Market Insights
Dan's Market Insights
July 2026 — what I'm seeing in the market right now
Two things are true about July: the rebound I flagged as a possibility last month arrived early and came in stronger than forecast, and one major region is now moving in the opposite direction. Here's what's actually happening, and what it means if you're thinking about buying or selling before year-end.
What's Actually Happening
July beat the forecast. Argus had projected 4.3% year-over-year growth for the month; actual global activity came in at 5.6%, up 4.4% from June alone — the fastest month-over-month acceleration since the spring shock rattled buyer confidence.
North America drove a meaningful piece of it, up 4.3% year over year, with fractional operators up 10% and large-cabin fractional flying specifically up 20.4% — the single fastest-growing segment in the data. Part 135 charter grew a more modest 4.8%; straight private ownership (Part 91) grew just 1.4%. The people flying more aren't necessarily the people who own outright — they're increasingly buying access through fractional programs instead.
Europe told a different story: flight activity there fell 1.2% year over year, its first annual decline in 14 months, with large-cabin jets down 6.5%. Meanwhile the rest of the world — Asia, Africa, South America, Australia combined — grew 18.5%. The center of gravity in this market is shifting east and south even as North America stays strong.
What This Means For You
If you're buying
Large-cabin demand is accelerating fastest through fractional programs, but outright resale pricing on large-cabin aircraft is still sitting closer to 2019 levels than demand alone would suggest. That gap won't stay open indefinitely — this is a better window than the headline number implies.
If you're selling
North America's momentum is real and still working in your favor. If your aircraft or its likeliest buyer pool skews European, temper your expectations — that market just posted its first down month in over a year, and large cabins there took the biggest hit.
On the Manufacturer Side
Order backlogs kept climbing through July, with Bombardier's book continuing to build on sustained Global 8000 demand and Gulfstream holding near-record territory. The strength in large-cabin fractional flying and rest-of-world growth is showing up directly in what OEMs are booking — they see real buyer intent before anyone else does, and right now they're still building backlog, not working it down.
Looking Ahead To August
Argus's own forecast calls for a more moderate 3.5% year-over-year pace across North America in the second half — a step down from July's spike, with their own analysts flagging that late-summer seasonal shifts and macro factors may moderate monthly gains. Don't expect August to repeat July's beat. The bigger question I'm watching is whether Europe's dip was a one-month blip or the start of something. On the pre-owned side, nothing here points to the recovery stalling — I'd expect transaction growth to keep closing the gap toward the double-digit pace we saw before the spring shock.
If you want to talk through what any of this means for your specific aircraft or your next move, that's the exact conversation I have with clients every week.
Schedule a ConsultationSources: ARGUS TraqPak · JETNET iQ Market Monitor · Corporate Jet Investor. Figures reflect the most recent monthly and year-to-date data available as of publication and are subject to revision.