How to Find a Corporate Jet to Close by Year-End
If you are hoping to acquire a corporate aircraft before the end of 2026, September is the time to get serious.
The business jet market remains active, but the right aircraft may not be sitting nearby, or even in the United States. With new-aircraft backlogs still high and desirable pre-owned inventory relatively tight, buyers targeting a December 31 closing should search broadly, move quickly, and look beyond asking price.
New Aircraft Are Arriving, But Backlogs Remain High
Through July 2026, estimated new-business-jet deliveries reached 544 aircraft, up 9.2% from the same period last year.
At the same time, manufacturer backlogs have climbed to approximately $61.6 billion, a decade high. For buyers who need an aircraft in service before year-end, ordering new may therefore be unrealistic unless an available production position or nearly completed aircraft can be located.
That puts increased focus on the pre-owned market.
Good Pre-Owned Aircraft Can Move Quickly
Only 6.5% of the active business jet fleet was listed for sale at the end of Q2 2026, compared with a historical average of 8.1%. Heavy-jet availability was even tighter at 5.2%, while heavy-jet transactions increased 43.8% year over year.
But the market is not equally tight across all aircraft.
JETNET reports that aircraft less than five years old are selling in approximately 53 days, while aircraft 16 years and older generally remain on the market for more than 100 days.
That creates opportunity. Late-model aircraft may attract significant competition, while older aircraft with good records, enrolled engines, desirable avionics and favorable inspection status can offer buyers substantially more negotiating leverage.
Look Beyond the United States
A buyer seeking to close by year-end should not assume the aircraft must already be U.S.-registered.
Business aircraft routinely move between North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. Depending on the model, attractive candidates may be found in:
Europe;
Canada;
Latin America; and
Asia-Pacific.
The goal is not necessarily to find the lowest advertised price. It is to find the aircraft offering the best total acquisition value.
A foreign-based aircraft may have lower hours, fewer cycles, better maintenance status, recent refurbishment or simply less competition from U.S. buyers.
Make Sure the “Bargain” Really Is a Bargain
International sourcing creates opportunities, but purchase price is only part of the equation.
Before buying overseas, purchasers should evaluate:
title and lien status;
FAA registration and conformity;
deregistration and export requirements;
engine and maintenance-program transferability;
upcoming inspections;
customs and importation;
sales and use tax exposure; and
ferry and repositioning costs.
A seemingly attractive price advantage can disappear quickly if the aircraft requires major maintenance, difficult conformity work or unexpected tax treatment.
Want to Close by December 31? Start Now.
Year-end aircraft transactions become increasingly compressed as buyers, sellers, lenders, inspectors, escrow agents and FAA personnel all work toward December closings.
A buyer targeting year-end should be identifying candidate aircraft in September and October, conducting diligence early, and getting the selected aircraft under contract with enough time for a meaningful pre-purchase inspection.
The best aircraft acquisition is rarely the one with the lowest asking price. It is the aircraft that fits the mission, has the right maintenance and ownership history, and can realistically make it through inspection, documentation and closing before December 31.
For buyers willing to search globally, the right aircraft may be thousands of miles away, but still capable of being in the hangar before year-end.