The International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA) has reported that closed preowned business aircraft transactions rose 21% year on year to 746 in the first half of 2026, with tight inventory and strong buyer demand continuing to define the market.
Acquisition agreements among IADA Accredited Dealers rose 8% year on year to 536 aircraft, while dealer inventory purchases surged 87% to 118 aircraft, double the first half of 2024. Price reductions fell 11% to 67, the fewest since IADA began tracking the metric in 2023.
“The first half of 2026 demonstrates that the preowned business aircraft market continues to perform remarkably well,” said Lou Seno, executive director of IADA. “Demand remains healthy, transaction activity is even running ahead of last year and our members continue to express confidence in the market despite ongoing global uncertainties.”
IADA’s buyer-seller index declined to 2.74, its lowest reading in two and a half years, indicating that sellers increasingly hold negotiating leverage as available inventory remains scarce. Limited availability of younger, well-equipped aircraft remains the defining characteristic of the market, with lengthy OEM delivery backlogs, the reinstatement of 100% US bonus depreciation, acceptable financing conditions and healthy equity markets sustaining demand.
IADA members rated the current market at 3.45 on a five-point scale, essentially unchanged from 3.55 in the first quarter and up from 3.07 a year earlier. Nearly two-thirds of respondents anticipate further price increases in the large jet segment, where inventory shortages are most pronounced.
The 12-month outlook indicates expectations for a stable market moving toward improvement. Headwinds cited by respondents included geopolitical uncertainty, tariffs, MRO capacity limitations and supply chain challenges affecting aircraft production.
The IADA Perspective Survey drew responses from more than 1,000 members worldwide, with 97% of Accredited Dealers participating in monthly activity reporting.
