Macquarie AirFinance
Macquarie AirFinance is a global commercial aircraft operating lessor providing fleet financing and aircraft to 83+ airlines across 48 countries, with a portfolio of 340 aircraft leased under long-term operating agreements and now agreed to be acquired by DAE for ~$7 billion.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Macquarie AirFinance does
Macquarie AirFinance is a global commercial aircraft operating lessor founded in 2006 and headquartered in Dublin (with operating offices in London, San Francisco, and Singapore). It provides operating lease financing and fleet solutions to commercial airlines worldwide, holding a portfolio of 340 aircraft (191 Airbus and 134 Boeing) leased to 76 operators across 45 countries as of late 2025. The customer base spans 83+ airlines across 48 countries and includes major carriers such as Air India, IndiGo, Qantas, United Airlines, LATAM, Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France, and Ethiopian Airlines. The company supports fleet expansion, modernization, and balance sheet optimization through multi-year operating lease agreements with custom, quote-based pricing.
The business model is recurring subscription-style: airlines make regular lease payments on long-duration contracts while Macquarie AirFinance retains asset ownership and performs technical and portfolio management throughout the aircraft lifecycle. The company funds its fleet through a mix of secured term loans, unsecured revolving credit (a $1.895 billion facility extended to 2028), and a series of senior unsecured note issuances totaling approximately $3.15 billion across 2023-2025. Capital structure was underpinned by investment-grade ratings from S&P (BBB- Stable) and Moody's (Baa3 Stable) achieved in 2024, and historically Macquarie AirFinance operated as a 50/25/25 joint venture between Macquarie Group, PGGM Infrastructure Fund, and Australian Retirement Trust.
In February 2026, the shareholders entered into a definitive agreement to sell 100% of Macquarie AirFinance to Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) for an enterprise value of approximately $7 billion in an all-cash transaction expected to close in H2 2026. Post-close, the combined platform would operate a pro-forma fleet of 1,029 aircraft serving 191 airline customers across 79 countries, positioning it among the largest aircraft lessors globally. The transaction marks the end of Macquarie AirFinance's standalone trajectory and the beginning of integration into a larger lessor platform.
Macquarie AirFinance firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Macquarie AirFinance
- Legal name
- Macquarie AirFinance Limited
- Website
- https://macquarie.aero
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Macquarie AirFinance is a global commercial aircraft operating lessor providing fleet financing and aircraft to 83+ airlines across 48 countries, with a portfolio of 340 aircraft leased under long-term operating agreements and now agreed to be acquired by DAE for ~$7 billion.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Macquarie AirFinance industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aircraft Leasing
- NAICS
- Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation (481211)
- SIC
- Finance Lessors (6172)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Business Jet Charter (On-Demand) (THABAFAA)
Keywords
Where Macquarie AirFinance is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Macquarie AirFinance business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Others
Revenue model
- Aircraft Operating Leases: Macquarie AirFinance generates revenue through operating leases of commercial aircraft to airlines worldwide. The company owns and manages a fleet of narrowbody and widebody aircraft, providing airlines with capital and aircraft under long-term lease agreements. Revenue is earned through regular lease payments from airline lessees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom aircraft leasing contracts negotiated on a per-transaction basis |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Macquarie AirFinance product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Macquarie AirFinance is a global aviation lessor that provides commercial aircraft and capital to airlines worldwide through operating lease agreements. The company owns, or holds commitments and options for, 340 aircraft leased to 76 operators across 45 countries, enabling airline customers to access modern fuel-efficient aircraft (Airbus and Boeing families) without large upfront capital expenditures.
Product overview
Macquarie AirFinance is a global aviation lessor providing aircraft and capital to the world's airlines. The company operates as a single integrated platform offering aircraft operating leasing services, with a fleet of 340 aircraft (191 Airbus and 134 Boeing) leased to 76 operators across 45 countries. The core product is aircraft operating lease financing, supplemented by capital markets products including senior unsecured notes and revolving credit facilities. The company was founded in 2006 and was under ownership of Macquarie Group (50%), PGGM Infrastructure Fund (25%), and Australian Retirement Trust (25%) before being acquired by Dubai Aerospace Enterprise in 2026.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Aircraft Operating Leasing Operating lease financing of commercial aircraft (Airbus A220, A320neo, A320ceo, A330, A350 families and Boeing 737 MAX, 737 NG, 777 families) to commercial airlines globally, providing fleet expansion and renewal solutions under multi-year lease agreements.
Quantifiable outcome
- Fleet growth from 87 aircraft in 2006 to 352 commercial aircraft by 2026
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Macquarie AirFinance
Customer profileNamed customers28 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Macquarie AirFinance technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Macquarie AirFinance partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Macquarie AirFinance competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Air Lease Corporation: Los Angeles-based aircraft lessor listed on NYSE (AL) with ~500 owned/managed aircraft. Direct competitor with similar narrowbody/widebody mix leased to commercial airlines worldwide; comparable investment-grade rated lessor model.
- Aviation Capital Group: Newport Beach, CA-based aircraft lessor owned by Tokyo Century Corporation with ~500 aircraft. Direct competitor in commercial aircraft operating leasing serving similar airline customer segments globally.
- Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE): UAE-headquartered aircraft lessor and the announced acquirer of MAF for ~$7B. DAE operates ~700 aircraft globally before the MAF combination, making it a direct peer and the strategic buyer absorbing MAF's platform.
- ORIX Aviation: Aircraft leasing arm of Japanese financial services group ORIX Corporation. Direct competitor in commercial aircraft operating leasing with comparable customer types and aircraft portfolio characteristics.
- Jackson Square Aviation: San Francisco-based commercial aircraft lessor with ~140 aircraft. Direct competitor in narrowbody and widebody operating leases; serves a similar airline customer base globally.
- Avolon Aerospace Leasing: Dublin-based major aircraft lessor (owned by Bohai Leasing) with ~900 aircraft. Direct competitor to MAF with overlapping customer base; many MAF executives (including CCO Lynn Guiney and others) previously held senior roles at Avolon.
- SMBC Aviation Capital: Dublin-headquartered aircraft lessor owned by Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group with ~700 aircraft. Closely comparable to MAF in business model (operating leases to commercial airlines), customer base, and geographic reach.
- AerCap Holdings: World's largest aircraft operating lessor with a portfolio of 3,500+ aircraft. AerCap is the benchmark direct competitor to Macquarie AirFinance in commercial aircraft operating leasing, serving similar airline customers globally with comparable narrowbody and widebody portfolios.
- BBAM Aviation Management: San Francisco-based aircraft lease management and investment firm serving as a direct competitor in commercial aircraft operating leasing. Many MAF marketing and risk executives previously held roles at BBAM.
Emerging players
- Falko Regional Aircraft: UK-based aircraft lessor focused on regional turboprop and narrowbody aircraft. Smaller and more niche than MAF but competes in adjacent segments of the commercial aircraft leasing market with overlapping airline customers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Macquarie AirFinance social profiles
Digital presenceMacquarie AirFinance compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Macquarie AirFinance financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Macquarie AirFinance leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Macquarie AirFinance subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Macquarie AirFinance funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Macquarie AirFinance M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Macquarie AirFinance
What does Macquarie AirFinance do?
Macquarie AirFinance is a global aviation lessor that provides commercial aircraft and capital to airlines worldwide through operating lease agreements. The company owns, or holds commitments and options for, 340 aircraft leased to 76 operators across 45 countries, enabling airline customers to access modern fuel-efficient aircraft (Airbus and Boeing families) without large upfront capital expenditures.
Is Macquarie AirFinance a public or private company?
Macquarie AirFinance is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Macquarie AirFinance founded?
Macquarie AirFinance was founded in 2006. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Macquarie AirFinance based?
Macquarie AirFinance is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Macquarie AirFinance make money?
One revenue line is on record: aircraft Operating Leases.
Who are Macquarie AirFinance's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Air Lease Corporation, Aviation Capital Group, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), ORIX Aviation, Jackson Square Aviation, Avolon Aerospace Leasing, SMBC Aviation Capital, AerCap Holdings and BBAM Aviation Management. Falko Regional Aircraft is listed as an emerging player.
Does Macquarie AirFinance have an API?
No public API is recorded for Macquarie AirFinance.
What industry is Macquarie AirFinance in?
Macquarie AirFinance's product category is Aircraft Leasing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THABAFAA, Business Jet Charter (On-Demand). Its NAICS code is 481211 and its SIC code is 6172.