SpaceX $85.7B IPO and AI boom fuel private jet demand

Business Jul 09, 2026

Thanks to massive paydays from SpaceX's reported $85.7 billion IPO and the AI boom, a new wave of tech millionaires is splurging on private jets.
Aviation lawyer Amanda Applegate says her firm has seen business jump 25% as newly wealthy tech executives and investors look for faster, more exclusive ways to travel.

Brownsville flights spike 177% during IPO

Private aviation is having a moment: early 2026 saw shared-ownership flights up nearly 12% worldwide, while private-jet owner flights climbed over 13%.
San Francisco (home to OpenAI and Anthropic) logged an 11% bump in business jet trips, but Brownsville, Texas (near SpaceX's launch site) really stole the show with a wild 177% spike during the IPO rush.