The math is counterintuitive but planes fly with minimal fuel because fuel is so heavy that having more fuel requires even more fuel. Fuel is a primary expense. So airlines like to stop places even when not strictly required. They don’t fill the car all the way up like you and I might.
The math isn’t counter intuitive at all. Also how rockets work (burn a lot of fuel at the beginning because you have to push a lot of fuel + cargo), also let’s drop some boosters while we are at it to get rid of even more weight.
In flight refueling might be the way to go, but then keeping the fuel plane up also takes fuel.
