Patriots' Plane Chartered by State Dept. to Bring Americans Home from Middle East

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The New England Patriots' private Boeing 767 aircraft, known as AirKraft, was chartered this week by the U.S. Department of State to fly Americans home from the Middle East. The State Department shared a photo of people boarding the plane, which landed safely in Washington, D.C. on Friday morning. An official stated the flight was entirely paid for by the State Department, and the Patriots organization was not involved.

Why it matters

The use of the Patriots' plane highlights the U.S. government's efforts to repatriate American citizens from the Middle East amid ongoing military operations between the U.S., Israel, and Iran. The Patriots' aircraft has previously been utilized for community and humanitarian missions, demonstrating its versatility beyond just team travel.

The details

According to the State Department, nearly 24,000 Americans have returned to the U.S. from the Middle East since the start of the U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran. The Patriots' Boeing 767, which is operated by a charter company when not in use by the team, was chartered by the State Department to assist in these repatriation efforts.

• The Patriots' plane was chartered by the State Department this week.
• The flight landed safely in Washington, D.C. on the morning of Friday, March 7, 2026.