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ACE 2026 - September 8th

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Post-Liberation Day traffic drives global business jet recovery
Major events, including the Masters Golf tournament, helped to drive regional gains as transatlantic traffic surged and European departures extended a three-week growth streak.

Global business jet flights rose 4% year-on-year during Week 15, with the US core market up 2%, Europe up 8% and the Middle East up 40%, according to WingX's weekly Global Market Tracker. Over the past four weeks, activity has grown 3.5%, with charter and fractional operations slightly trailing at 3%.

Year to date, global business jets have flown just over one million departures, a 3% increase compared to 2024. Transatlantic flights also grew, with intercontinental sectors up 11% this month. New York to London was the busiest route, while US-Mexico business jet traffic dropped 4%. Flights between the US and Canada rose by 1%.

In the US, business jet activity climbed 2.3% in Week 15, led by strong growth in Florida and Texas. California saw a slight slowdown. Airports around Augusta, Georgia experienced a 613% rise in arrivals during the Masters Golf tournament week, compared to the week prior, with Florida airports supplying the most departures.

Europe marked its third consecutive week of year-on-year growth, up 8% overall. Germany’s activity rose 17%, reversing a weak start to the year. Aircraft management and fractional fleets boosted much of the recent growth.

Business jet movements outside North America and Europe rose 13%, led by the Middle East following the Bahrain Grand Prix. Asia saw a 2% decline, but South America and Africa recorded gains of 10% and 26% respectively.

WingX managing director Richard Koe says: “As yet, there is little sign of a slowdown in business jet demand as a result of the volatility in financial conditions triggered by Liberation Day. Indeed there was some unusual growth in business jet activity in some markets this week, most notably in Europe. It may even be that the bounce in flight activity this week reflects business opportunities that need to be realised during the brief respite from the full tariff programme.”

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