American Airlines Picks Starlink for 500-Plus Jets as SpaceX Seeks $1.77 Trillion IPO Valuation
Updated
Updated · CNBC · Jun 11
American Airlines Picks Starlink for 500-Plus Jets as SpaceX Seeks $1.77 Trillion IPO Valuation
3 articles · Updated · CNBC · Jun 11
Summary
More than 500 American Airlines narrow-body aircraft will get Starlink Wi-Fi under a deal announced last month, extending Starlink’s push deeper into commercial aviation.
That win adds to a growing airline roster—United, Southwest and Alaska have also chosen Starlink—while Delta said in March it would use Amazon Leo starting in 2028.
10.3 million Starlink broadband customers and 9,600 satellites across 164 countries make it SpaceX’s main profitable business, the key asset investors are weighing ahead of the IPO.
ARPU fell to $66 a month from $86 a year earlier, and first-quarter Starlink operating income rose only to $1.19 billion from $1.03 billion, underscoring pressure from pricing, terminal costs and tougher urban competition.
$15 billion spent on Starship and plans for more powerful V3 satellites mean Starlink’s longer-term growth case still hinges on whether SpaceX can scale launch capacity without major setbacks.
Is SpaceX's colossal valuation a tech revolution or a bubble built on unproven promises and falling user revenue?
As Amazon's Kuiper enters the fray, is a celestial price war brewing that will define the future of internet access?
Did Nasdaq's 'fast entry' rule for SpaceX's IPO rig the market at the expense of everyday retirement savers?
SpaceX Goes Public at $1.77 Trillion: Starlink’s Financial Engine and the New Era of Airline Connectivity
Overview
SpaceX is set to make its highly anticipated IPO debut on June 12, 2026, marking a pivotal moment for both the financial and aerospace sectors. The event is expected to be one of the largest and most closely watched in recent history, with robust demand reported from both large institutional investors and individual buyers eager to participate in the future of space exploration. Market indicators suggest a strong first-day surge, and the IPO could be oversubscribed, allowing bankers to release additional shares. This public offering opens up SpaceX investment to ordinary investors for the first time, signaling a new era for the company and the industry.