Dubai’s DAE boosts global aircraft leasing footprint with Macquarie deal completion.
Dubai: Dubai Aerospace Enterprise has completed its $9 billion acquisition of Macquarie AirFinance, expanding its fleet to around 1,000 aircraft and positioning the Dubai-based company as the world’s third-largest aircraft lessor.
The expanded owned, managed and committed fleet now serves more than 175 airlines across over 75 countries, strengthening DAE’s role as a major global supplier of aircraft to carriers worldwide.
The transaction carries an enterprise value of approximately $9 billion, including changes to Macquarie AirFinance’s fleet between the announcement of the deal and its completion.
Aircraft orders extend into the 2030s
DAE also has commitments to acquire around 150 additional aircraft from Boeing, Airbus, ATR and aircraft trading counterparties, extending its growth pipeline into the next decade.
The company said aircraft delivery positions in its orderbook now extend into the 2030s, providing greater capacity to support the future fleet needs of airline customers.
“With a track record of successful transformational acquisitions, the closing of MAF marks another milestone on our journey. Our current fleet size makes us the third-largest lessor globally, both by fleet value and the number of owned and managed aircraft,” said Firoz Tarapore, CEO of DAE.
DAE leases aircraft to airlines through its aviation finance business, enabling carriers to expand or modernise their fleets without having to purchase every aircraft outright.
DAE expands airline customer base
The acquisition will bring new airline customers into DAE Capital’s portfolio while strengthening existing relationships with carriers already served by the company.
“This transaction also allows us to deepen our long-standing relationships with Boeing and Airbus. Delivery slots in our orderbook now extend into the 2030s, giving us greater flexibility to support our airline customers’ future fleet requirements,” Tarapore said.
DAE said its fleet services are further supported by recently announced initiatives with Blackstone and Neuberger, covering different stages of an aircraft’s operating lifecycle.
The transaction was initially announced in February 2026.
