Private aviation’s typical buyer used to be straightforward: corporate executive, mid-50s, established wealth. That profile is still prominent, but it’s changing fast.
Buyers under 45 now account for 29% of pre-owned private jet transactions, nearly double their share from a decade ago, according to Jetcraft’s 2025 market report. These younger buyers are also spending more: averaging $25 million per transaction, 31% higher than their older counterparts. Many have made fortunes in technology, entertainment, and finance. Others inherited substantial wealth earlier than previous generations as part of what wealth advisors call the Great Wealth Transfer: $90 trillion in assets moving from baby boomers to younger generations over the next two decades.
What they want looks somewhat different from what their predecessors wanted. The question is whether aviation’s traditional sales infrastructure can adapt.
Sergey Petrossov, the Managing Partner of Aero Ventures, believes his company is at the forefront of this change.
“By solving for the two biggest pain points, lack of information and slow delivery, we believe Aero Ventures will become the hub where the world’s most discerning aviation clients begin and manage every major ownership decision,” he told Sherpa Report.
The firm’s AI-driven platform targets those pain points by providing instant valuations and ownership cost simulations, tools addressing buyers who expect immediate access to data whether they’re 35 or 65.
The Productivity-First Buyer
Remote work reshaped how younger high-net-worth individuals approach aviation. A 2025 survey found 81% of affluent 18-35 year-olds work remotely. That demographic enters private aviation younger than previous generations, prioritizing functional amenities like high-speed connectivity, wellness features, and productivity tools.
They want jets functioning as airborne offices. The Gulfstream with mahogany paneling matters less than whether the Wi-Fi handles video conferences reliably.
George Galanopoulos, CEO of Luxaviation UK, described the shift in a recent interview with Inflight. “Millennials, broadly those in their 30s and early 40s, now account for more than half of our business jet charter clients. These are clients who value efficiency over formality, digital access over legacy prestige, and experiences that feel personal.”
Different Entry Points, Different Expectations
Aviation buyers arrive at ownership through varied paths. Some build relationships with brokers over years through charter programs or fractional ownership, developing industry connections and understanding pricing dynamics through long-term advisory relationships. Others enter aviation suddenly and without established broker networks, spurred on by a company sale, inheritance, or rapid business growth.
The challenge emerges when buyers accustomed to digital platforms for other major purchases encounter aviation’s traditionally relationship-driven sales model. It may feel like they are purchasing eight-figure assets with less immediately accessible information than they’d get researching a $50,000 car.
Sergey Petrossov sees the disconnect. “Today, most aircraft sales require weeks of back-and-forth, incomplete information, and outdated valuations,” he told Sherpa Report.
His assessment reflects broader industry data: aircraft transactions still averaged 207 days from listing to closing in 2024.
Platform Access Without Commitment
Aero Ventures’ AI-driven platform was designed to address information asymmetry. Users can access aircraft valuations, ownership cost simulations, and market comparables without engaging brokers initially. The model mirrors what successful real estate platforms like Zillow have done for real estate: provide enough data for buyers to explore options independently before committing to transactions.
The platform generates instant fair market values using AI-based systems tracking transaction data and market comparables. Users can model scenarios like flying 200 hours annually versus 400 hours to understand total cost implications. The system tracks inventory levels and absorption rates across aircraft types, showing whether current conditions favor buyers or sellers.
“Rather than trying to take the human out of the process, the Marketplace serves as an entry point for engagement, letting clients ‘window shop’ and experiment with different ownership scenarios,” Petrossov explained to Sherpa Report.
The concept offers an alternative entry point for buyers who prefer preliminary exploration before advisory engagement. Some buyers want immediate broker consultation. Others prefer researching independently first. Both paths ultimately lead to human expertise for transaction execution.
Maintaining Human Expertise
Aircraft transactions involve bespoke financing, maintenance status assessments, regulatory compliance across jurisdictions, insurance considerations. Automated valuations provide starting points, but closing deals requires interpreting data through operational expertise.
All buyers, regardless of how they enter the market, recognize multimillion dollar purchases demand human expertise at some stage. The question is when that expertise enters the process.
Aero Ventures positions its platform as complementing rather than replacing advisory relationships. The firm targets “qualified buyers and sellers, typically focused on aircraft in the ten million dollar and above range,” according to Petrossov.
Aviation sales have evolved to serve buyers through multiple channels: traditional broker relationships built over years, digital platforms providing immediate data access, or hybrid models combining both.
Platform tools might appeal to buyers entering aviation without established broker networks. Traditional advisory relationships continue serving buyers who value long-term consultation and discretion. The industry is accommodating both approaches rather than replacing one with the other.
Aviation’s relationship-driven culture persists because transactions remain complex enough that human expertise adds genuine value. For Petrossov and Aero ventures, the hope is that digital tools enhance that expertise and reshape how buyers access it.
