Which jet is cheaper to run - Global 6000 or G550

This is Bizjet Buzz, the slap in the face with market data you need right before you negotiate a jet deal.

In this issue:

🍷 Which heavy jet is aging like a fine wine?

📊 Which jet is cheaper to run - Global 6000 or G550

📈 G550 market update

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Note: The Market Stats Infographic above is updated at month-end and lags one month for data to catch-up.

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The older the aircraft model, the more you can find for sale. Usually!

New technology replaces old.

Bombardier’s Global 6500 replaced the 6000, which replaced the XRS, which replaced the Global Express.

A perpetual cascade of newer models replacing old.

Even if you love your older jet, you’ll get to the point where you can buy a newer one for less than it costs you to maintain it.

Economics overrides emotion, and you let it go.

The inventory of older jets eventually builds up, some destined for part out.

Below you can see this play out…

Newer models with low availability in green, older ones with high availability in red.

Zoom in to take a good look.

🟢 BELOW 5% AVAILABILITY (high demand)

Falcon 6X (Ave YOM 2025), G700 (2025), Global 5500 (2023), G800 (2025)

The newest platforms. Production is still ramping up, fleets are small, and demand is immediate. Low availability.

Global 6000 (2016), Falcon 900LX (2016), G450 (2010). G550 (2011).

Older platforms with low availability for their age.

🟡 5-10% AVAILABILITY (moderate demand)

Global XRS (2009), Falcon 900EX EASy (2007), Global 5000 (2012)

Mature, proven platforms. Large fleets, still respected, but starting to feel the pressure from newer cabins.

🔴 ABOVE 10% AVAILABILITY (soft demand)

Falcon 900B (1992) · GIVSP (1998)

Aging platforms with more supply than the market needs. Operators are holding on to squeeze the remaining asset value, buyers are moving on.

Let’s take an even closer look.

Which models are bucking the availability trend? Demand still remaining strong despite getting older. Like a fine wine - gaining appeal with age.

This is easy to see on a scatter chart.

Above the trend line means higher availability for the age (less popular).

Below the line means lower availability for the age (more popular).

Check out the Falcon 900s.

The 900C and 900EX both deviating far from the trend in a good way.

Also below the line, Falcon 900B, 900EX EASy and 900LX.

Apart from the Falcon 900 being a solid capable platform, there’s a reason the older models are maintaining their appeal.

There are a lot of them. 549 Falcon 900s to be exact.

A large fleet helps a model age better. More units in service means more support and a larger parts pool.

Bombardier’s Global Express. The long range OG (Original Gangster)!

This gave birth to all Global variants.

Bombardier’s flagship today being the Global 8000.

Famously mentioned by Jay Z’s in the 2004 tune Numb / Encore.

Across all Global variants there are 1,350 in service. 131 of these being the Global Express, produced from 1999-2005.

6% availability for a fleet averaging 20+ years old is impressive.

And last but not least…The Gulfstream G550.

One of the most trusted heavy jets ever built. Produced 2003-2025. 619 in service.

Only 2.8% of the G550 fleet is available for sale. Very low for a fleet averaging 2011 YOM.

The G550’s large fleet, worldwide support network, huge parts pool and not to mention it’s impressive range capability, have it aging like a fine wine.

It seems that with every year that passes, people just want more.

We’ll take a closer look at the G550 market further down, including what they cost to buy.

First, let’s see how much it cost to own and operate.

Two models in direct competition.

Gulfstream’s G550 vs Bombardier’s Global 6000.

The G550 with its more slender cabin (7” narrower than the 6000), beats the 6000 on efficiency (just) burning less fuel, and can go ~700 nm further.

Do you want the wider cabin of the Global 6000 or the extra range of the G550?

Which one would you buy?

In the last issue of Bizjet Buzz you learned that the heavy jet market has been on a rip.

Those eyes are looking at the orange line. The % of the heavy jet fleet available for sale, has been dropping all year.

The G550 has contributed to this in a big way with 34 G550 deals year to date.

G550 availability at 2.8%, its lowest since the Great Pandemic Induced Bizjet Boom in 2022.

They range in price from $10 to $35m.

The average ask price has risen ~13% over the last 12 months to $20.7m.

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Are we in a Buyer market or a Seller market?

Which side do current jet market conditions favour?