Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) has closed its USD 9 billion acquisition of Macquarie AirFinance, vaulting the Dubai-based company to third place among the world's largest aircraft lessors by both fleet value and number of owned and managed aircraft.
The transaction, first announced in February 2026, lifts DAE's combined owned, managed, and committed fleet to approximately 1,000 aircraft serving more than 175 airlines across over 75 countries. The enterprise value reflects adjustments to Macquarie AirFinance's fleet between signing and completion.
DAE also holds commitments to acquire around 150 additional aircraft from Boeing, Airbus, ATR, and trading counterparties, with orderbook delivery positions now extending into the 2030s. CEO Firoz Tarapore said the deal deepens DAE's relationships with both Boeing and Airbus while expanding the flexibility to meet airline customers' long-term fleet requirements. DAE's fleet services are further supported by recently announced initiatives with Blackstone and Neuberger covering different phases of aircraft operating lifecycles.
Gulf Economist Staff Writer