AMSTAT: Q1 fall in pre-owned sales despite demand strength

Business aviation analyst AMSTAT has revealed falling sales in the pre-owned business aircraft market in the first quarter of this year, despite continued strength in demand albeit constrained supply across most segments.

Total pre-owned business aircraft transactions – including jets and turboprops – fell by 10.5% in Q1 2026 compared with a very strong Q1 2025. But activity remained resilient, beating the 10-year Q1 average by 4% and exceeding the sales seen in 2023 and 2024.

“While headline transaction numbers were lower year-over-year, the broader context is critical,” said Andrew Young, general manager, AMSTAT. “Q1 2025 was an outlier in terms of strength. When viewed against historical trends, the market remains healthy, with strong demand and tightening inventory continuing to support values.”

At the end of March 2026, pre-owned inventory accounted for 5.9% of the active fleet, below the 10-year average of 7.3%. Inventory  fell by 2.8% year-over-year (2.8%), it has dipped by 11% since October 2025 reinforcing ongoing supply constraints, according to AMSTAT.

Although pre-owned business jet transactions declined 11.4% year-over-year in Q1, they remained 9.1% above the 10-year average. Inventory tightened further, with only 6.6% of the active fleet available for sale, compared with the historic average of 8.2%.

Median jet values, which had softened between 2023 and 2024, stabilised through much of 2025 and climbed 3% between Q4 2025 and Q1 2026. Strong demand, particularly for newer, current-generation aircraft, is said to be driving upward pricing pressure in select segments.

The heavy jet segment continues to outperform, with Q1 2026 transactions ranking as the second highest first-quarter total on record despite an 8.3% year-over-year decline. Activity exceeded the 10-year average by 27.9%.

Inventory remains particularly constrained, with just 5.5% of the fleet available for sale. Asking prices rose 4% quarter-over-quarter, while median values increased 11% since mid-2025, reflecting strong seller leverage in a supply-limited environment. Read the Q1 performance of other business jet segments below.

The combination of sustained demand and limited supply continues to support pricing and overall market stability, said Chris Skurat, director of Sales, AMSTAT. “The key story remains unchanged: inventory is tight and demand is holding,” he added. “These dynamics continue to underpin a fundamentally strong market, even as transaction volumes normalise from recent peaks.”

Meanwhile, AMSTAT appointed Skurat as director of Sales in February this year.

Other jet segments show mixed results

• Super-mid jets saw a 12.8% fall in transactions year-over-year but remained well above historical averages. Median values rose 8% amid tightening supply.
• Medium jets underperformed relative to other segments. Transactions fell by more than 20% compared with Q1 2025 and the 10-year average. Pricing softness persisted, with average asking prices falling 13.7% year-over-year.
• Light jets continued to show resilience, with transactions exceeding historical averages despite a year-over-year decline. But pricing trends were mixed, with both asking prices and median values showing recent volatility.
• Turboprops: Pre-owned transactions declined 8.9% year-over-year and fell slightly below the 10-year average. Inventory had been rising since early 2024 before contracting modestly in Q1 2026. Median values have trended downward since mid-2023, but recent data suggests that price declines may be stabilising. Asking prices remained steady last year with a modest increase at the start of this year.

Source: AMSTAT.