The International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA) reported a robust start to 2025, showing 316 completed aircraft sales transactions in the first quarter, a 24% increase from the same period last year. Despite this solid performance, IADA members expressed a cautious outlook for the next six months amid growing economic uncertainties.
According to the IADA Q1 2025 Market Report, released yesterday, aircraft pricing remained stable in the first quarter. However, dealers noted that light, midsize, and large jets are facing slight downward pricing pressures, while turboprops continue to demonstrate pricing resilience.
“Although aircraft pricing has held steady, our members are voicing a more reserved outlook compared to the high confidence levels we saw at the end of 2024,” said IADA executive director Lou Seno. He added that the six-month forecast “reflects a tempered approach as dealers navigate broader economic uncertainties.”
Dealers signed 250 aircraft under contract during the first quarter, nearly matching the 251 recorded a year earlier. However, exclusive contracts to sell dropped sharply from 304 in first-quarter 2024 to 203 in first-quarter 2025, reflecting a market increasingly favoring buyers.
According to the survey results, approximately 90% of respondents expect aircraft pricing to remain stable or decrease slightly over the next six months. Demand is anticipated to stay relatively steady for turboprops and light and midsize jets, while it is more mixed for large-cabin jets.
Transaction timelines also showed improvement. IADA-accredited dealers reported closing sales in an average of 158 days—about 40 days faster than the industry average, according to the report.
The report emphasized that, while transaction volume is healthy, external factors are significantly impacting market sentiment. Several IADA members cited concerns about tariffs, stock market volatility, and evolving fiscal policies. “It’s very difficult to make six-month predictions in this market. Things are changing rapidly—sometimes daily,” said Greg Cirillo of HCH Legal in one of several dealer insights included with the report by IADA.
Economic policy uncertainty remains a significant headwind. “For the next six to nine months, political uncertainty will be the primary factor influencing market conditions,” said JBA Jets president Jon Taylor.
However, IADA members such as JetAviva CEO Emily Deaton did not express anxiety over tariff pressures. “The market has seen an uptick in buying activity since the election, leading to aircraft closings spilling over into Q1, with demand holding steady as the year gets underway,” she said.
The association’s six-month projections suggest that supply will remain steady or slightly increase, particularly in the light and midsize jet categories. Willingness among dealers to inventory aircraft declined slightly, signaling a more conservative posture heading into the second half of the year.
Despite the cautious tone, IADA members remain optimistic about their ability to navigate the evolving marketplace. “The overall market should remain stable,” observed Tyler Bowron, partner at Hatt & Associates. “If 100% depreciation returns, we could see a surge in activity. The uncertainty surrounding this issue may be keeping buyers on the sidelines for now.”
According to the report, “promised tax cuts and a return to 100% accelerated depreciation have taken a back seat, if only temporarily, to the new U.S. administration’s broad-based international tariff policies.” Forward projections have been complicated by evolving policy initiatives and broader geopolitical tensions. Still, the report noted, “a combination of market optimism, additional preowned aircraft supply and stable-to-lower pricing—with a hoped-for return of 100% accelerated depreciation—provide conditions to create a relatively healthy retail transaction environment.”
IADA emphasized that it believes its members are “exceptionally well positioned to remain trusted advisors and go-to experts in this—and any—market.”