Los AngelesIADA’s Q3 2025 market report reveals rising optimism and strong |
The International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA) has released its third-quarter 2025 market report.
It reveals a significant upswing in market optimism, a tightening of preowned aircraft inventory, and growing confidence in the outlook for the remainder of 2025 and beyond.
"The re-implementation of bonus depreciation in the US has generated significantly positive effects on business perceptions and operational planning. This favorable policy environment has contributed meaningfully to the quarter's strong performance," said IADA Executive Director Lou Seno. "Looking forward, IADA members project a strong market performance for the fourth quarter of 2025 and over the next six months," he added.
General market optimism among IADA members rose markedly to 3.47 in the third quarter of 2025, up from 3.07 in the second quarter of 2025 and 3.12 Year-over-Year (YoY). On IADA’s 1-to-5 scale, where 1 represents “worst ever” and 5 “best ever,” this sharp increase reflects the influence of 100% bonus depreciation, which was cited by a wide majority of respondents as a key contributor to improved sentiment in sales, financing and leasing activity.
Inventory of preowned business aircraft tightened in the third quarter, with the supply of younger, high-demand models remaining particularly scarce. Buyers seeking very specific aircraft by model, vintage or condition continued to face few viable options, while older aircraft requiring upcoming maintenance sat longer on the market and experienced continued pricing pressure.
A notable data point from this quarter’s survey was a shift toward a more seller-driven market. IADA’s seller/buyer index fell to 3.16, its lowest level in seven quarters, indicating that sellers are gaining relative leverage as inventories narrow.
Transaction activity
Over the past six months, IADA dealers were able to complete aircraft sales transactions in 168 days, an average of 20% faster than the industry average of 211 days. Faster transactions reflect a more efficient, transparent, and professionally managed market, which benefits both buyers and sellers through time and financial savings, reduced uncertainty, and smoother deals.
IADA dealers closed 357 deals in the third quarter of 2025, compared to 377 deals in the same quarter of 2024. IADA dealers reported 171 new acquisition agreements in the third quarter of 2025, up over the third quarter of 2024 and on par with last year through the first nine months.
Year-to-date IADA dealers reported 2,060 dealer leads generated through AircraftExchange.com, the association’s exclusive online marketplace, as highly qualified traffic continued to flow through the association’s proprietary system. Average monthly aircraft listings on AircraftExchange were up 6% YoY in the first nine months of 2025, while the volume of closed deals (973 year-to-date) was just 2% below comparable nine-month totals recorded in 2024.
Approximately 95% of IADA dealers participated in the association’s monthly dealer activity reporting 2025, providing a full and clear picture of today’s evolving marketplace. Year-to-date, fewer aircraft have been offered at lower prices and fewer deals have fallen apart than at any time since 2022. All in all, results reflected a healthy and active pre-owned business aircraft market, one in which IADA dealers are the preeminent experts worldwide.
Six-month outlook: stability and strength across segments
IADA’s proprietary quarterly member survey, representing accredited dealers, certified brokers, OEMs and verified products and services members, provides a forward-looking view of supply, demand, pricing and dealer willingness to inventory across four aircraft categories: turboprop, light jet, midsize jet and large jet.
Approximately 70%–80% of respondents project stable or slightly higher pricing over the next six months, up sharply from the second quarter of 2025, with strength most evident in the midsize and large jet segments.
Roughly three-fourths of respondents foresee stable to slightly lower supply in the next six months, a reversal from the prior quarter, when 85%–90% expected stable to increasing supply. Dealer willingness to inventory aircraft improved meaningfully, doubling from the second quarter of 2025 across all size categories.
The six-month demand outlook improved across all categories, rising to 3.65 in the third quarter of 2025, from 3.42 in the second quarter of 2025 and 3.14 year-over-year. More than 90% of respondents now forecast stable or increased demand, up from about 80% in the second quarter, with particularly strong sentiment for midsize jets.
Concluding outlook
According to IADA’s third-quarter 2025 survey, optimism about the outlook for preowned aircraft sales has shifted upward for the remainder of the year and likely into 2026. The combination of 100% bonus depreciation, and strong demand signals suggests a robust transaction environment in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Supply is tightening, pricing power is stable to improving, and seller leverage is gradually strengthening, especially for pedigreed aircraft with little or no available inventory. While IADA members remain mindful of potential macroeconomic and geopolitical risks, the industry’s underlying fundamentals point to a healthy and active close to 2025.
BlueSky Business Aviation News | 30th October 2025 | Issue #817
