Global Business Aviation Report — January 2026
January 2026 recorded 263,595 global business jet departures, representing a modest +0.56% year-over-year increase over January 2025's 262,122 flights. On a month-over-month basis, January declined -9.42% from December 2025's 291,024 departures — a typical seasonal dip following the year-end holiday period when corporate and leisure aviation activity subsides. The modest YoY growth suggests market stabilization after 2025's strong expansion cycle. January traditionally represents the weakest month of the year as corporate travel resumes gradually after winter holidays. The near-flat growth rate signals a normalization phase rather than a contraction, consistent with expectations for a maturing post-recovery market environment. The full-year 2025 delivered 3,489,813 total flights, and January 2026's near-flat YoY performance suggests a normalized growth environment following 2025's robust annual performance.
January's sequential decline from December follows well-established historical patterns. The aviation sector transitions from year-end peak activity into the traditional Q1 trough. Historical data suggests a February-March recovery as corporate calendars resume and business travel demand rebuilds. The 2025 baseline months ahead show increasing volumes through the spring and summer, setting up favorable comparisons if 2026 follows a similar seasonal trajectory. Based on historical trend analysis, February 2026 is projected at approximately +0.5% YoY growth, suggesting continued mild positive momentum into early Q1.
Market Overview
January 2026 — Global Business Aviation
Regional Deep Dive
North America · Europe · Rest of World
North America
North America recorded 201,356 business jet departures in January 2026, a -9.37% sequential decline from December 2025's 222,154 flights. This contraction follows the well-established seasonal pattern where January represents the year's weakest month due to post-holiday corporate travel lull and winter weather disruptions across northern U.S. and Canadian corridors. The region maintained its dominant 76.4% share of global departures — reflecting its mature FBO infrastructure, favorable regulatory environment, and deeply embedded corporate aviation culture. U.S. domestic operations dominated January activity, with Southeast corridors (Florida, Texas) showing relative strength from winter repositioning. Northeast and Midwest operations faced typical winter weather constraints reducing scheduled departures. Charter and fractional operators reported gradual demand recovery through the second half of January as corporate calendars resumed.
Europe
Europe recorded 31,435 business jet departures in January 2026, a -4.60% sequential decline from December 2025's 32,953 flights. Compared to January 2025's 31,801 flights, this represents a marginal -1.15% YoY decline, indicating relatively stable year-opening performance. The region contributed 11.9% of global departures, near its typical winter share floor. European market share oscillates between approximately 12% in winter months and 20% during peak summer season, reflecting the continent's strong leisure and Mediterranean-driven aviation demand patterns. The 13-month trend reveals Europe's extreme seasonality with July's peak of 61,446 nearly doubling the winter baseline around 31,000–33,000 flights. Northern hubs (London, Paris, Geneva) maintained steady corporate traffic from financial services and consulting sectors. Alpine ski destinations provided seasonal support, while Switzerland benefited from Davos World Economic Forum activity and winter sports traffic.
Rest of World
The Rest of World region recorded 30,804 business jet departures in January 2026, a -14.24% sequential decline from December 2025's 35,917 flights. Despite this notable MoM contraction, the year-over-year comparison reveals a strong +18.57% growth versus January 2025's 25,981 flights, underscoring the region's structural expansion trajectory. The region contributed 11.7% of global departures, nearly matching Europe's 11.9% share — signaling continued market maturation in emerging aviation markets. Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Saudi Arabia maintained elevated traffic driven by tourism momentum and business travel, with Riyadh's growing prominence reshaping regional dynamics. Brazil led the region with 8,138 flights (3.09% global share), benefiting from agricultural export cycles, while Indian business aviation demonstrated continued growth with 2,885 departures reflecting rising domestic wealth and corporate demand.
Country Rankings
Top 10 Countries by Business Jet Departures
The United States dominates global business aviation with 67.8% of all departures (178,606 flights), followed by Mexico (8,488) and Brazil (8,138). European countries France, United Kingdom, Germany, and Switzerland maintain strong positions, while the Top 10 collectively represent over 80% of global business jet activity.
| # | Country | Flights | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇺🇸United States | 178,606 | 67.77% |
| 2 | 🇲🇽Mexico | 8,488 | 3.22% |
| 3 | 🇧🇷Brazil | 8,138 | 3.09% |
| 4 | 🇨🇦Canada | 4,933 | 1.87% |
| 5 | 🇫🇷France | 4,610 | 1.75% |
| 6 | 🇬🇧United Kingdom | 4,369 | 1.66% |
| 7 | 🇩🇪Germany | 3,765 | 1.43% |
| 8 | 🇨🇭Switzerland | 3,449 | 1.31% |
| 9 | 🇪🇸Spain | 2,927 | 1.11% |
| 10 | 🇮🇹Italy | 2,919 | 1.11% |
Airport Rankings
Top 10 Airports by Region
January represents the peak of the winter travel season in South Florida, with Miami (KOPF +7.33%), West Palm Beach (KPBI +17.65%), and Fort Lauderdale (KFLL +6.95%) all posting strong gains. These airports collectively added over 1,600 flights month-over-month, driven by high-net-worth seasonal migration and corporate retreats relocating to warmer climates during the Northeast winter. Northeast hubs experienced sharp post-holiday corrections, with KTEB (New York -24.31%) and KIAD (Washington -23.10%) recording the steepest declines as December's elevated holiday travel normalized. Meanwhile, Sun Belt destinations (Las Vegas +7.62%, Scottsdale +6.36%) continue to attract winter visitors, maintaining their seasonal appeal as year-round business aviation centers.
| # | Airport | Flights | MoM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KTEBNew York (Teterboro) | 9,509 | -24.3% |
| 2 | KOPFMiami (Opa-locka) | 6,366 | +7.3% |
| 3 | KPBIWest Palm Beach | 6,126 | +17.6% |
| 4 | KDALDallas (Love Field) | 5,849 | -9.0% |
| 5 | KAPFNaples | 5,525 | -1.8% |
| 6 | KHPNWhite Plains (Westchester) | 5,144 | -16.7% |
| 7 | KLASLas Vegas | 5,057 | +7.6% |
| 8 | KSDLScottsdale | 4,898 | +6.4% |
| 9 | KFLLFort Lauderdale | 4,170 | +7.0% |
| 10 | KIADWashington (Dulles) | 4,128 | -23.1% |
January 2026 shows a mixed European market with 3 of 10 airports posting positive growth. Paris Le Bourget maintains its dominant position with 3,163 movements, virtually unchanged from December (+0.22%), underscoring its resilience as Europe's premier business aviation hub even during the traditional winter lull. London's airports show divergent trends: Farnborough (EGLF) shows minimal decline (-0.57%), demonstrating stability among premium operators, while other London airports face steeper declines — suggesting that higher-end business aviation demand remains more resilient than charter and mid-market segments during winter months. Zurich posts a strong +9.48% gain, likely driven by proximity to Davos and the World Economic Forum.
| # | Airport | Flights | MoM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LFPBParis (Le Bourget) | 3,163 | +0.2% |
| 2 | LSGGGeneva | 2,105 | -7.6% |
| 3 | LSZHZurich | 1,905 | +9.5% |
| 4 | EGLFLondon (Farnborough) | 1,739 | -0.6% |
| 5 | LFMNNice | 1,587 | -7.7% |
| 6 | EGSSLondon (Stansted) | 1,286 | -4.1% |
| 7 | EDDMMunich | 1,156 | +6.8% |
| 8 | LIMLMilan (Linate) | 1,078 | -5.0% |
| 9 | EDDBBerlin | 986 | -2.9% |
| 10 | LEMDMadrid | 932 | -5.6% |
January 2026 reveals broad seasonal contraction across Rest of World markets, with only 2 of 10 airports showing growth. Nigerian airports experience the sharpest declines (Lagos -49.14%), reflecting post-holiday demand normalization. Dubai maintains leadership with modest growth (+1.03%), while Brazil's three airports in the Top 10 all show significant month-over-month declines: SBSP (-19.28%), SBJR (-17.31%), and SBKP (-16.67%). January is Brazil's summer vacation period, which typically reduces corporate aviation activity. Despite contractions, the São Paulo metro area still accounts for substantial combined volumes.
| # | Airport | Flights | MoM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OMDWDubai (Al Maktoum) | 2,052 | +1.0% |
| 2 | SBSPSao Paulo (Congonhas) | 1,038 | -19.3% |
| 3 | SBJRRio de Janeiro | 640 | -17.3% |
| 4 | VIDPNew Delhi | 616 | -12.3% |
| 5 | VABBMumbai | 579 | -9.7% |
| 6 | YSSYSydney | 548 | -10.5% |
| 7 | DNMMLagos | 503 | -49.1% |
| 8 | RJTTTokyo (Haneda) | 478 | -4.8% |
| 9 | OMDBDubai (International) | 462 | -7.2% |
| 10 | SBKPCampinas | 445 | -16.7% |
Aircraft Intelligence
Utilization Rates, Fleet Rankings & Type Distribution
Aircraft utilization rate measures the average operational activity of each aircraft model: Active Days / Month Days (30), averaged across all aircraft within the model. The Citation Longitude leads with a 55.69% utilization rate across 119 aircraft, followed by the Citation Latitude at 54.62% across a much larger 382-unit fleet. The Praetor 500 and Phenom 300 round out the top positions, reflecting Embraer's strong showing in the utilization rankings alongside Cessna's Citation family dominance.
| # | Model | Utilization | Fleet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Citation Longitude | 55.69% | 119 |
| 2 | Citation Latitude | 54.62% | 382 |
| 3 | Praetor 500 | 52.49% | 83 |
| 4 | Challenger 850 | 42.06% | 47 |
| 5 | Phenom 300 | 41.73% | 772 |
| 6 | Legacy 500 Series | 39.46% | 117 |
| 7 | Praetor 600 | 37.31% | 109 |
| 8 | Challenger 300 Series | 36.74% | 910 |
| 9 | Global 5500 | 35.86% | 33 |
| 10 | Citation X | 35.69% | 264 |
North America's fleet composition reflects its domestic-focused market: Light Jets (45.47%) and Midsize Jets (33.42%) together account for over 80% of departures. The relatively low Ultra Long Range share (9.20%) indicates that most NA business aviation serves regional routes within the continent. The dominant Light Jet segment is driven by owner-operators and charter demand for short-haul efficiency.
The Embraer Phenom 300 tops North America with 17,421 flights in January, just 110 flights ahead of the Challenger 300 Series (17,311). This light jet's dominance reflects its popularity in the U.S. charter and fractional market for short to medium-range trips. NA's average MoM decline of -9.38% reflects typical January seasonal softening following the holiday period. The Phenom 300 showed the smallest decline at -4.43%, suggesting its charter-driven demand base maintains consistent flying patterns less affected by seasonal fluctuations. The Citation CJ3 experienced the largest decline at -16.53%, possibly indicating owner-operators reducing activity during peak winter months.
| # | Model | Flights | MoM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phenom 300 | 17,421 | -4.4% |
| 2 | Challenger 300 Series | 17,311 | -6.9% |
| 3 | Citation Latitude | 13,357 | -9.7% |
| 4 | Citation Excel/XLS/XLS+ | 12,681 | -10.9% |
| 5 | Citation CJ3/CJ3+ | 8,324 | -16.5% |
| 6 | Challenger 600 Series | 6,968 | -9.2% |
| 7 | Citation X | 5,271 | -6.8% |
| 8 | Hawker 800 Series | 5,178 | -14.9% |
| 9 | Falcon 2000 Series | 4,681 | -6.8% |
| 10 | Citation Longitude | 4,609 | -7.7% |
Route Analysis
Top City Pairs & Cross-Border Routes
| # | Route | Flights |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami → New York | 711 |
| 2 | Fort Lauderdale → New York | 523 |
| 3 | West Palm Beach → New York | 489 |
| 4 | Dallas → Houston | 412 |
| 5 | Los Angeles → Las Vegas | 387 |
The Mexico-US corridor tops North America with 6,647 flights, driven by continued nearshoring-related business travel and winter resort season demand. Caribbean peak season is in full swing: Bahamas-US traffic reached 3,948 flights with +7.78% YoY growth, while Puerto Rico surged as wealthy Americans seek warm-weather island escapes during the coldest month. Canada-US traffic dropped -14.71% MoM, the weakest performance among the Top 5, reflecting the typical post-holiday slowdown in cross-border business travel.
| # | Route | Flights | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico → US | 6,647 | +2.5% |
| 2 | Canada → US | 4,260 | -1.3% |
| 3 | Bahamas → US | 3,948 | +6.8% |
| 4 | US → Mexico | 3,245 | +3.1% |
| 5 | US → Canada | 2,987 | -0.6% |
Operator Rankings
Top Operators by Region
NetJets Aviation strengthens its commanding market leadership with 17.06% regional share in January 2026, widening the gap to second-place Flexjet (7.18%) to nearly 2.4x. The Top 3 operators collectively control 25.99% of North American departures, with Executive Jet Management rising to third position. Fractional operators recover fastest as contractual share-owners resume travel, while charter demand rebuilds more gradually. With Top 10 operators capturing 34.60% of departures, North America's business aviation market maintains significant fragmentation — the remaining 65.40% comprises corporate flight departments, smaller charter operators, and owner-flown aircraft.
| # | Operator | Flights | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NetJets Aviation, Inc. | 31,714 | 17.06% |
| 2 | Flexjet, LLC | 13,351 | 7.18% |
| 3 | Executive Jet Management, Inc. | 3,244 | 1.75% |
| 4 | flyExclusive | 3,065 | 1.65% |
| 5 | Vista Jet US | 2,992 | 1.61% |
| 6 | Wheels Up Partners, LLC | 2,286 | 1.23% |
| 7 | Solairus Aviation | 2,267 | 1.22% |
| 8 | Jet Linx Aviation, LLC | 1,914 | 1.03% |
| 9 | Airshare | 1,765 | 0.95% |
| 10 | Airsprint | 1,710 | 0.92% |
NetJets Europe's 13.00% market share represents the dominant fractional presence in the region, yet notably lower than its North American counterpart's 17.06% — reflecting Europe's regulatory complexity with 27 EU member states plus the UK and Switzerland maintaining distinct aviation frameworks. VistaJet's second-place position with 8.09% share demonstrates the viability of an asset-light, global subscription model in European markets. Unlike North America's fractional-dominated top tier, Europe's leading operators span multiple business models: fractional (NetJets, Jetfly), subscription (VistaJet), pure charter (Globeair, ProAir), and aircraft management hybrids (Air X, Platoon). With 67.81% of departures outside the Top 10, Europe's operator landscape remains highly fragmented.
| # | Operator | Flights | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NetJets Europe | 4,089 | 13.00% |
| 2 | VistaJet Ltd | 2,543 | 8.09% |
| 3 | Flexjet, LLC | 522 | 1.66% |
| 4 | ProAir Aviation GmbH | 481 | 1.53% |
| 5 | JETFLY AVIATION SA | 459 | 1.46% |
| 6 | Platoon Aviation | 453 | 1.44% |
| 7 | Svenskt Ambulansflyg AB | 432 | 1.37% |
| 8 | Globeair Ag | 412 | 1.31% |
| 9 | Air X | 389 | 1.24% |
| 10 | TAG Aviation (UK) | 367 | 1.17% |
| # | Operator | Flights | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Air Link Pty Limited | 567 | 1.84% |
| 2 | ExcelAire | 489 | 1.59% |
| 3 | Jet Aviation | 445 | 1.44% |
| 4 | Royal Jet | 412 | 1.34% |
| 5 | Asia Jet | 378 | 1.23% |
| 6 | Deer Jet | 356 | 1.16% |
| 7 | Fly Corporate | 334 | 1.08% |
| 8 | MENA Aerospace | 312 | 1.01% |
| 9 | Sino Jet | 289 | 0.94% |
| 10 | TAG Aviation Asia | 267 | 0.87% |
Flight Patterns
Range Distribution & Flight Structure
The Long-Haul segment (>2,000 nm) continues to serve as the primary growth leader in January 2026, posting a robust +8.52% year-over-year expansion and the shallowest month-over-month contraction of just -1.99%. This sustained dual strength reinforces the enduring demand for intercontinental and long-range missions, which remain less susceptible to short-term seasonal travel fluctuations. In contrast, the Short-Haul segment (≤500 nm), while still constituting the largest portion at 144,180 flights, was the only category to register a year-over-year decline at -0.64% and proved most sensitive to seasonal shifts with the steepest MoM decline of -12.23%. The year-over-year data reveals an accelerating structural shift: Short-Haul flights now account for 54.71% of operations, down from 55.37% in January 2025, with market share absorbed by the Medium-Haul (+0.40 pp) and Long-Haul (+0.29 pp) segments. The combined share of Medium and Long-Haul flights in January 2026 reached 45.29%, up from 44.60% in January 2025 — confirming the structural evolution towards longer-distance missions is gathering momentum.
North America shows the highest intracontinental concentration at 99.02%, reflecting the vast U.S. domestic market and the dominance of internal business aviation activity. Only 0.98% of North American departures connect intercontinentally, primarily via transatlantic routes to Europe. Europe demonstrates greater intercontinental connectivity at 11.93%, driven by established business links to the Middle East and Africa. The continent's geographic position as a global crossroads facilitates long-haul business aviation missions, particularly from UK and Swiss hubs. Europe's 74.56% cross-border rate reflects the continent's fragmented national geography where business aviation routinely crosses multiple borders within single missions. North America's 86.24% domestic rate underscores the U.S. market's scale, where transcontinental domestic flights frequently exceed the distance of most European international routes. Rest of World records the longest average stage length at 728.2 nm (120.1 minutes), reflecting the geographic dispersion of economic centers and the prevalence of medium-to-long-range aircraft deployments.
Spotlight
Featured Route & Aircraft — January 2026
The Miami–New York corridor represents the quintessential East Coast business aviation route, connecting the financial capital of the Americas with South Florida's growing wealth management, real estate, and Latin American business hub. The approximately 3-hour flight eliminates the hassle of commercial aviation on one of the country's most congested air corridors. The +14.68% YoY increase (from 620 to 711 flights) signals robust demand expansion on this corridor, driven by South Florida's continued emergence as a financial and tech relocation destination, growing wealth management activity, and increasing Latin American business connectivity through Miami. NetJets dominates with nearly 20% market share (142 flights), followed by Flexjet at 14.35% (102 flights).
The Embraer Phenom 300 maintains its position as the world's most popular business jet model with 21,947 flights across a global fleet of 772 aircraft. The model recorded a healthy +6.32% YoY increase over January 2025, confirming continued fleet expansion and market demand. Route analysis shows the Rio de Janeiro–São Paulo corridor leads with 72 flights, reflecting Embraer's strong home market presence, while U.S. routes dominate the remainder with Dallas-Houston (63) and Las Vegas cluster routes underscoring the Phenom 300's popularity in the entertainment and leisure travel segment. Texas emerges as the Phenom 300's strongest U.S. market, while East Coast winter travel demand drives Miami-New York and West Palm Beach-Westchester routes.
VH-NEQ, a Cessna Citation Mustang, was the most active business jet globally in January 2026 with 126 flights — approximately 4.1 flights per day. Unlike the typical UHNW-linked most active aircraft, VH-NEQ represents a fundamentally different use case: scheduled regional air service. Operated by Air Link, the aircraft serves as a Sydney-centric regional connector, with 7 of its Top 10 routes linking directly to Sydney, bridging New South Wales regional communities (Dubbo, Griffith, Orange, Merimbula) that lack frequent commercial airline service. The Citation Mustang's very light jet category is ideally suited for this mission profile, with a range of approximately 1,150 nm and efficient performance on shorter runways.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many business jet flights were there in January 2026?+
There were 263,595 global business jet departures in January 2026, a +0.56% change year-over-year and -9.42% month-over-month. North America accounted for 76.39% of all departures (201,356 flights), followed by Europe at 11.93% (31,435) and Rest of World at 11.69% (30,804). The month-over-month decline follows the well-established seasonal pattern where January represents the weakest month of the year as corporate travel resumes gradually after winter holidays. The active global fleet comprised 17,245 aircraft averaging 8,503 departures per day.
What was the busiest business aviation airport in January 2026?+
In North America, New York (Teterboro) (KTEB) was the busiest business aviation airport with 9,509 departures, followed by Miami (Opa-locka) (6,366) and West Palm Beach (6,126). South Florida airports posted strong gains driven by high-net-worth seasonal migration, while Northeast hubs experienced post-holiday corrections. In Europe, Paris (Le Bourget) (LFPB) led with 3,163 departures, maintaining its position as Europe's premier business aviation hub. In the Rest of World, Dubai (Al Maktoum) led with 2,052 departures.
Which aircraft had the highest utilization rate in January 2026?+
The Citation Longitude had the highest utilization rate at 55.69% across a fleet of 119 aircraft, followed by the Citation Latitude at 54.62% (382 aircraft) and the Praetor 500 at 52.49%. The most popular model overall was the Phenom 300 by Embraer with 21,947 total flights across 772 aircraft globally.
What was the most popular private jet route in January 2026?+
The Miami–New York corridor was the busiest business aviation route with 711 flights, averaging 23 flights per day. Year-over-year traffic grew +14.7%, driven by South Florida's continued emergence as a financial and tech relocation destination. NetJets Aviation, Inc. dominated the route with 19.97% market share, followed by Flexjet, LLC at 14.35%. The approximately ~3 hrs flight covers 1,760 km.
What is the largest business aviation operator in January 2026?+
NetJets Aviation, Inc. was the largest operator in North America with 31,714 flights and 17.06% market share, widening its lead over second-place Flexjet, LLC (13,351 flights, 7.18%). The top 3 North American operators collectively controlled approximately 26% of departures. In Europe, NetJets Europe led with 4,089 flights (13% share), followed by VistaJet Ltd with 2,543 flights. Fractional operators recovered fastest from the post-holiday period as contractual share-owners resumed travel ahead of charter customers.
What are the business aviation market trends for January 2026?+
Key trends in January 2026 include: (1) a structural shift towards longer-range flights, with Long-Haul growing +8.5% YoY while Short-Haul declined -0.6%; (2) the Rest of World region grew +18.6% YoY, nearly matching Europe's share for the first time; (3) South Florida airports outperformed as high-net-worth winter migration drove traffic; (4) fractional operators (NetJets, Flexjet) maintained resilience through the seasonal downturn; and (5) the Phenom 300 consolidated its position as the world's most popular business jet model.
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