Study finds US corporations are set to upgrade corporate jets

 A new study¹ commissioned by Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ) found that 96% of U.S. corporations who own or lease corporate aircraft anticipate upgrading to new or better models in the next five years.

When asked why their company was looking to upgrade its fleet, the leading driver cited by two-thirds (67%) of those surveyed was the new U.S. tax legislation allowing businesses to  write off 100% of the purchase prices of a corporate jet used for business travel.  Other significant motivations included managing operational costs (63%), the arrival of newer and more fuel-efficient models (59%) and the ability to use more sustainable fuels (51%).  The need for larger aircraft was also evident – with 41% citing an increase in executive usage and 25% identifying demand for greater range.

Corporate reliance on business aviation is set to intensify.  Over the next two years, 91% of those surveyed expect usage to rise, with 39% anticipating a dramatic increase.  Looking further ahead, 90% forecast greater use of business aviation within five years, almost half (45%) predicting dramatic growth.  The top reasons for this included the U.S. current favorable tax environment, increased flexibility compared to scheduled airlines and  improved security.  

Chadi Saade, President of Airbus Corporate Jets, said: 

“This study confirms what we are seeing in the market: U.S. corporations are not only using business aviation more frequently, they are also looking to upgrade to larger, more capable aircraft.  The combination of incentives, new and more efficient models and the value companies place on comfort, range and sustainability all point to strong demand in the years ahead.  ACJ is proud to be at the forefront of this shift with aircraft such as the ACJ TwentyTwo, designed to meet the evolving requirements of corporate America.”  

The study also points to a shift in how corporations deploy their fleets.  Nearly nine in 10 (88%) expect to see more large U.S. companies investing in their own large jets to operate employee shuttle services over the next five years.  Comfort, technology and connectivity are seen as the key benefits of traveling via corporate aircraft, with cabin space rated number one.

ACJ offers a range of large business aircraft. The ACJ TwoTwenty is carving out a whole new market segment – ‘The Xtra Large Bizjet’.

The ACJ TwoTwenty offers twice the cabin real estate compared to similarly priced ULR business jets with market-leading fuel efficiency and unrivaled reliability. It occupies the same parking footprint as competitive ULR jets and can take off from the same airports, but the ACJ TwoTwenty operating costs are one-third less.

With a range of up to 5,650 nm (more than 12 flight hours), the ACJ TwoTwenty can meet the requirements of 99.9% of all U.S. departures,² connecting city pairs including Los Angeles to London, Miami to Buenos Aires, and New York to Sao Paulo.

As with all ACJ aircraft, the ACJ TwoTwenty is capable of flying with up to a 50% blend of kerosene and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) while keeping to the technical specifications of Jet A. All Airbus commercial aircraft and helicopters will be capable of operating with 100% SAF by 2030. This capability will play an important role in the sector’s decarbonization journey.

19Notes to Editors:

1. Airbus Corporate Jets commissioned the independent research company Pureprofile to survey 100 senior executives at large U.S. corporations whose organization has an annual revenue of more than $500 million. Ninety percent of respondents said their organization uses business aviation. The research was conducted in September 2025.
2. Airbus Corporate Jets analysis of WingX data, January 2024.