New research commissioned by Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ) has revealed growing confidence in the Asian business aviation market, with industry professionals forecasting increasing demand for business aircraft over the remainder of the decade, particularly in the large cabin segment.

The global survey of business aviation financiers and brokers across Asia, conducted in May, found 85 per cent of respondents expect purchases of large business jets to increase between now and 2030, including 30 per cent who believe demand will increase dramatically.

The research also points to a significant shift towards larger aircraft. Sixty per cent of respondents expect demand for large and midsize business jets will continue growing faster than other business aviation categories through to 2030, with 62 per cent estimating that 65-70 per cent of new business jets spending between 2025 and 2034 will be concentrated on large and long-range aircraft.

In addition to this market-wide trend, aircraft owners are also expected to continue upgrading to larger models. Today, over a half (56 per cent) of respondents say at least a quarter of the aircraft they are involved in selling or financing represent upgrades into larger aircraft categories, a figure expected to climb to 89 per cent by 2030.

The research identifies the key reasons behind purchasing decisions in the large aircraft segment. Nearly half (45 per cent) of respondents say buyers place equal importance on increased range and larger cabin space, while 28 per cent identify cabin comfort, passenger capacity and aircraft customisation as the most important considerations. A further 27 per cent believe range and mission flexibility are now the primary purchasing drivers.

Economic performance is also playing a growing role in purchasing decisions. Respondents identified revenue opportunities through chartering as the most important commercial factor influencing buyers, followed by residual value and purchasing price. Looking beyond acquisition, 40 per cent believe operating costs remain the most underestimated factor during the purchasing process, while 25 per cent point to residual value.

Confidence in the financial outlook for larger aircraft also remains strong. Nearly two-thirds (67 per cent) of respondents believe financing large business jets will become easier compared with smaller aircraft over the coming years, while 75 per cent expect fleet modernisation through newer and more efficient aircraft to continue accelerating over the next five years.

Chadi Saade, president of Airbus Corporate Jets, comments: “The business aviation market in Asia continues to demonstrate remarkable confidence, and the actual increase of ACJs in service in Asia is a testimony of this growth. Buyers are increasingly looking for aircraft that deliver long-range capability, greater flexibility and a premium onboard experience, while also offering strong long-term economic performance.

“Purchasing decisions today are far more strategic, with customers considering operating costs, financing, charter revenue opportunities and residual value alongside traditional measures such as cabin size and range. The trend towards larger, more capable aircraft reflects the increasingly global nature of business. Operators want aircraft capable of flying longer missions while providing passengers with the space and comfort expected of a modern business jet.”

ACJ offers the world's most modern and comprehensive range of corporate jets, from the ACJ TwoTwenty and ACJ320neo to widebodies like the ACJ330neo and ACJ350.

The ACJ TwoTwenty is carving out a whole new market segment – ‘The Xtra Large Bizjet’ – offering twice the cabin real estate compared to similarly priced ULR business jets with market-leading fuel efficiency and unrivalled reliability. It occupies the same parking footprint as competitive ULR jets and can take off from the same airports, but the ACJ TwoTwenty operating costs are one-third less.

With a range of up to 5,650 nm or more than 12 flight hours, the ACJ TwoTwenty can meet the requirements of 98.6 per cent of all Asia departures, connecting city pairs including Hong Kong to Anchorage, Singapore to Auckland and Jakarta to Istanbul.

As with all ACJ aircraft, the ACJ TwoTwenty is capable of flying with up to a 50 per cent blend of kerosene and SAF while keeping to the technical specifications of Jet A. This capability will play an important role in the sector's decarbonisation journey.