Global Jet Capital releases its annual 2026 Business Jet Forecast

Global Jet Capital has released its sixth annual Business Jet Market Forecast, outlining a confident outlook for the sector. The updated analysis anticipates steady expansion over the next five years, driven by robust order backlogs, resilient macroeconomic conditions, and sustained global wealth creation. The forecast extends through 2030, offering detailed projections across both new aircraft deliveries and pre‑owned market activity. These insights are powered by the company’s proprietary transaction forecast model, which enables a granular, data‑driven view of expected market dynamics.

Andrew Farrant, Chief Marketing Officer commented: “The market is seeing increased demand. Increases in business jet flight activity started in Q4 2024 and continued through 2026, rising 3.4 percent year over year in the first half of the year. Demand for business jets has strengthened alongside rising flight activity. We project OEMs will steadily increase deliveries to fulfill high backlogs, but lead times will remain long, leading to increased pre-owned market activity for buyers with immediate needs. Overall, the number of transactions is expected to increase 3.6 percent in 2026, and transaction dollar volume is forecast to increase 5.5 percent. Over the next five years, we forecast the number of transactions will increase at an average annual rate of 2.8 percent.”

Global Jet Capital’s econometric, top‑down model forecasts $247 billion in combined new and pre‑owned aircraft transaction volume between 2026 and 2030, with overall dollar volume projected to grow at an average annual rate of 4.1% across the period.

Business jet deliveries are projected to rise across all size categories, with heavy jets leading the expansion. According to the forecast, buyers continue to prioritize greater range and cabin capacity, driving an anticipated increase in transaction volume of 3.3% for new heavy jets and 4.9% for pre‑owned heavy jets.

The report also highlights above‑average growth in medium‑jet transactions and pre‑owned VLJ activity, reflecting strong demand across multiple segments of the market.

Geographically, North America is expected to remain the largest business jet market over the next five years. Latin America is projected to rank second, driven by its consistently high appetite for pre‑owned aircraft, while Europe is set to continue as a key region for new‑jet deliveries.

Global Jet Capital believes that the projections contained within the forecast are a useful tool for individuals and organizations navigating the business aircraft industry. To download the Market Forecast, visit: https://www.globaljetcapital.com/forecast-2026