Travel bill for Obama’s presidential family holidays top $70m

Washington: US President Barack Obama’s 16-day Christmas getaway in Hawaii will bring the cost of his family’s personal travel during his time in office to more than $70 million (Dh257 million), according to a new study.

This year alone the estimated bill for the First Family’s holidays was $11.6 million, including golf trips to Florida and California, and Michelle Obama going skiing in Aspen.

Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, the conservative watchdog which compiled the study, said: “The Obamas are treating Air Force One like an Uber ride. “President Obama seems oblivious to the burden he is placing on Americans with his continuous vacations, getaways and political junkets at taxpayer expense.”

It costs just over $200,000 an hour to fly Air Force One, meaning $3.6 million for the round trip from Washington to Hawaii. It is the Obamas’ seventh family holiday in Hawaii during his presidency.

Obama has taken 23 holidays, a total of 177 days, during his presidency.