SKY Leasing
SKY Leasing is a privately held alternative investment manager providing aircraft leasing, sale-leaseback financing, and structured capital solutions to 100+ global commercial airlines, managing over $5 billion of aviation assets across institutional fund vehicles and a proprietary ABS platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What SKY Leasing does
SKY Leasing is a San Francisco-based, privately held alternative investment manager specializing in aircraft leasing and aviation asset management. The firm provides sale-leaseback financing, portfolio acquisitions, and structured capital solutions to global commercial airlines seeking fleet modernization, with a customer base exceeding 100 airlines across North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Its core product is the SKY Fund series (Fund I through Fund VI, with the latest closing at over $1.35 billion in April 2025), through which institutional capital from insurance companies, sovereigns, pension funds, endowments, foundations, and family offices is invested in portfolios of new and next-generation aircraft, principally Airbus A320NEO family and Boeing 737 MAX platforms, with weighted-average fleet ages of 1.5–5.3 years.
The company operates four primary revenue streams: recurring lease income on aircraft held in managed vehicles; management and performance fees on its institutional fund series; servicing fees on its SLAM (Sky Lease Asset Management) asset-backed securitization program; and gains on the disposition of aircraft portfolios and fund interests. The SLAM platform has issued multiple oversubscribed secured-notes transactions (2021-1, 2024-1, 2025-1), with the May 2025 issuance achieving 3.6x final subscription. SKY maintains five global offices (San Francisco, Greenwich, Dublin, New York, Miami, Singapore) and acts as servicer and asset manager across the full aircraft lifecycle. In May 2025, the firm expanded into venture capital by acquiring JetBlue Ventures, rebranded SKY VC, focused on early-stage travel and transportation technology investments.
As of early 2025, SKY managed over $5 billion of aviation assets across approximately 111 aircraft, and had originated roughly $13 billion in cumulative aircraft acquisitions since inception under the leadership of Executive Chairman Rich Wiley, who brings 35+ years of aviation experience and has previously founded Pegasus Aviation, PAFCO, Jackson Square Aviation, and Sky Aviation Leasing International (SALI). A strategic joint venture with Wafra Inc. (announced February 2022) targets approximately $3 billion of investments in next-generation aircraft. The firm was formally established as a fund management business in October 2019 through a strategic partnership with M&G Investments, which provided foundational equity capital.
SKY Leasing firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SKY Leasing
- Legal name
- SKY Leasing LLC
- Website
- https://skyleasing.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SKY Leasing is a privately held alternative investment manager providing aircraft leasing, sale-leaseback financing, and structured capital solutions to 100+ global commercial airlines, managing over $5 billion of aviation assets across institutional fund vehicles and a proprietary ABS platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SKY Leasing industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aircraft Leasing
- NAICS
- Commercial Air, Rail, and Water Transportation Equipment Rental and Leasing (532411)
- SIC
- Finance Lessors (6172)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Aviation Insurance & Financing/Leasing Services (THABAFAM)
Keywords
Where SKY Leasing is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
SKY Leasing business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Lease Income: SKY earns recurring lease income from airlines on aircraft held in its managed funds and portfolios. Aircraft are leased back to airline customers on long-term contracts, generating stable cash flows with weighted average lease terms typically ranging from 7 to 11 years.
- Fund Management Fees: SKY Leasing's fund management business (founded 2019 with a minority investment from M&G Investments) earns management and performance fees from managing aviation funds on behalf of institutional investors. Funds include SKY Fund I through SKY Fund VI.
- Asset Disposal / Gain on Sale: SKY generates gains through the sale of aircraft portfolios and funds. For example, completed the sale of Sky Fund I Irish Limited (36 aircraft) to Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) and sold Sky Fund I in October 2022.
- Servicing Fees: SKY acts as servicer for SLAM (Sky Lease Asset Management) aircraft portfolios backing ABS secured notes issuances (e.g., SLAM 2024-1, SLAM 2025-1). Servicer role generates fee income for portfolio administration and management.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
SKY Leasing product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SKY Leasing is an alternative investment manager that provides aircraft leasing and asset management services to global airlines, specializing in sale-leaseback transactions for new and next-generation Airbus and Boeing aircraft. It manages institutional capital across multiple aviation funds (SKY Fund I through Fund VI), raises debt through warehouse facilities and asset-backed securities (SLAM transactions), and earns management fees, lease income, servicing fees, and gains on portfolio disposals.
Product overview
SKY Leasing is an alternative investment manager providing asset-focused capital solutions to airlines globally. The company operates a platform consisting of fund management services (managing institutional capital across SKY Fund I through Fund VI), aircraft leasing through sale-leaseback transactions, and structured finance via SLAM (Sky Leasing Asset Management) which issues asset-backed secured notes. In May 2025, SKY expanded into venture capital with the acquisition of JetBlue Ventures, rebranded as SKY VC. The company manages approximately $5 billion of aviation assets across 111 aircraft, with offices in San Francisco, Dublin, New York, Miami, and Singapore.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SKY VC: Early-stage venture capital firm focused on companies redefining the travel and transportation landscape, with emphasis on enterprise and frontier technologies. Formerly known as JetBlue Ventures, acquired by SKY Leasing in May 2025.
Products and services
- Aircraft Leasing Services Aircraft leasing and capital solutions for global airlines, specializing in sale-leaseback transactions for new and next-generation Airbus and Boeing narrowbody and widebody aircraft.
- SKY Fund Management Management of institutional capital across SKY Fund I through Fund VI, investing equity in aircraft portfolios on behalf of global insurance companies, sovereigns, pension funds, endowments, foundations, and family offices.
- SLAM (Sky Leasing Asset Management) Structured Notes SKY's structured finance vehicle that issues asset-backed secured notes to acquire aircraft portfolios, with SKY acting as servicer for the underlying aircraft assets.
- Aircraft Portfolio Servicing Technical asset management, contract management, and credit expertise for aircraft portfolios, enabling complex transaction underwriting and risk management across multiple market cycles.
- Aircraft Fleet Portfolio Curated fleet portfolio of in-demand aircraft core to global airline customers, including Airbus A320NEO Family, A350, A320CEO Family, and Boeing 737 MAX, 787, and 737NG models.
- Warehouse Debt Financing Revolving warehouse debt financing facilities with bank syndicates used to fund committed aircraft pipelines and support growth initiatives for SKY funds.
- SKY-Wafra Joint Venture Joint venture between SKY's managed funds and Wafra Inc. targeting approximately $3 billion of investments in new and young next-generation aircraft on lease to leading airlines globally, with SKY acting as manager and servicer.
- SKY VC (formerly JetBlue Ventures) Early-stage venture capital firm focused on companies redefining the travel and transportation landscape, with emphasis on enterprise and frontier technologies. Invested in 55+ startups across travel, hospitality, and transportation industries.
Quantifiable outcome
- 99% lease collection rate in 2021
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use SKY Leasing
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
SKY Leasing technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
SKY Leasing partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, supporting and core.
- Kroll Bond Rating Agency (KBRA)majorKBRA rated the SLAM 2025-1 Series A Notes A (sf). KBRA also rated the SLAM 2024-1 Series A Notes A (sf). Rating agency provides independent credit analysis for institutional ABS investors.
- Vedder Price P.C.supportingVedder Price P.C. acted as legal counsel to SKY on the SLAM 2025-1 and SLAM 2024-1 transactions.
- Milbank LLPsupportingMilbank LLP acted as legal counsel to the initial purchasers on the SLAM 2025-1 and SLAM 2024-1 transactions.
- JetBlue AirwayscoreSKY acquired JetBlue Ventures from JetBlue Airways in May 2025, which was rebranded as SKY VC. JetBlue continues as a strategic partner, holding positions in all existing portfolio companies and maintaining an ongoing strategic partnership. JetBlue Ventures (now SKY VC) has invested in 55+ early-stage startups since 2016.
- Kirkland & Ellis LLPsupportingKirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal counsel for SKY on the JetBlue Ventures acquisition.
- Moody's Investors ServicemajorMoody's Investors Service rated the SLAM 2024-1 Series A Notes A2 (sf) and SLAM 2025-1 Series A Notes A2 (sf). Rating agency partnership provides third-party credit assessment for ABS investors.
- Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE)majorSky Fund I, LP entered into a definitive agreement to sell Sky Fund I Irish, Ltd. (36 owned and committed aircraft on lease to 14 airlines) to Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE). The portfolio was over 90% next generation technology aircraft.
Scale indicators22 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SKY Leasing competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- AerCap Holdings: AerCap is the world's largest aircraft lessor with $50B+ of aircraft assets and ~3,500+ aircraft. SKY competes with AerCap on large sale-leaseback transactions but operates at materially smaller scale, making AerCap a broad incumbent competitor.
- Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE): DAE is a major global aircraft lessor and SKY's acquirer of Sky Fund I (36 aircraft in 2022). Functions as both a peer lessor and a strategic buyer of SKY-managed portfolios.
Direct peers
- Air Lease Corporation: ALC is a publicly traded aircraft lessor with ~$30B in aircraft assets focused on next-generation, in-demand aircraft. Closely comparable business model to SKY with emphasis on young fleet and airline customer relationships.
- BOC Aviation: BOC Aviation is a Singapore-based aircraft lessor with $25B+ in assets, owned by Bank of China. Competes with SKY for airline sale-leaseback mandates across Asia-Pacific and globally.
- SMBC Aviation Capital: SMBC Aviation Capital is one of the world's largest aircraft lessors, owned by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation. Direct peer competing for the same airline customer base and sale-leaseback transactions as SKY.
- Avolon Aerospace Leasing: Avolon is a major global aircraft lessor headquartered in Dublin with a young, fuel-efficient fleet. Shares SKY's Dublin operational base and competes head-to-head on European and global airline lessor mandates.
- Jackson Square Aviation: Jackson Square Aviation was founded by Rich Wiley, SKY's current Executive Chairman, making it a closely related peer with shared DNA. Both focus on narrowbody next-gen aircraft sale-leasebacks to global airlines.
- BBAM Aircraft Management: BBAM is a privately held aircraft lessor and manager with $20B+ in assets under management. Closely comparable model as a private investment manager focused on commercial aircraft leasing and fund management.
- ORIX Aviation: ORIX Aviation is a Dublin-based aircraft lessor owned by ORIX Corporation with $10B+ in aircraft assets. Direct peer competing in the same narrowbody/widebody leasing space with similar customer profiles.
Emerging players
- Willis Lease Finance: Willis Lease Finance is a US-based aircraft engine and aircraft leasing company. John F. Edwards, SKY's CTO, was formerly at Willis Lease, indicating industry overlap, though Willis focuses more on engine leasing than SKY's whole-aircraft focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SKY Leasing social profiles
Digital presenceSKY Leasing compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
SKY Leasing financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SKY Leasing leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
SKY Leasing subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
SKY Leasing funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SKY Leasing M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SKY Leasing
What does SKY Leasing do?
SKY Leasing is an alternative investment manager that provides aircraft leasing and asset management services to global airlines, specializing in sale-leaseback transactions for new and next-generation Airbus and Boeing aircraft. It manages institutional capital across multiple aviation funds (SKY Fund I through Fund VI), raises debt through warehouse facilities and asset-backed securities (SLAM transactions), and earns management fees, lease income, servicing fees, and gains on portfolio disposals.
Is SKY Leasing a public or private company?
SKY Leasing is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was SKY Leasing founded?
SKY Leasing was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SKY Leasing based?
SKY Leasing is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does SKY Leasing make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Lease Income is the primary driver. The others are fund Management Fees, asset Disposal / Gain on Sale and servicing Fees.
Who are SKY Leasing's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are AerCap Holdings and Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE). Direct peers are Air Lease Corporation, BOC Aviation, SMBC Aviation Capital, Avolon Aerospace Leasing, Jackson Square Aviation, BBAM Aircraft Management and ORIX Aviation. Willis Lease Finance is listed as an emerging player.
Does SKY Leasing have an API?
No public API is recorded for SKY Leasing.
What industry is SKY Leasing in?
SKY Leasing's product category is Aircraft Leasing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THABAFAM, Private Aviation Insurance & Financing/Leasing Services. Its NAICS code is 532411 and its SIC code is 6172.