As Business Aviation enters a new year, what are the major finance trends that borrowers need to consider for 2026? Gerrard Cowan asked industry experts for their thoughts on the financial environment, challenges and important questions borrowers should ask today.
The financing landscape today “is stable and competitive, but more disciplined than the post-pandemic years,” according to Mike Christie Head of Sales, America, at Global Jet Capital (GJC).
In particular, he notes that interest rates are elevated compared with the general trend for the past decade, pushing buyers to focus more on fixed-rate financing, predictable structures, and thoughtful amortization. This “comes against a backdrop of wider normalization within the business jet market,” he adds.
“OEMs have made progress resolving supply chain and labor constraints (although more work is needed) and aircraft availability has risen from ultra-tight levels (though it remains well below the historical averages).”
By the end of 2025, Global Jet Capital had seen a slight increase in cash purchases in the market and a slight decline in loans over a one-to-two-year period, Christie reveals, though he notes that this decline is likely to be driven by a combination of factors rather than one element in isolation.
“Factors like interest rate relative to reinvestment opportunity, outlook for the economy and individual company/personal cash position influence whether to seek financing,” he illustrates.
Lower Aircraft OEM Backlogs aid More Predictable Planning
Christopher Lee, President of the Aircraft Finance Division at 1st Source Bank, agrees that the low-rate financing surge of 2021-22 is no longer present. Still, demand for business aircraft remains steady, he notes, pointing to a moderation in OEM backlogs from their pandemic highs.
This has enabled more predictable acquisition planning, while there has also been strong demand for financed aircraft from international segments, notably in Latin America.
“This environment contrasts with prior years in a constructive way: financing activity today is driven by operational planning and long-term business needs rather than reactive or inventory-driven pressure,” he says.
This article was originally published by AvBuyer on January 12, 2026.