Liftbrief / Market data and deal flow
What does aircraft transaction activity tell owners and fractional buyers?
The asset market remains distinct from the flight-purchasing market. Global Jet Capital’s Q2 2026 brief reports substantial manufacturer backlogs and limited listed inventory, while warning that transaction figures remain preliminary. (globaljetcapital.com)
| Asset-market indicator | Period | Reported figure |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer order backlogs | End-Q2 2026 | $66.8bn; +20.4% year on year |
| Pre-owned transaction units | First half of 2026 | −7.5% year on year, preliminary |
| Pre-owned transaction dollar volume | First half of 2026 | +7% year on year, preliminary |
| Business-jet fleet available for sale | End-Q2 2026 | 6.6% |
| Availability among aircraft aged 12 years or less | End-Q2 2026 | 3.7% |
Source for every row: Global Jet Capital, Q2 2026 Market Brief, published August 2026. Backlogs, transaction estimates and inventory availability measure different things. (globaljetcapital.com)
Separately, IADA’s 27 July 2026 release reported 21% first-half growth in its dealers’ transactions. That association-member result is not interchangeable with Global Jet Capital’s broader preliminary series. Different coverage and reporting stages prevent a clean reconciliation from the public material reviewed. (iada.aero)
Buyer interpretation: neither a rising transaction value nor an industry inventory percentage establishes the price of a specific aircraft. For ownership or fractional exit analysis, request model-, age- and condition-matched evidence, contractual repurchase deductions and realistic selling-period assumptions.