Aircraft dealers report rising confidence as preowned demand strengthens

Aircraft dealers' confidence rose in the third quarter of 2026, according to the International Aircraft Dealers Association's Q3 Market Report. IADA members rated aircraft sales market conditions 3.62 out of 5, up from 3.45 in the second quarter and 3.47 in the same quarter last year.

The improvement was driven by strong demand for late-model, well-maintained preowned business aircraft, tight supply of desirable models, and extended manufacturer delivery backlogs. Sellers have gained negotiating leverage: IADA reported that sellers held their strongest market advantage in almost three years.

Transaction activity and dealer inventory

IADA Accredited Dealers completed 1,155 aircraft transactions during the first three quarters of 2026, up from 983 in the same period last year. Third-quarter transactions alone totalled 409, compared with 367 a year earlier.

New acquisition agreements rose to 510 across the first three quarters of 2026. Dealer inventory purchases totalled 127 aircraft.

In Q3, dealers reported 176 new acquisition agreements and 230 aircraft retained to sell exclusively. Under-contract deals stood at 289, with 409 closed deals completed during the quarter.

Supply constraints driving the market

Strong financial markets, wealth creation, and favourable U.S. bonus depreciation provisions supported demand. Manufacturer order backlogs extending several years encouraged owners awaiting new aircraft to retain their existing aeroplanes, further limiting the supply of desirable preowned aircraft.

Buyers seeking newer aircraft with specific configurations, favourable maintenance histories, and lower flight hours frequently faced limited choices and increased competition. Private Jet Card Comparisons reported that demand remained concentrated on late-model, well-maintained aircraft, with limited supplies of quality inventory strengthening sellers' positions.

Lou Seno, IADA Executive Director, said in a press release that "overall, the market is strong and maturing, with buyers more selective and pricing increasingly tied to aircraft condition."

The third-quarter report drew on responses from IADA Accredited Dealers, certified brokers, and product and service members operating worldwide.