Business jet makers are on course for a strong year, according to new industry figures and forecasts that point to rising deliveries, healthy order books and sustained demand for private flying.
Each year, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) publishes its closely watched State of the Industry report, which is seen as a key measure of the health of business and general aviation.
Deliveries and revenues increase
By the fourth quarter of 2025, business jet deliveries were already up 10% compared with the previous year, reaching 554 aircraft. Industry revenues also rose, increasing by more than $2bn to $19.4bn.
Embraer’s results underline the trend. The Brazilian manufacturer delivered 155 executive jets in 2025, its strongest performance in 15 years and 25 more aircraft than the year before.
Analysts say the figures reflect steady growth rather than a short-term surge.
Long-term forecasts remain positive
Industry forecasters Honeywell Aerospace and JetNet both predict continued growth over the next decade, based on aircraft order backlogs, economic trends and new models under development.
Forecasting remains uncertain, however. Events such as geopolitical tensions, economic slowdowns or global health crises can quickly change demand.
Honeywell had previously predicted that more than 800 business jets would be delivered in 2024, but the final figure was lower, at 764 aircraft. Excluding small personal jets such as the Cirrus Vision Jet, deliveries fell to 663, partly due to ongoing supply chain disruption.
For 2025, Honeywell expects manufacturers to deliver around 740 business jets, the highest total since 2019. JetNet’s forecast is more optimistic, predicting about 820 deliveries this year, which would mark the first time since before the pandemic that the industry has exceeded 800 aircraft.
Strong order backlogs but supply limits remain
Despite rising deliveries, manufacturers continue to hold large order backlogs. The five biggest business jet makers—Bombardier, Dassault, Embraer, Gulfstream and Textron Aviation—now have more than two years of production already sold.
Industry consultant Rolland Vincent of JetNet said demand remains strong but supply constraints are still holding the industry back. He said the sector could potentially deliver up to 1,000 aircraft a year if production challenges were resolved.
Honeywell forecasts a further 5% increase in deliveries in 2026, with the value of aircraft delivered expected to be significantly higher than before the pandemic due to growing demand for large-cabin jets.
Demand led by North America
North America continues to dominate the market, accounting for more than 70% of business jet deliveries in the near term. Europe follows with around 14%, while Latin America, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa make up the remainder.
Fractional ownership operators, which allow customers to buy shares in aircraft rather than whole jets, have expanded rapidly since 2019 and are now a major driver of demand, particularly for mid-size and super mid-size jets.
Used aircraft in short supply
Strong demand is also evident in the second-hand market. Only around 4.4% of the global business jet fleet was available for sale at the end of last year, down from a year earlier.
Analysts say this tight supply is supporting high prices for used aircraft. However, concerns remain about economic uncertainty, long delivery times and ongoing supply chain issues.
Flight activity at record levels
Global business jet and turboprop flights rose by nearly 4% last year, with activity now around one-third higher than in 2019. North America accounted for two-thirds of all flights.
In Europe, growth has been slower, affected by factors including the war in Ukraine, weak economic growth and environmental pressures.
Despite these challenges, industry experts say the outlook remains one of steady, if sometimes volatile, growth rather than a return to the extreme peaks seen before the global financial crisis.