The 4 Aircraft Leasing Companies Quietly Dominating The World's Widebody Fleet

Airlines worldwide rely on a quartet of specialized aircraft leasing firms to operate a significant portion of the global widebody fleet. BOC Aviation holds approximately 650 aircraft, while Avolon manages around 728 airplanes. ILFC currently oversees roughly 391 wide-body jets, and SMBC Aeronautical Finance operates about 248 aircraft. These companies have grown substantially through acquisitions, primarily focusing on securing long-term leases with major passenger carriers. The combined size of these four leasing operations represents over 1,900 widebody aircraft in operation globally as of late 2023.