Despite growing economic headwinds, which may be affecting aircraft transactions, bizjet flight activity bounced up this week, with May YOY activity keeping pace with the strong Q1 pace for aircraft utilisation, leading operators continuing to fly at record levels.
Global
In the most recent week (26th May – 1st June), global business jet sectors grew 4% compared to Week 22 last year, with the core US market recording 5% growth. The Part 135 and 91K markets were strong last week, global sectors 3% ahead of W22 last year. Global bizjet activity in May ended 3% ahead of May last year, 1% behind the highs of May 2022.
Chart 1: Global bizjet departures by week in the last 12 months
North America
Bizjet departures from airports in Florida and California were 5% ahead of Week 22 last year, Texas area airports up 2% compared to W22 last year. The last four-week trend for bizjet traffic in California and Florida is 5% ahead of comparable last year, Texas 4% ahead of comparable last year. US bizjet activity in May was 4% ahead of last year, all of the busiest metro areas with growth compared to last year. Washington DC stood out, departures in May 18% higher than last year, busiest connection was to New York metro airports, strong year-on-year growth on flights to Pittsburgh and San Francisco.
Chart 2: US Bizjet activity by departure city, May 2025 compared to last year.
Year to date (1st January – 31st May), US bizjet activity is 3% ahead of comparable last year, post US election (6th November – 31st May), bizjet activity is 4% ahead of comparable last year. Since the election most bizjet types are flying more than last year, entry level jets the exception, sectors down 8%. Since the election Part91K sectors are 11% ahead of last year, Part135 up 3%, Part91 just 1% ahead.
Chart 3: Business jet hours flown by top operator entities, US, May 2025
Europe
European bizjet activity grew 3% compared to Week 22 last year, with trends varying by country. Bizjet departures out of French airports fell 5% compared to W22 last year, Swiss airports recorded 7% fewer departures than last year. In the UK, departures fell 9%, dragging the last four-week trend down to -2%. Germany recorded another stand out week, departures 25% ahead of W22 last year.
Munich hosted the UEFA Champions League final last weekend (31st May), over the weekend of the event (30th May – 1st June) 328 bizjet arrivals were recorded into Munich airports, up from 71 recorded during the previous Friday – Sunday period. On average there were 31 daily bizjet arrivals into Munich airports in May, on the day of the final (31st May) 136 arrivals were recorded. London and Paris were the top origin cities, there was a large influx of Ultra Long-Range Jets during the event weekend, Aircraft Management fleets recording a large increase of arrivals.
Chart 4: European business jet departures and hours by aircraft type, May 2025.
Chart 5: Business jet departures from Germany, last four weeks (5th May – 1st June) – trends vs same dates last year
Year to date (1st January – 31st May), European bizjet activity is -0.4% behind comparable last year, notable markets in decline are Germany, Italy and Switzerland. Busiest market France is on par with last year, the UK and Spain recording modest YOY gains. May’s activity was 1% ahead of May 2024, top market France recording 4% declines.
Rest of World
Flights departing airports outside of North America and Europe comprised 9% of the global volume with Week 22 (26th May – 1st June) up 9% compared to Week 22 last year. Africa recorded the largest growth in the ROW region last week, bizjet flights up 15% compared to last year. In Latin America, departures were up 14%, closely followed by the Middle East where departures were up 13%. Asia was the only ROW market that recorded declines last week, departures down 2% compared to W22 last year. Year to date the rest of world region is up 4% compared to last year, strong growth in Brazil, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Chart 6: Business jet departures from rest of world, January 1st – 31st May 2025.
