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Preowned business aircraft transactions fell 10.5% year-over-year in Q1 2026, according to AMSTAT's latest market analysis. However, activity still cleared the 10-year Q1 average by 4% and outpaced totals from both 2023 and 2024.It wasn't as if it was a dip into a rough area; Q1 2025 set a high bar that current activity couldn't quite match.
"While headline transaction numbers were lower year-over-year, the broader context is critical," said AMSTAT General Manager Andrew Young. "Q1 2025 was an outlier in terms of strength. When viewed against historical trends, the market remains healthy, with strong demand and tightening inventory continuing to support values."
Aircraft supply stays thinPreowned business aircraft stock closed March at 5.9% of the active fleet, well below the 10-year average of 7.3%. The year-over-year decline measured only 2.8%, but the figure has contracted 11% since October 2025, a sharper signal of where the market could be heading.
Jet transactions dropped 11.4% year-over-year but landed 9.1% above the 10-year average, according to the report. The available fleet shrank to 6.6%, against an 8.2% historical norm.
Median jet values softened between 2023 and 2024, stabilized through most of 2025, then climbed 3% between Q4 2025 and Q1 2026.
However, as has been the trend, not all jet models get the same attention. Buyer appetite for newer, current-generation aircraft is pushing prices upward in select segments.
Heavy jets lead; other segments lagTransactions of heavy jets ranked as the second-highest first-quarter total on record despite an 8.3% year-over-year decline. Activity beat the 10-year average by 27.9%.
Seller leverage remains the undertow in cases where buyers have few options. Just 5.5% of the segment's fleet is up for sale. Asking prices rose 4% quarter-over-quarter, and median values have climbed 11% since mid-2025.
Super-mid jet transactions slipped 12.8% year-over-year but stayed well above historical averages. Median values rose 8% as supply contracted.
The medium-jet segment also lagged. Transactions ran more than 20% below both Q1 2025 and the 10-year average, and average asking prices dropped 13.7% year-over-year.
Light jets held above historical averages despite a year-over-year transaction decline. Pricing turned choppy, with both asking prices and median values showing recent volatility.
Turboprops level offPreowned turboprop transactions fell 8.9% year-over-year and dipped slightly below the 10-year average. Available stock had been climbing since early 2024 before pulling back modestly in Q1 2026.
Median turboprop values have trended down since mid-2023, but recent data hint that the slide may be steadying, according to the report. Asking prices held largely flat through 2025 before nudging upward at the start of 2026.
Looking ahead at the bizjet marketSteady buyer interest against limited supply across the global preowned market continues to anchor pricing, according to AMSTAT.
"The key story remains unchanged: inventory is tight and demand is holding," said AMSTAT Director of Sales Chris Skurat. "These dynamics continue to underpin a fundamentally strong market, even as transaction volumes normalize from recent peaks."