Superyachts and private jets: the upward mobility of the wealthy
As mobility becomes ever more important to the wealthy, we navigate the latest superyacht and private jet trends.
Superyachts: sales surge with price adjustments
The superyacht market rebounded spectacularly in 2025. Total sales value saw a 70% year-on-year rise – Stewart Campbell, Managing Director of BOAT International, attributes this to a necessary “adjustment in pricing” to unlock buyer activity.
While all segments experienced solid growth, the ultra-large bracket performed exceptionally well, with sales of yachts over 70m sailing ahead by 60% compared with the previous year. This top-end activity pushed the average asking price of a sold yacht to US$16.6 million.
Aiding this recovery was an injection of fresh inventory, with the highest number of new yachts entering the market in seven years. Provided prices remain realistic and inventory is available, the lifestyle appetite of UHNWIs points to continued activity in 2026.
Private jets: multi-location living takes off
Private aviation data from VistaJet confirms rising activity across routes linking financial centres and lifestyle destinations. Wealthy individuals now own homes and run businesses across multiple cities – and move between them more often.
While leading routes remain familiar, the fastest-growing corridors tell a different story. New York, London and Miami connections still dominate, but a sharp growth in less traditional pairings – from Milan to Paris, to routes linking alpine resorts, Mediterranean second-home markets and secondary US cities – underscores the shift towards multi-location living. The profile of users is changing too.
A record 47% of first-time private jet flyers are now under 45, pointing to the growing influence of newer mobile wealth.
The direction of travel is towards movement across a network of hubs – underpinning demand for prime property in multiple markets.
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