating at cruising altitude while others are still boarding.

Last season, Alabama finished with an 11-4 season, including a CFP appearance. For the 2026 class, they secured the No. 2 recruiting class in the country, featuring 27 commits and four 5-stars. The Tide also found success in the portal as they hauled in a top-20 rank with 17 incoming players. So, that $1.2 million private jet investment paid off. 

Zoom calls are becoming increasingly common, but it’s always a face-to-face connection that builds trust and results. Alabama made sure they showed up for their targets. And private jets made that easy for a coach who’s visiting a 5-star DL in Texas one day, a Georgia WR the next morning, and a meeting with a transfer player back in Tuscaloosa by nightfall. This unmatched mobility let DeBoer personally close out-of-state deals that commercial routing would make impossible, directly turning flight hours into signed commitments.

Alabama was able to sign some elite players in the 2026 class, headlined by QB Jett Thomalla and No. 1 RB EJ Crowell. The Tide also added WR Aubrey Walker and ATH Amari Sabb, trailing behind only USC in the national rankings. And they’re already building for 2027, with a recent commitment from TE Oakley Keega, the fourth signee of the class. And as far as the private jet investment goes, the rest of college football is trying to keep up.

Kalen DeBoer and Alabama topped CFB schools  

Among nearly 50 programs that responded to the records request, Kalen DeBoer‘s Alabama sat comfortably at No. 1, but they weren’t alone in opening the checkbook. Right behind them is Nebraska, dropping $1.136 million, while Michigan followed at $1.078 million. Then the SEC elites enter the race with Texas A&M coming in at $925,911, while Texas rounds up the top five with $817,898. 

The Aggies, in particular, offered a rare peek behind the curtain, logging 39 private jet trips in 2025. Fifteen were tied to recruiting or official business. The other 24 were tagged as personal use for head coach Mike Elko, costing nearly $493,000. Meanwhile, Steve Sarkisian used his 20 allotted hours at Texas for trips to California and Atlanta.

And then there’s the outlier. Indiana had a perfect 16-0 season. Many would have expected the national champions to be high on that list. But shocker, they spent just $42,200 on private jets. Even so, that might not last, as head coach Curt Cignetti’s updated deal now includes 75 hours of annual private flight time because eventually, even the exceptions have to adapt.