SpaceX: Some travelers choose multi-stop flights for Starlink WiFi

Published Aug 5, 07:01 PM UTC

SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell revealed during the company's first earnings call as a public company that some airline customers are choosing shorter, multi-stop flights over direct routes specifically to ensure they are on a Starlink-equipped aircraft. YouTuber MrBeast echoed this sentiment, stating he would take extra layovers for Starlink WiFi. SpaceX reported $7.8 billion in quarterly revenue, up 92% year-over-year, with enterprise and government contracts generating $1.8 billion. The company announced new partnerships with American Airlines, Southwest, Virgin Atlantic, Iberia, and Aer Lingus. Despite the revenue beat, SpaceX shares fell after hours and are down about 30% since its June IPO. CEO Elon Musk outlined ambitious plans including space-based data centers and lunar factories.