Plane Insights Q1 2026 published

As aviation professionals from around the world descend on Dublin for one of the most important weeks in the aviation finance calendar SMBC Aviation Capital’s Strategic & Market Analysis team look back on 2025 and forward to 2026.

This edition includes a review of the performance of the airlines and OEMs, along with seeing how the secondary space has evolved across the year. We also look forward using our long-term fleet forecast and some factors that support the continued growth of aviation across the world.

In 2025 there was a divergence in sentiment between the macro environment and the commercial aviation space. While there was uncertainty in the global market, commercial aviation had a strong year. Demand for aircraft remains robust and outstrips supply, the trading market continues to strengthen, and the sector continues to attract more diverse sources of funding.
 

Read Plane Insights Q1 2026 here.