Florida’s business aviation market doesn’t look like anyone else’s. Based on the current in-state fleet, 2,577 turboprops and business jets call Florida home, and the numbers behind that fleet tell a very different story than what you’d see in a market like New York: this one is bigger, more spread out, and far more diverse in what’s actually parked on the ramp.
Here’s a look at the Florida business aviation market by the numbers, the latest in a series breaking down what’s actually flying in each state.
A BROAD, MIXED-AGE FLEET
Florida’s fleet skews older on average than some newer-money markets, but it’s carrying a lot of volume across every era. The average manufacture year for all 2,577 in-operation aircraft is 2003, with a median of 2005. Roughly a quarter of the fleet (25 percent, or 639 aircraft) was built in 2015 or later, while about 21 percent (536 aircraft) date back before 1990. That’s a fleet with real depth at both ends: a strong wave of new-generation equipment coming in, alongside a large base of older aircraft still flying.
Ownership structure is, like most business aviation markets, weighted heavily toward direct ownership:
- Wholly owned: 2,486 aircraft (96.5 percent)
- Shared/fractional ownership: 91 aircraft (3.5 percent)
That owner-heavy split lines up with what you’d expect from a state with this much private wealth, seasonal residency, and corporate flight department activity.
WHERE THE FLEET LIVES
Florida’s business aircraft are spread across 103 different base airports, a far wider footprint than most states, but the market still clusters around a core group of South Florida and Central Florida fields:
- Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport: 281 aircraft
- Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport: 221 aircraft
- President Donald J. Trump International Airport (West Palm Beach): 121 aircraft
- Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport: 118 aircraft
- Witham Field (Stuart): 90 aircraft
- Orlando Executive Airport: 90 aircraft
- Miami Executive Airport: 84 aircraft
- Naples Municipal Airport: 81 aircraft
- St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport: 74 aircraft
- Boca Raton Airport: 73 aircraft
The top two airports alone, Ft. Lauderdale Executive and Miami-Opa Locka, account for nearly 20 percent of the entire statewide fleet, and the top ten fields together hold well over half of it. But with 103 airports in the mix, Florida’s market is far less concentrated than a state like New York, this is a fleet that’s genuinely distributed the length of the peninsula, from the Panhandle to the Keys, rather than stacked around one or two hubs.
WHAT FLORIDA FLIES
Citation is the clear leader in the Florida market by manufacturer, with 539 aircraft statewide, nearly double the next closest maker. Gulfstream (287), King Air (214), Falcon (155), and Learjet (148) round out the top five.
By specific model, the list looks nothing like a single-manufacturer market. It’s a genuine mix of light jets, turboprops, and large-cabin equipment:
- Hawker 800XP: 59
- Citation X: 57
- Cirrus Vision SF50 G2+: 52
- Citation II: 48
- Gulfstream G550: 43
- Pilatus PC-12/45: 43
- Cessna Caravan 208B EX: 41
- Gulfstream G-IVSP: 41
- Learjet 60: 39
- Cessna Caravan 208B: 36
That’s a meaningfully different story than a large-cabin-dominated market. Florida’s top ten includes personal jets like the Cirrus Vision, single-engine turboprops like the Pilatus PC-12 and Caravan, midsize jets, and large-cabin Gulfstreams all within a few units of each other. This isn’t a state defined by one segment. It’s a market with real depth in owner-flown turboprops and light jets alongside its large-cabin and charter fleet, which tracks with Florida’s mix of individual owners, flight schools, charter operators, and corporate flight departments all competing for the same ramp space.
WHAT’S ON THE MARKET RIGHT NOW
Of the 2,577 aircraft based in Florida, 291 are currently listed for sale or lease, or about 11 percent of the total fleet. Ranked by which models have the most units for sale right now:
- Gulfstream G-IVSP: 9 for sale
- Hawker 800XP: 9 for sale
- Citation Bravo: 7 for sale
- Citation II: 7 for sale
- Citation Ultra: 7 for sale
- Beechjet 400A: 6 for sale
- Citation I/SP: 6 for sale
- Citation Mustang: 6 for sale
- Gulfstream G200: 6 for sale
- Learjet 55: 6 for sale
The spread here mirrors the fleet itself: older Citations and Hawkers dominate the for-sale list, which tracks with a large base of aircraft moving through their second and third ownership cycles, alongside a steady trickle of large-cabin Gulfstreams changing hands.
THE OPERATORS BEHIND THE FLEET
A wide set of charter and management operators account for the aircraft actually flying in Florida, more so than any single dominant player:
- Hera Flight, LLC: 18 aircraft
- FlyUSA, Inc.: 18 aircraft
- Elite Air, Inc.: 17 aircraft
- Cypress Aircraft Sales, LLC: 16 aircraft
- Alliance Aviation Group, LLC: 16 aircraft
- Wheels Up (combined entities): 12 aircraft
Florida’s operator base is far less concentrated than what you’d see in a smaller, denser market. Nearly 1,900 distinct operators appear across the fleet, which points to a market with a lot of independent management companies, owner-operators, and regional charter shops rather than a handful of names controlling most of the activity. For owners weighing self-management against third-party management, that means more choice, but also more diligence in picking the right fit.
FLEET ACTIVITY
The average airframe in Florida’s fleet with recorded flight-hour data has logged just under 5,713 total flight hours. Combined with a fleet that spans everything from brand-new deliveries to 1980s-era turboprops still earning their keep, that points to a hardworking fleet across the board, not just among the newest equipment.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Florida’s business aviation market is large, wide-reaching, and genuinely diverse across segments, from owner-flown turboprops to ultra-long-range large-cabin jets. South Florida’s cluster of Ft. Lauderdale and Miami-area airports anchors the market, but with 103 base airports statewide and nearly 1,900 distinct operators, this isn’t a market defined by one hub or one manufacturer. For owners and buyers trying to understand where they fit into this market, or brokers trying to figure out where the next deal is likely to come from, the fleet data tells a clear story: Florida is a deep, diversified market with room for nearly every segment of business aviation, and it shows no signs of slowing down.
Contact Holstein Aviation to talk through where your aircraft fits into the Florida market, whether you’re buying, selling, or reevaluating how it’s managed.
