Ministers have cut their use of the government jet and other state aircraft to reduce costs and avoid critical media coverage.
The cabinet's use of the Gulfstream IV halved last year while use of other aircraft, such as helicopters, also fell, according to the Department of Defence. An overall 38% reduction in the use of Air Corps planes means the cost of flying ministers on military craft fell from 1.77m to 1.06m.
The saving will be offset by some increase in the cost of ministers taking commercial flights, but government sources insist there has been a reduction in overseas travel and a switch towards more road journeys by ministers on Irish engagements.
"There has been a media backlash against ministerial travel and it has significantly altered the scene," said one official. "Ministers are increasingly using scheduled flights to get to overseas destinations.
"We don't want a situation where the tanaiste can't go on a trade mission because of the cost of using the government jet, but certainly the commercial options are being assessed more rigorously."
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The biggest reduction has been in use of the Gulfstream IV. The largest government jet, which carries up to 14 passengers and can fly long-haul, clocked up 195 air hours last year, a 45% drop on the 357 hours recorded in 2008.
There was a rise last year in the use of the smaller Learjet 45, which carries seven passengers, but this is explained by the phasing out of a sister aircraft, the older Beechcraft Super King.
The overall flight time of the entire Ministerial Air Transport Service fell from 677 hours during 2008 to 391 hours last year.