Business jet buyers are paying pandemic-era premiums for the most sought-after late-model aircraft, based on the market activity Guardian Jet observed during the third quarter of 2026. Not every aircraft commands a premium, however. Activity varies significantly by aircraft model, category and region.

“As we enter the fourth quarter, we expect demand to remain selective,” says Gabriel Bastos, managing partner of the US-headquartered business aircraft brokerage. “Buyers will continue to pay for immediate availability when the aircraft fits their mission, but they're also weighing that premium carefully against alternative models and the financial and operational cost of waiting.”

Guardian Jet is giving its clients a clearer way to navigate those decisions with the launch of Guardian Intelligence in the Vault, the firm's client portal. The unified platform combines nearly 25 years of proprietary aircraft data, custom-built technology and expert advisory services.

The newest advancement within the platform is the reimagined Dynamic Market Survey, which transforms the static market surveys Guardian Jet advisers have prepared for years into an interactive experience. Clients can now explore the aircraft Guardian Jet tracks across the industry on demand and filter results by criteria such as model year, airframe total time, asking-price range, equipment and location. They can also review aircraft for sale, recently completed sales, valuations, market movement and individual aircraft details.

“A buyer cannot make the right decision based on asking price alone,” explains Mike Dwyer, founder and managing partner of Guardian Jet. “You need to understand where that aircraft sits within its market, what comparable aircraft are doing, what alternatives are available and what waiting could cost. This is exactly why we developed Guardian Intelligence. It combines our proprietary information with the judgment of our experienced advisers so clients can make the best decision for their mission and their asset.”

The platform's Market Insights feature uses artificial intelligence to summarise patterns within Guardian Jet's proprietary data and surface information for further review with a Guardian Jet adviser. The technology makes complex information easier to explore, while Guardian Jet's team provides the context and judgment needed to apply it to a client's mission, timing and objectives.

Each area of Guardian Intelligence draws from the same proprietary database. The platform presents that information in different forms based on the aircraft decision a client needs to make, with Guardian Jet's team providing the context and judgment needed to apply it.

The team offers: consulting and advisory intelligence – strategic, operational and financial guidance for business aviation departments and private aircraft owners, including fleet planning, budgeting, ownership structure and transaction strategy; market intelligence – aircraft availability, values, sales activity, market trends and proprietary insights, including the Dynamic Market Survey, Market Watch and market analytics; model intelligence – technical, performance, cabin, range and operating-cost information that helps clients evaluate aircraft models and determine the right fit for their mission; and transaction intelligence – tools, documents and expert guidance supporting aircraft sales, pre-owned acquisitions and new aircraft acquisitions from initial strategy through closing.

Guardian Jet is a global aircraft brokerage, consulting and data analytics firm specialising in new and pre-owned turboprop and business jet transactions. Headquartered in Guilford, Connecticut, with offices in Denver and London, the firm serves clients worldwide, with in-country support on five continents. Guardian Jet advises family offices, multinational enterprises, business aviation departments, aircraft owners and aircraft management companies on sales, acquisitions, appraisals and fleet planning, and supports more than $2 billion in aircraft transactions worldwide each year. Every client has 24/7 access to the Vault, Guardian Jet's market intelligence portal and home of Guardian Intelligence. Guardian Jet was founded in Guilford, Connecticut in 2002 by Mike Dwyer and Michael Mikolay.