CJI London: Valuing the global charter market

What is the size of the global charter market today? Where is it heading? These were some of the questions that Richard Koe of WINGX took head-on at the “Valuing the global charter market” session at the Corporate Jet Investor London 2026.

Koe presented a comprehensive data-driven assessment. The headline number: $15bn. That is WINGX’s estimate of the value generated by all aircraft holding a commercial air transport certificate – Part 135 and AOC operators worldwide, excluding fractional – based on hours flown and prevailing rates per hour.

North America accounts for 56% of that total, with Europe contributing 27%. Critically, that figure is up 11% in 2025 alone, and 71% higher than 2019.

The broader business aviation market is in robust health. There were 5.9m business jet and prop flights globally in 2025, up 3.8% on 2024, with the market now 34% larger than pre-pandemic levels. The US remains the overwhelming driver, accounting for 70% of all bizjet sectors and growing at 5% last year, while Europe managed just 1% growth – with Germany and France actually contracting versus 2019.

Within charter, the story follows two trends. Ultra-long range charter hours grew 7% last year and 89% since 2019. Super-midsize was up 11% and 51% respectively. Entry-level and older platforms, by contrast, are losing ground. The Citation XL remains the single most active aircraft in the charter market by flight hours – a notable finding given the buzz around newer types.

Consolidation is accelerating. NetJets, Flexjet and Vista Global now account for over 50% of combined charter and fractional flight hours. The top 20 operators grew at 12%. “The smaller operators,” Koe noted, “are getting edged out over time.”

His outlook for 2026: bullish on charter overall, with the caveat that small jet operators in Europe face a genuine margin squeeze.