DAE Capital is reportedly closing in on a deal to buy Macquarie AirFinance as it seeks to join the world’s top aircraft lessors. The Macquarie unit is valued at about $6.4 billion. Other bidders included Saudi Arabia’s AviLease and Qatar’s Lesha Bank, Reuters reported.
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise — owned by the Investment Corporation of Dubai, the emirate’s sovereign wealth fund — is the world’s third-largest aircraft lessor and, like its peers, has expanded through acquisitions. The Macquarie AirFinance deal is part of a consolidation wave that has swept the industry. With Boeing and Airbus struggling to meet airline demand, aircraft values have surged, allowing mid-sized lessors to command premium prices, according to the Irish Times.
Over the past two decades, the Gulf has built a global aviation hub linking Asia, Europe, and the US. Regional carriers — led by Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways — have ordered more than 1,500 jets. While the region is known for operating the largest aircraft, demand for smaller planes is rising as short-haul travel grows. In its latest forecast, Airbus said Saudis took an average of 1.5 flights in 2024 and expects that figure to double by 2044, overtaking Americans and Europeans.