"To get that much attention, he also needs to get about - much more than any leaders of companies ten times the size of Palantir, it seems. Keeping him on the front pages of the business and investor media means Karp flies on "non-commercial aircraft beneficially owned by him (the "Executive Aircraft") for business and personal travel", according to a recent regulatory filing."
""During the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company incurred expenses related to the use of the Executive Aircraft of $17.2 million and $7.7 million, respectively," it said. Let's get that straight. Damn near $25 million on air travel in two years. That's enough to fly from London to New York and back about 44,000 times in an economy seat - depending on the commercial airliner - or every day for the next 100+ years."
"Karp has boasted that the company doesn't need to spend much on sales, as its products sell themselves once customers start playing around with them. Aside from this not being true - Palantir spent $1 billion on sales and marketing in FY2025 - the investment in Karp jetting around the globe to keep his mouth at the center of the action might yield significant ROI, even if his board would sometimes rather he remained a little less vocal."
Palantir CEO Alex Karp uses provocative rhetoric and extensive travel to sustain high public and investor visibility. Regulatory filings show the company incurred $17.2 million and $7.7 million in Executive Aircraft expenses during 2025 and 2024, respectively, totaling nearly $25 million. An analyst estimate based on mid-sized jet operating costs implies roughly 2,457 flight hours, or about 28 percent of the year spent airborne. Karp has claimed Palantir needs little sales spending because products sell themselves, yet Palantir spent $1 billion on sales and marketing in FY2025. The executive travel is a prominent corporate expense that may or may not justify its return.
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