Business Aviation Deliveries Rise as US Sentiment Falls

Worldwide business jet shipments jumped 8.2% in the first half of 2026 and transactions by member dealers of a trade group rose 21%, even as U.S. consumer sentiment sank near a record low. Dealers and an analyst cite stock-market wealth, tax incentives and fractional ownership.

Business jet shipments climbed 8.2% worldwide in the first half of 2026, an industry group reported, even as U.S. consumer sentiment slid to near a record low.

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Manufacturers delivered 383 business jets from January through June, up from 354 a year earlier, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association said Sept. 3. Turboprop shipments rose 7.8% to 289 aircraft. Total airplane billings, which also include piston models, grew 15.5% to $14.3 billion.

The economic mood moved the other way. The University of Michigan’s preliminary consumer sentiment index fell to 46.3 in October from 48.1 in September, Reuters reported Oct. 9.

The contrast highlights a business aviation market that grew in the first half while pressures mounted on U.S. households. An AP report on Oct. 17 described higher fuel costs straining household budgets and air travel after the Iran war disrupted oil shipments from the Middle East.

The two measures cover different periods and different populations. GAMA counts aircraft shipped from factories to customers anywhere in the world, including dealers and company-owned fractional operators. Its figures do not track how often private jets fly.

Dealers report brisk trading

The International Aircraft Dealers Association said its member dealers completed 746 aircraft transactions in the first half of 2026. That is 21% more than in the same period of 2025.

The association’s second-quarter report said rising stock markets, bonus depreciation, financing and the appeal of private travel were keeping buyers active. It cited tight inventory, geopolitical and tariff uncertainty, and maintenance bottlenecks as headwinds.

Louis C. Seno, the association’s executive director, wrote in the report: “In Q2 of 2026, demand is holding up well.”

The depreciation break the association cited is now permanent. Guidance issued Jan. 14 by the Internal Revenue Service describes 100% additional first-year depreciation for eligible property acquired after Jan. 19, 2025. Eligibility and placed-in-service requirements still apply, so not every aircraft purchase automatically qualifies.

Analyst points to fuel and wealth

Adam Cowburn, managing director at Alton Aviation Consultancy, pointed to the industry’s limited exposure to fuel prices, according to an Oct. 18 FlightGlobal report.

Cowburn was quoted as saying: “The market has been remarkably resilient despite high inflation, higher interest rates and the war, partly because business aviation is not terribly sensitive to high oil prices.”

He also tied demand to wealth generated by strong stock markets, saying “much of that new wealth is gravitating to business aviation.”

Fractional ownership draws attention

Cowburn also highlighted fractional ownership, in which customers buy a share of an operator’s fleet rather than a whole aircraft.

NetJets, which calls itself the worldwide private aviation leader, describes its programs as including partial ownership of its fleet and prepaid flight hours through jet cards. It says its leasing option provides access without an aircraft acquisition fee.

“People sometimes underestimate the complexity of running a non-revenue airline in-house,” Cowburn was quoted as saying.

He also said: “Fractional is turnkey, but you can also up-gauge and down-gauge depending on need.”

Shared and full ownership can overlap. A Honeywell survey released in October 2025 found that 12% of the wholly owned aircraft operators it surveyed also held fractional shares.

Fleet operators keep ordering

Large operators have continued to commit to new aircraft. Bombardier said Feb. 11 that Vista and commonly controlled entities placed firm orders for 40 Challenger 3500 jets, valued at $1.18 billion at 2026 list prices. The deal includes options for 120 more.

“This agreement is about leadership, preparedness and client experience,” said Thomas Flohr, Vista’s founder and chairman.

Flexjet announced June 12 its acquisition of The Jet Business, a London-based aircraft brokerage and advisory firm. Flexjet, which cited a global fleet of more than 340 aircraft, said the firm will help with aircraft entering and leaving its fleet and supply transaction expertise and market intelligence.

The strength reaches the pre-owned market. Broker SmartJets has said growth is originating at the top of the market, according to a trade report. It said strong demand and significant backlogs for new long-range jets are steering many buyers toward top-tier pre-owned aircraft.

The Helicopter Company, a Saudi helicopter operator owned by the Public Investment Fund, signed a letter of intent with Bombardier in July at the Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom. The agreement aims to finalize 12 firm orders, for five Challenger 3500s, five Global 5500s and two Global 8000s, plus options for 48 more.

Trade tensions add uncertainty

Trade policy has created headwinds for some manufacturers. President Donald Trump threatened in September to bar Bombardier from selling in the U.S. unless the Canadian company manufactured there, according to Reuters.

Bombardier said in a statement later that day that it spends more than $2.5 billion a year with U.S. suppliers. The White House did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on how the restriction would be enforced. No further action on the threat had followed, FlightGlobal reported Oct. 18.

Swiss manufacturer Pilatus said in its March 3 annual report that trade tariffs, delivery stoppages, supply-chain disruption and currency movements affected its 2025 operations. The company said in November 2025 that it was ferrying and delivering aircraft to U.S. customers.

In June, the Pentagon added Cirrus Design Corporation to its list of Chinese military companies as an entity tied to Aviation Industry Corporation of China, or AVIC, AeroTime reported.

Cirrus Aircraft Limited, Cirrus Design’s Hong Kong-listed parent, said in an Aug. 26 interim report that it was assessing the possible effects. The company said it did not expect a material impact on its business, financial condition or results, based on information available at the time.

GAMA’s reporting schedule lists third-quarter shipment results for the week of Nov. 16.