In the latest business aviation statistics from primary sources, the US had 16,835 active turbojets and 11,924 active turboprops in 2024, out of an active general aviation fleet of 213,756 aircraft (FAA Aerospace Forecast FY2026–2046). Manufacturers delivered 854 business jets worldwide in 2025, up 11.8% from 764 in 2024 (GAMA). On-demand Part 135 operators had 36 accidents in 2024, 6 of them fatal, a rate of 0.86 accidents per 100,000 flight hours (NTSB).
Every figure below was read from the source it links to, and each one carries the year it covers. The government sources run a year or more behind: as of October 2026, the FAA’s activity survey and the NTSB’s accident tables both stop at 2024. The note at the end, “About these numbers,” explains what each source counts, because “business aviation” isn’t a category in any of them.
How many business aircraft are there in the US?
The FAA counts aircraft that are registered and flew at least one hour during the year. It sorts them by aircraft type, not by who owns them, so the closest proxies for the business fleet are turbojets and turboprops.
- Turbojets. 16,835 active turbojets in 2024, up from 16,537 in 2023 and 14,888 in 2019 (FAA Aerospace Forecast, Table 28).
- Turboprops. 11,924 active turboprops in 2024, up from 10,951 in 2023 (FAA Aerospace Forecast, Table 28). The FAA describes that 973-aircraft gain as an 8.9 percent increase.
- Turbine fleet. 36,333 turbine aircraft in 2024, counting turboprops, turbojets and turbine helicopters (Table 28).
- Whole general aviation fleet. 213,756 active aircraft in 2024, down 0.2 percent from the year before. The FAA says the drop came from piston and experimental aircraft, while turboprops, turbojets and turbine rotorcraft grew (Aerospace Forecast, page 35).
- Business jets by use. Of the 16,835 active turbojets in 2024, the FAA’s survey puts about 6,969 in “business with paid flight crew” as their primary use, about 3,575 in Part 135 air taxi, about 3,297 in personal use and about 1,786 in business use flown by the owner without a paid crew (FAA General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey, CY2024, Table 3.1).
- All aircraft flown with a paid crew for business. About 9,354 active aircraft of every type had “business with paid flight crew” as their primary use in 2024 (CY2024 survey, Table 1.2).
- On-demand Part 135 fleet. About 9,361 active aircraft were primarily used for on-demand Part 135 in 2024: about 6,519 in air taxi, 2,354 in air medical and 488 in air tours (Table 1.2).
Active turbojets and turboprops in the US
| Year (Dec. 31) | Turbojets | Turboprops | All active general aviation aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 11,484 | 9,369 | 223,370 |
| 2019 | 14,888 | 10,242 | 210,981 |
| 2022 | 16,126 | 10,713 | 209,540 |
| 2023 | 16,537 | 10,951 | 214,222 |
| 2024 | 16,835 | 11,924 | 213,756 |
Source: FAA Aerospace Forecast FY2026–2046, Table 28, which takes its historical rows from the FAA’s activity surveys.
How many business jets were delivered in 2025?
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) publishes a yearly report of aircraft shipments and billings. Its 2025 report came out February 18, 2026. GAMA marks the turbine helicopter figures and the total delivery value as preliminary; the airplane figures carry no such label.
- Business jets. 854 delivered in 2025, up 11.8% from 764 in 2024 (GAMA 2025 shipment and billing report).
- Turboprops. 594 delivered in 2025, down 5.1% from 626.
- Piston airplanes. 1,782 delivered in 2025, up ten units from 1,772.
- All airplanes. 3,230 delivered in 2025, up 2.2% from 3,162.
- Airplane billings. $31.0 billion in 2025, up 16.1% from $26.7 billion.
- All aircraft, including helicopters. Preliminary deliveries valued at $35.7 billion in 2025, up 14.6%. GAMA notes that one helicopter manufacturer’s fourth-quarter data wasn’t available at publication, and it left that manufacturer’s 2024 fourth quarter out of the comparison.
| Aircraft type | 2024 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business jets | 764 | 854 | +11.8% |
| Turboprop airplanes | 626 | 594 | −5.1% |
| Piston airplanes | 1,772 | 1,782 | +0.6% |
| Total airplanes | 3,162 | 3,230 | +2.2% |
| Airplane billings | $26.7B | $31.0B | +16.1% |
| Total helicopters (preliminary) | 956 | 938 | −1.9% |
Source: GAMA, February 18, 2026.
The FAA reports a narrower number in its forecast: deliveries of US-manufactured general aviation aircraft rose to 2,316 units in 2025, a 6.8 percent increase over 2024, with US-built business jet deliveries up 13.1 percent (FAA Aerospace Forecast FY2026–2046, page 35).
How many hours do business aircraft fly?
Flight hours come from the same FAA survey as the fleet counts. The survey splits hours by “actual use,” the purpose of the flying, which is the nearest thing to a business aviation measure the government publishes.
- Business flying with a paid crew. About 2.31 million hours in 2024, across all aircraft types (CY2024 survey, Table 1.4). Before 2014 the FAA called this category “Corporate.”
- Business flying without a paid crew. About 1.59 million hours in 2024 (Table 1.4). Before 2014 this category was called “Business.”
- On-demand Part 135. About 4.19 million hours in 2024: about 3.16 million in air taxi, 856,000 in air medical and 180,000 in air tours (Table 1.4).
- Turbojet hours. About 5.22 million hours flown by turbojets in 2024 (Table 1.3). Of those, about 1.88 million were business flying with a paid crew and about 2.01 million were Part 135 air taxi (Table 3.2).
- Fractional ownership. About 296,000 turbojet hours in 2024 were flown under fractional ownership programs (Table 3.3).
- Hours per jet. An active turbojet flew about 310 hours on average in 2024, up from 279.9 in 2023. An active turboprop averaged about 238 hours (Table 1.5).
- All general aviation and Part 135. About 29.0 million hours in 2024. The FAA calls it “the highest level recorded since 2000” (FAA Aerospace Forecast, page 35).
Average hours per aircraft matter when you work out what an aircraft costs to fly, because the fixed costs are spread across them. Our guide to aircraft operating cost per hour shows how much that number moves with utilization.
How safe is business aviation?
The NTSB publishes accident counts and rates every year. It reports on-demand Part 135 (charter, air taxi, air tours and air medical) separately from general aviation, which includes corporate flight departments flying under Part 91 alongside personal and instructional flying. Its current table set covers 2005 through 2024.
- On-demand Part 135, 2024. 36 accidents, 6 of them fatal, with 16 fatalities (NTSB Aviation Accident Statistics, 2005–2024, Table 9).
- On-demand Part 135 rate, 2024. 0.86 accidents and 0.14 fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours (Table 9).
- On-demand Part 135 airplanes only, 2024. 21 accidents, 2 fatal, 3 fatalities, a rate of 0.65 accidents per 100,000 flight hours (Table 17).
- On-demand Part 135 helicopters, 2024. 15 accidents, 4 fatal, 13 fatalities, a rate of 1.59 per 100,000 flight hours (Table 20).
- Twenty years earlier. In 2005 on-demand Part 135 had 65 accidents and a rate of 1.70 per 100,000 flight hours (Table 9).
- US general aviation, 2024. 1,126 accidents, 182 fatal, 305 fatalities; 4.53 accidents and 0.72 fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours (Table 10).
- Accidents by purpose of flight, 2024. Of the 1,126 general aviation accidents, the NTSB classed 712 as personal flying, 22 as business and 4 as executive/corporate (Table 23).
| Category, 2024 | Accidents | Fatal accidents | Fatalities | Accidents per 100,000 hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part 121 scheduled airlines | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0.157 |
| Part 135 on-demand | 36 | 6 | 16 | 0.86 |
| US general aviation | 1,126 | 182 | 305 | 4.53 |
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Statistics, 2005–2024, Table 1. The NTSB takes the flight hours for its Part 135 and general aviation rates from the FAA’s activity survey, so the rates carry the survey’s estimates with them.
For an operator, the national rate is background. What you can manage is your own risk on each flight, which is what a flight risk assessment tool is for.
How many pilots are there?
Two sources count pilots in different ways. The FAA counts certificates held by people with a valid medical. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) counts jobs.
- Airline transport pilot certificates. 181,742 active ATP holders at the end of 2025 (FAA Aerospace Forecast, Table 30, from FAA U.S. Civil Airmen Statistics).
- Commercial pilot certificates. 118,314 active commercial pilots at the end of 2025, up from 109,727 in 2024 (Table 30).
- Commercial pilot jobs. Commercial pilots held about 50,400 jobs in 2025, according to the BLS, which describes them as flying unscheduled work such as charter flights and aerial application, and names corporate pilots who transport company executives (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).
- Airline pilot jobs. Airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers held about 104,600 jobs in 2025 (BLS).
- Commercial pilot pay. The median annual wage for commercial pilots was $123,220 in May 2025. For airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers it was $232,140 (BLS).
- Outlook. The BLS projects employment of airline and commercial pilots to grow 7% from 2025 to 2035, with about 16,400 openings a year on average over the decade (BLS).
The FAA’s count includes everyone who holds a certificate and a valid medical, whether or not they fly for a living. If you run a crew roster, the number that matters is how many of your own pilots are current on the aircraft you fly; see pilot training and currency tracking.
What is business aviation worth to the US economy?
The FAA’s economic impact report measures general aviation as a whole, with business flying inside it, and NBAA, the business aviation trade group, publishes its own figures.
- General aviation’s share of GDP. General aviation, counting operations, manufacturing and visitor spending, contributed roughly 0.3 percent of US GDP in 2022, or $66.2 billion of value added (FAA, The Economic Impact of U.S. Civil Aviation 2024).
- General aviation operations output. $34.2 billion of primary output from general aviation operations in 2022, up from $19.0 billion in 2020; general aviation aircraft manufacturing added $11.4 billion in 2022 (same report, Table 2).
- All civil aviation. Civil aviation supported $1.8 trillion in total economic activity and 9.4 million jobs in 2022, and contributed 4.0 percent of GDP (same report).
- NBAA’s figure. In a November 2025 statement, NBAA said general aviation “creates 1.3 million American jobs and generates $340 billion in economic activity each year” (NBAA). The figure links to NBAA’s February 2025 release on a PwC study, sponsored by NBAA and seven other aviation groups, which put general aviation at 1,330,200 jobs and $339.2 billion in total economic output (NBAA).
The FAA and NBAA figures measure different things, value added against total economic activity, so don’t put them side by side as if they agreed or disagreed.
Where is the business fleet heading?
The FAA’s forecast runs 20 years out. These are projections, not counts.
- Turbine fleet growth. The turbine-powered fleet, including rotorcraft, is projected to grow by 21,345 aircraft between 2024 and 2046, to 57,676, an average of 2.1 percent a year (FAA Aerospace Forecast FY2026–2046, page 37).
- Turbojets. The turbojet fleet is forecast to grow by an average of 3.0 percent a year over the same period (page 37), reaching 32,090 in 2046 (Table 28).
- Turbojet hours. Turbojet flight hours are forecast to reach about 10.4 million in 2046, from about 5.4 million estimated for 2025 (Table 29).
- Whole fleet. The active general aviation fleet is forecast to grow from 213,756 in 2024 to 242,722 by 2046, an average of 0.6 percent a year, while fixed-wing pistons shrink by 2,544 aircraft (page 36).
About these numbers
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Dates. Each source has its own year. The FAA activity survey and the NTSB tables cover calendar 2024, the latest published as of October 2026; the NTSB notes that the FAA’s survey “is conducted and made available in the year following the target year.” GAMA’s figures are calendar 2025, with the helicopter figures preliminary. The FAA’s certificate counts are as of December 31, 2025. BLS jobs figures are for 2025 and wages for May 2025. The FAA’s economic impact figures are for 2022. Rows marked 2025E in the FAA forecast tables are FAA estimates, and this page uses only one of them, labeled as such.
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“Active” aircraft. The FAA counts an aircraft as active if it has a current registration and flew at least one hour during the year. A jet parked all year isn’t in the count.
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Survey estimates. The fleet-by-use and hours figures are estimates from a sample survey, published with standard errors. We’ve rounded them as shown (“about 9,354”) because the survey reports fractions of aircraft and hours in thousands. For anything you publish, use the table cited and quote its standard error if precision matters.
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“Business with paid flight crew.” This is the FAA survey category closest to a corporate flight department. It’s based on the aircraft’s primary use, so a jet used mostly for business and sometimes for personal trips is counted once, under its main use. Hours, by contrast, are split by actual use.
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Part 135 on-demand. In the NTSB tables this covers charter, air taxi, air tours and medical flights with a patient or medical crew aboard. It doesn’t separate business jet charter from the rest; Table 17 (airplanes only) is the closest view.
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GAMA’s scope. GAMA reports manufacturers’ shipments worldwide, not the US fleet. A jet delivered in 2025 can be flying anywhere.
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Using these figures. Link to the source rather than to this page when you can, and quote the year with the number. If a source updates its figures, the source wins. For the rules behind the Part 91, Part 135 and Part 91K labels used here, see our comparison of Part 91, Part 135 and Part 91K.
Your own numbers in Avion Desk
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Frequently asked questions
How many business jets are there in the US?
The FAA counted 16,835 active turbojets in 2024. Not all of them fly for business: the FAA’s survey puts about 6,969 in business use with a paid crew and about 3,575 in Part 135 air taxi as their primary use (FAA).
How many business jets were delivered in 2025?
854 worldwide, up 11.8% from 764 in 2024, according to GAMA’s 2025 shipment report (GAMA).
How many hours does a business jet fly a year?
An active turbojet in the US flew about 310 hours on average in 2024, according to the FAA’s activity survey. That average covers every active turbojet, whatever its use.
What is the accident rate for Part 135 charter?
In 2024, on-demand Part 135 had 0.86 accidents and 0.14 fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours. For airplanes alone, the rate was 0.65 accidents per 100,000 hours (NTSB).
How many commercial pilots are there?
The FAA counted 118,314 people with an active commercial pilot certificate at the end of 2025. The BLS counted about 50,400 commercial pilot jobs in 2025. The two don’t match because the FAA counts certificates and the BLS counts jobs.
Why don’t these numbers match other sources?
Usually because of definitions or dates. GAMA counts worldwide deliveries, the FAA counts active US aircraft, and the NTSB and FAA survey figures run a year behind. Check which year and which category a figure covers before comparing it.
