Reference data
U.S. Private Aviation Statistics: 2026 Fact Sheet
A practical, sourced view of the aircraft, flight activity and infrastructure behind U.S. general aviation and on-demand operations.
Last updated October 13, 2026. Every figure below names its source and reporting year.
How to read these figures
Private aviation is not measured in one single public dataset. The Federal Aviation Administration’s activity survey covers U.S. general aviation and Part 135 on-demand operations, a broader category that includes business, personal, instructional and other flying. Global manufacturer delivery figures are reported separately. The distinctions matter, so each statistic is labelled with its scope and date.
U.S. activity
The most useful numbers at a glance
214,222
Estimated active aircraft
U.S. general aviation and Part 135 activity in calendar year 2023, representing 78.5% of registered aircraft in the survey population.
FAA, 2023 General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey, Table 2.1
28.6M
Estimated flight hours
U.S. general aviation and Part 135 aircraft flew an estimated 28,562,708 hours in calendar year 2023.
FAA, 2023 General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey, Table 2.1
16,537
Active turbojets
Active turbojets in the same U.S. survey flew 4,628,088 hours in 2023, an average of 279.9 hours per active turbojet.
FAA, 2023 General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey, Table 2.1
5,000
Public-use aviation facilities
The FAA reports approximately 5,000 public-use airports, heliports and seaplane bases in the U.S., alongside about 14,400 private-use facilities.
88%
Of nationally planned airports are general aviation
Approximately 88% of airports included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems are general aviation airports.
Outlook and industry
What the published outlook shows
238,350
Forecast active U.S. general aviation aircraft in 2045
The FAA forecasts the active fleet to rise from 214,222 in 2023 to 238,350 in 2045, a projected average annual growth rate of 0.5%. This is a forecast, not an observed result.
854
Business jets delivered worldwide in 2025
Global business-jet manufacturers delivered 854 aircraft in 2025, up 11.8% from 764 deliveries in 2024. This measures worldwide manufacturer deliveries, not charter activity or the U.S. fleet.
General Aviation Manufacturers Association, 2025 annual data
$339.2B
U.S. general aviation economic output in 2023
A 2025 NBAA and PwC study estimates that general aviation supported 1,330,200 U.S. jobs and $339.2 billion in total economic output in 2023. Its scope includes direct, indirect, induced and enabled activity.
NBAA and PwC, Contribution of General Aviation to the U.S. Economy in 2023
Methodology and sources
This page brings together public activity data, a government forecast, global manufacturer reporting and an economic impact study. Figures retain the scope used by their original publisher. V-Stream will refresh this reference when a key source releases updated data, while keeping these section links stable for anyone citing the page.
- Federal Aviation Administration, General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Surveys, calendar year 2023, updated August 19, 2025.
- Federal Aviation Administration, Airport Categories, accessed October 13, 2026.
- Federal Aviation Administration, Aerospace Forecast, fiscal years 2025 to 2045.
- General Aviation Manufacturers Association, 2025 Annual Data.
- NBAA and PwC, Contribution of General Aviation to the U.S. Economy in 2023, published February 2025.
Cite this page
A stable reference for your work
Suggested citation: V-Stream Aviation, “U.S. Private Aviation Statistics: 2026 Fact Sheet,” updated October 13, 2026. Cite the relevant statistic using its section link, then link to this page.
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