Frax’s ‘Banner Year’ Helps Global Bizav Ops Finish Strong

Global business aircraft flight activity closed out 2025 on a high note with year-over-year (YOY) operations up 4.2% in December, according to the latest TraqPak report from Argus International. Last month, flight activity in North America climbed 2.1% from a year ago, while Europe marked its eighth straight YOY increase with a 1.3% gain. Argus expects this momentum to continue this month with a 3.8% YOY jump in North America and a 1% increase in Europe, continuing that continent’s streak of gains.

“December finished right around where we expected, which is a welcome result. Ultimately, we closed out a year of strong growth in North America and around the world,” said Travis Kuhn, senior v-p of software at Argus International. “As we turn the page into 2026, the same areas will remain in focus for us: large-cabin aircraft, Part 91 activity, and the significant growth trajectory of the fractional market.”

In North America, 11 of the 12 months of 2025 finished up YOY. The exception was February, which was compared with the same month during a leap year in 2024.

In North America, fractionals had what Argus called a “banner year,” finishing with an 8.4% YOY improvement in December. Part 135 edged up with a 1.6% gain. However, Part 91 activity ebbed a little, falling 0.2%.

By aircraft category, midsize aircraft marked the largest increase in December, up 4.4%, while light jets and turboprops followed with 2.7% and 0.8% gains, respectively. However, large-jet activity fell 1.2% in December, with large-cabin Part 135 activity off by 5.6%. The largest jump came with light-jet fractional operations, up by 9.8%.

In Europe, the 1.3% improvement was driven by a 5% increase in large-cabin operations and a 3.9% gain with midsize-jet flights. This offset a 2.3% decline in turboprop activity and 1.7% slide in light-jet operations.

Meanwhile, in the rest of the world, business aircraft operations soared, jumping by 11.1% YOY. Light-jet operations were up by 20.8%, followed by midsize jets at 12.6%, turboprops at 10.8%, and then large-cabin jets at 4.9%.