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BAN's World Gazetteer
FloridaThe International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA) has concluded 2024 with a rise in pre-owned business aircraft sales and an optimistic outlook for the year ahead.
These results, along with robust market confidence, are detailed in its Fourth Quarter 2024 Market Report. IADA dealers completed 1,559 transactions in 2024, while the fourth quarter alone saw 562 aircraft deals finalised.
“Our fourth quarter 2024 perception survey indicates that members are entering 2025 with a collective sense of optimism. Expectations are high that the incoming US Administration and Congress will enact policies favouring business growth and opportunity,” says IADA chairman Phil Winters, vice president of aircraft sales and charter management at Greenwich AeroGroup and Western Aircraft. “This optimism is reflected in the anticipated strong demand for pre-owned aircraft across all size categories, supported by relatively stable prices, values and additional inventory.”
“With post-election clarity in the US, market confidence has strengthened, leading to healthy sales projections and optimistic financial forecasts,” adds IADA executive director Lou Seno. “IADA dealers handle over 50 per cent of global pre-owned business aircraft transactions, cementing our members’ position as authoritative transaction leaders that define the market.”
Key metrics from 2024 include:
- 130 new agreements were signed in the last 90 days of 2024, up three per cent year-over-year from the fourth quarter of 2023. For the full year 2024, 1,176 agreements were signed, a 39 per cent increase compared to 846 in 2023.
- Dealers signed 207 exclusive retainer agreements in the fourth quarter of 2024, consistent with 2023 levels.
- Leads generated through AircraftExchange, IADA’s exclusive online marketplace, grew by 34 per cent year-over-year in 2024, reflecting increased traffic and engagement from highly qualified buyers.
- The fourth quarter of 2024 saw a 49 per cent sequential increase in closed deals compared to the third quarter and slightly exceeded fourth quarter 2023 results. For the full year 2024, IADA dealers reported a total of 1,559 closed deals, up 10 per cent year-over-year from 1,421 deals in 2023, supported by a larger number of reporting dealers.
The IADA Fourth Quarter 2024 Member Perception Survey indicates heightened optimism among members. Respondents anticipate a pro-business, pro-growth approach from the incoming US Administration, further bolstering optimistic expectations for aircraft deal making over the next six months.
While market optimism reigned supreme in the fourth quarter of 2024, supply-side issues continue to constrain pre-owned transaction volumes and velocities. Supply chains and manpower pools have yet to rebound, with signals that factory deliveries continued to slide into 2025.
In 2025, a combination of market optimism, US business-friendly policy, additional pre-owned aircraft supply and general price stability should support a relatively healthy retail transaction environment. The IADA Perception Survey provides crucial insights into market trends, helping members and stakeholders navigate the evolving landscape with confidence.
Following are member comments from the perception survey:
“The aviation insurance market has been ‘softening’ in some business sectors over the last six to 12 months. As such the segment is now favouring the consumer more so than over the last four to five years, with market options and softening pricing models used by insurers in the space," comments Tom Hauge, Wings Insurance.
“Although pre-owned aircraft inventory levels have been on the rise, there is certainly pent up demand that has resulted from the relative pause we saw in the market throughout 2024 leading up to the presidential election,” says Shawn Holstein, Holstein Aviation.
“The market is solid, with good activity across Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia and the Americas. Each region has its preferences and peculiarities, but buyers are performing at present,” says Zipporah Marmor, OPus Aero.
“Right or wrong, the election results are perceived to be pro-business, which should benefit our industry over the coming years. Market activity has immediately surged in anticipation of a positive growth, tax-friendly environment,” comments David Monacell, CFS Jets.
“Market conditions have more tailwinds than headwinds. This is continuing to make it more difficult to find quality aircraft at a market price. Older aircraft that are not modernised are having a very tough time,” says Shawn Dinning, Dallas Jet International.
“Normally we should be in full rush mode for the end of the year transactions; we are not seeing that yet. Most of our clients believe that the tax incentives will be more advantageous if they wait until next year,” comments John Swartz, Swartz Aviation Group.
“Older airplanes, those over 24 years, will continue to lose hull values as engine issues, obsolescence and ageing aircraft all drag the values down,” states John Jelovic, Dassault Falcon Jet.
“2025 is going to be an excellent year for transaction activity. Clients are engaged in reshaping their flight departments and our new and pre-owned acquisitions business remains robust. Headwinds are really coming mostly from OEM delivery schedule challenges and slippage. Flight departments that are forward looking should get ahead of delivery curves and not procrastinate on ordering the next plane. Parts support to keep existing fleets flying has not kept up with the needs of the operators, and that is a problem that needs solving,” says Jim Riner, Wetzel Aviation.
”Today’s market conditions remain dynamic, with consistent demand for high-quality pre-owned aircraft, particularly in the turboprop, light to midsize jet segments. Inventory levels are gradually increasing, but pricing remains quite resilient for well-maintained, low-time aircraft. Buyers are becoming more selective, placing greater emphasis on maintenance history, engine programmes and avionics upgrades,” says Rebecca Francis, Levaero Aviation.