More than one in three departures
Cessna (Textron Aviation) led global OEM departures in 2025 with 1,261,618 flights — 35.89% of the 3,515,618 total. No other manufacturer approaches that share. Textron's portfolio spans the Citation CJ series through the Latitude and Longitude, covering light jet through super-midsize categories that together account for the majority of global charter missions.
OEM share matters for charter buyers because it predicts inventory availability. A market where one manufacturer flies more than a third of all sectors means operators with Textron-heavy fleets can offer broader scheduling flexibility and more competitive pricing on standard missions.
Utilisation leadership
The Citation Latitude led global utilisation in 2025 at 52.2% active rate and 466 average flights per aircraft — 196,297 total departures. That utilisation intensity reflects the Latitude's positioning as a super-midsize workhorse: large enough for intercity comfort, efficient enough for high-frequency short sectors.
The Citation Excel/XLS/XLS+ was Europe's most active aircraft model in 2025 with 47,945 departures (9.2% of European flights), reinforcing Textron's dominance on the continent's busiest corridors including London to Paris.
When one OEM accounts for more than a third of global departures, every charter broker's inventory is, in effect, a Textron portfolio with extras attached.
Category depth across the portfolio
Textron's strength is breadth. The CJ3 ranked third among light jets globally with 77,188 departures. The Latitude dominates super-midsize utilisation. The Longitude extends reach into heavy-jet territory. This category coverage means Textron operators can serve missions from 300 nm hop to transcontinental without switching OEM — simplifying maintenance, crew training and spare parts logistics.
For buyers, that translates to more aircraft options on popular routes and shorter lead times when requesting quotes. Understanding rental cost by category within the Textron range helps match mission to model.
Competitive landscape
Embraer's Phenom 300 leads individual model rankings but Embraer's total OEM share remains well below Textron's 35.89%. Gulfstream dominates ultra-long-range but ULR represents a smaller absolute volume than light and midsize categories. Bombardier's Challenger 350 is the midsize leader but at 153,840 departures — a fraction of Textron's aggregate.
The OEM hierarchy shapes empty-leg supply: Textron-heavy markets produce more light and super-midsize empty legs; Gulfstream-heavy markets produce ULR repositioning opportunities on corridors such as London to New York.
What this means for 2026
Textron's delivery pipeline — CJ3 Gen2, Latitude, Longitude and the upcoming Citation Ascend — suggests the 35.89% share is sustainable rather than peak. Charter buyers should expect Cessna-family aircraft to remain the default option on standard missions worldwide.
For empty-leg monitoring, prioritise routes and bases where Textron operators concentrate — our country supply analysis identifies the geographic clusters.
Verified data & source
Figures in this briefing are drawn exclusively from the Avi-Go Global Business Aviation Annual Report 2025 (RD200). Key verified statements:
- Cessna (Textron Aviation) led global OEM departures in 2025 with 1,261,618 flights (35.89% market share).
- The Citation Latitude led global utilization in 2025 at 52.2% active rate and 466 average flights per aircraft (196,297 total departures).
- Light jets accounted for 47.59% of global business jet flights in 2025 (1,673,098 departures).
Frequently asked questions
Which OEM led global departures in 2025?
Cessna (Textron Aviation) led with 1,261,618 departures — 35.89% of global business jet volume.
Which Cessna model had the highest utilisation?
The Citation Latitude led global utilisation at 52.2% active rate and 466 average flights per aircraft (196,297 total departures).
Does Cessna dominance affect charter availability?
Yes. With more than a third of global departures, Textron-heavy operator fleets offer broader scheduling flexibility and more competitive pricing on standard light and super-midsize missions.
How does Cessna compare to Embraer and Gulfstream?
Embraer's Phenom 300 leads individual model rankings but Textron's aggregate OEM share far exceeds Embraer's. Gulfstream dominates ULR but at lower absolute volume than Textron's light and midsize portfolio.