Space Exploration Technologies Corp. has doubled the prices for its Starlink Aviation plans, significantly increasing costs for in-flight Wi-Fi services while simultaneously raising hardware prices to $200,000 per business jet. The price hikes impact all three tiers of the Business Aviation service, with existing customers set to transition to the new rates in August.

The Aviation Regional 25 GB plan now costs $4,000 per month, up from $2,000, offering speeds up to 250 Mbps within one continental region. Additional data beyond the 25 GB cap is priced at $250 per GB. The Aviation Regional Unlimited plan is newly introduced at $12,500 per month, providing speeds up to 500 Mbps and no data limit within a single continental region. The Aviation Global Unlimited plan has increased to $20,000 per month from $10,000, offering unlimited data, speeds up to 1 Gbps, and worldwide coverage.

New Pricing Structure

The revised pricing structure for Starlink Aviation plans is detailed below:

Hardware Cost Increase

Alongside the subscription changes, SpaceX raised the price of its Starlink Aviation equipment from $145,000 to $200,000. The hardware is designed to deliver 1 Gbps speeds from takeoff to landing globally. The new hardware cost does not include the monthly service fees, and delivery times for the equipment remain a factor for potential buyers.

The pricing adjustments were disclosed via a post on X by influencer Sawyer Merritt on Tuesday. The move comes as SpaceX garners increased attention from financial institutions, with Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas recently outlining a bull case of $600 per share for the company. SpaceX shares were up 1.14% to $151.16 during after-hours trading on Tuesday.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp formally joined the Nasdaq-100 Index on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, triggering an estimated $4.3 billion in forced buying from passive funds. The inclusion is one of the fastest in the exchange's history, with Nasdaq rewriting eligibility rules to allow newly public mega-cap companies entry without the traditional seasoning period. The move forces passive investment vehicles, such as the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ: QQQ), to acquire shares to match the index, potentially causing tumultuous trading sessions due to the mismatch of forced demand and constrained supply.

The Nasdaq-100 is tracked by more than 200 investment products with over $800 billion in assets under management globally. Estimates suggest total buying from Nasdaq-100 and Russell index tracking funds could reach $27 billion. SpaceX's IPO garnered $75 billion by selling 555.56 million shares, yet CEO Elon Musk still controls more than 82% of the company's voting power. Most existing owners cannot sell for several months due to insider lockup regulations, creating a tight supply-demand dynamic where only 3% to 5% of outstanding shares are available for public trading.

Governance advocates have criticized the fast-track entry, warning that the company's dual-class share structure poses risks to retirement savings. Natalia Renta, Associate Director of Corporate Governance and Power at Americans For Financial Reform, expressed concern that the company is being "crammed" into index funds. Critics point to SpaceX’s governance structure as problematic for shareholder rights, noting that under Texas corporate law, SpaceX requires plaintiffs to hold at least 3% of the company’s shares to bring shareholder derivative claims.

From a technical perspective, the stock remains in a powerful uptrend, up 535.01% over the past 12 months. Key resistance is identified in the $185 to $190 range, aligning with Wedbush's $190 price target. On the downside, the $158 to $161 area remains the most important near-term support, with $150 serving as a key level below the opening price on its first day of public trading. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is at 49.35, suggesting the stock is currently in a consolidation phase.

Longer-term investors will focus on SpaceX’s operating performance, which included revenue of about $31.2 billion in the prior year. Starlink contributed about $18.7 billion, or over 60% of total revenues. However, the corporation posted a net loss of almost $4.9 billion last year as capital expenditures continued to rise. Future catalysts include Starship test flights, FAA licensing decisions, and the pace of government and commercial contracts.