Argus: Bizav Ops Boom in 2025, Setting Stage for Strong 2026

The business aviation market is poised for a strong 2026, coming off a year when all major regions of the world saw increases in flight activity, backlogs at the aircraft manufacturers flourished, fractional operations boomed, and Part 135 operations were resurgent, according to aviation research and safety specialist Argus International.

Releasing its 2025 Annual Business Aviation Review, which highlights its TraqPak operational data, Argus noted that last year began with optimism that the industry could finally return to sustained growth. “​​As we officially close out the year, we are left wondering if the strong gains we experienced throughout the year can continue into 2026,” it said. Citing the positive results in 2025, Argus added, “The case certainly looks strong for 2026.”

However, Argus noted, “there is still plenty of room to grow,” and predicted North American activity to yield a little more than 3.6 million business aviation flights with operations ending up by 1.9% in 2026.

In 2025, North America experienced yearly activity gains in 11 of 12 months. The only month that experienced a year-over-year (YOY) decline was February, which was a day shorter than the leap year February in 2024. The strongest month in the region over the last two years occurred in October 2025.

Business aviation activity increased by 3.4% and flight hours by 3.5% in North America during 2025. All three operational categories ended up, with fractionals leading the pack with 9.4% yearly growth—a gain of 59,826 flights. Part 135 increased by 3.3%, or by 41,471 flights, and Part 91 edged up by 0.9%, or 13,520 additional flights.

Likewise, all aircraft operational categories finished the year up, with midsize cabins seeing the largest increase at 4.2%, followed by small cabins at 4%, turboprops at 2.6%, and large cabins at 1.9%.

Meanwhile, European operations were up by 0.4%, finishing the year with eight straight months of YOY gains. July was the busiest month of the last two years, while February was the lowest month operationally.

In fact, all the regions saw increases, with South America leading at a YOY gain of 21.4%. Operations in the region increased in 10 of 12 months, with Brazil the busiest, accounting for 79.7% of all activity. In the Middle East, where activity was up by 18.3%, YOY gains were logged all 12 months, with the UAE the busiest country in the region. Flight activity in Oceania increased by 15.2% last year, with March surging by 36.7%. Australia accounted for 87.4% of the region’s traffic.

Flight activity was also up by double digits in Africa—12.3%, with the only YOY decrease recorded in August. Some 20% of traffic was in South Africa. Flights increased by 3.5% in Asia, with six months of YOY increase. India saw the most activity, representing 23.5% of the total.

And in Central America, flight activity increased by 7.5%, with Mexico representing 80.1% of all traffic in the region.