NAFA member Preston Holland, President and Founder of Prestige Aircraft Finance, shares his latest article on using a broker or direct lender.
Go directly to a lender when you already have a strong private-bank relationship and a simple deal, such as a newer aircraft, a clean credit file and 20 percent or more down. Use an aircraft finance broker when you want several lenders competing, the aircraft is older or unusual, the ownership structure is complex, or a lender has already said no.
Most buyers start the financing conversation with the bank they already know. Sometimes that is exactly the right call. Other times, the buyer spends weeks with a lender that was never going to approve a 20-year-old turboprop, and the closing date slips. The right aircraft financing for your deal depends less on any single lender and more on whether the lender’s credit box matches your aircraft, your profile and your timeline.
This article was originally published by Prestige Aircraft Finance on October 16, 2026.