SpaceX says some travelers are skipping direct options just to fly on a plane with Starlink

Aug 06, 2026 02:01 AM - 1 hour ago 3

A statement of airlines waits connected an airdrome tarmac.

"Actually, I would for illustration to adhd an other formation to my trip," said nary one, ever.

Well, until Starlink came along, apparently.

During SpaceX's Tuesday net call, the company's president, Gwynne Shotwell, highlighted the description of Starlink, the company's satellite-powered net service, crossed commercialized airlines.

"In fact, we heard from 1 of our hose customers, shockingly, customers are flying shorter hop flights alternatively of direct, truthful that they could guarantee that they're connected a Starlink-activated flight," Shotwell said successful her opening remarks connected the call. "They'd ne'er seen this successful the business before."

YouTuber MrBeast made a akin connection earlier this twelvemonth connected "The Good Guys" podcast, saying he would yet take flights based connected whether the craft offered Starlink — moreover if it meant taking an other layover.

He besides joked that he would alternatively person Starlink WiFi than Biscoff cookies, a snack intimately associated pinch Delta Air Lines. Delta does not person an statement pinch SpaceX to usage Starlink.

MrBeast says erstwhile capable airlines connection Starlink, he’ll only book those flights: “Extra layover? Don’t care—there’s Starlink. I’ll beryllium anyplace for it. Starlink is amazing.”

He adds: “Most group haven’t utilized it, but successful Antarctica it was our only signal. On a four-hour drive… pic.twitter.com/ow7lzP6Xk0

— Tesla Owners Silicon Valley (@teslaownersSV) April 10, 2026

Business Insider contacted 13 airlines pinch agreements to usage Starlink and asked whether they had observed passengers choosing itineraries based connected the service.

A Southwest spokesperson said he believed Shotwell was referring to different carrier, noting that Southwest does not run location jets and uses its Starlink-equipped craft crossed a assortment of routes.

Alaska Airlines declined to comment. The different airlines did not respond by publication time. SpaceX besides did not respond to a petition for remark aliases verification of Shotwell's account.

SpaceX besides touted a caller statement pinch American Airlines to bring Starlink to 500 planes, arsenic good arsenic caller partnerships pinch Southwest, Virgin Atlantic, Iberia, and Aer Lingus. The institution said endeavor and authorities contracts generated $1.8 cardinal successful quarterly revenue.

Shotwell said SpaceX saw "significant maturation opportunities" for Starlink and had ne'er mislaid an endeavor customer.

A SpaceX first

A contrail from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successful February.

Tuesday was SpaceX's first net telephone since its June IPO. The institution reported $7.8 cardinal successful quarterly revenue, up 92% from a twelvemonth earlier, and a nett nonaccomplishment of $541 million.

Much of the telephone focused connected SpaceX's progressively expansive ambitions. Shotwell said the institution plans to turn Starlink Mobile into a full-fledged bearer tin of taking customers from AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile.

CEO Elon Musk, meanwhile, defended SpaceX's astir $16 cardinal successful quarterly spending connected AI infrastructure and outlined plans that included information centers successful space, factories and robots connected the moon, and a imaginable $1 trillion successful yearly gross arsenic early arsenic 2029.

Investors appeared little enthusiastic astir the value tag: SpaceX shares fell aft hours contempt the company's gross beat. The banal is down astir 30% since its June IPO.