Private Jet Purchases Rise as Wealth From SpaceX IPO and AI Grows

Business jet traffic has risen sharply in cities tied to the SpaceX IPO and AI companies, with departures from San Francisco increasing about 11 percent from January 1 to June 14 compared with the same period last year. Near SpaceX’s Starbase in Brownsville, Texas, business jet traffic jumped 177 percent during the company’s recent IPO window, according to aviation data cited by Reuters.

Flights through shared-ownership programs rose 11.8 percent globally in the first five months of 2026, while flights operated by private jet owners increased 13.4 percent, Jetnet data showed. Charter operator Mercury Jets reported double-digit growth in demand from technology executives this year, and Jet Linx said its business rose 60 percent through May, with strong growth in Texas.

Jennings, CEO of The Private

Jet Company, told The Post that inventory of top-tier ultra-long-range jets such as Gulfstreams, Falcons and Bombardier Globals stands at single digits.

“We only have single digit inventory" of top-tier jets such as Gulfstreams, Falcons and Bombardier Globals.”

A California aircraft broker told Reuters that roughly three-quarters of current clients now come from the technology sector, up from one-fifth a decade ago, and said planes sold last year could fetch 10 to 15 percent more today. Todd Rubin, co-founder of Triumph Jets, told The Post that new buyers view private aviation as a time-management tool rather than solely a luxury purchase.

Industry executives expect demand to stay elevated into the fourth quarter as investors anticipate potential IPOs from AI companies including OpenAI and Anthropic.