Aircraft Broker Guide: How They Work and How to Choose One

What does an aircraft broker actually do?

An aircraft broker sources, negotiates, and shepherds a transaction from initial market search through delivery, in exchange for a commission of 3-5% of the purchase price. On the buy side, that means building a target list from AMSTAT and JetNet, contacting listing brokers or owners directly, structuring offers, managing the letter of intent and purchase agreement, coordinating the pre-purchase inspection, and walking the aircraft through escrow and FAA registration at the Aircraft Registry in Oklahoma City.

A competent broker is not a salesperson. They are a transaction manager who happens to know the market. On a $15M Challenger 350 deal, the buyer's broker is the one telling you which of the six listed airframes has soft logbooks, which seller is actually motivated, and which pre-buy facility will flag the $400K of deferred maintenance the listing agent failed to mention.

How do aircraft brokers get paid?

Brokers are paid by commission at closing, almost always 3-5% of the transaction value, with a typical floor of $50,000-$100,000 on smaller deals. On the sell side, the commission comes out of the seller's proceeds. On the buy side, structure varies: some buyer's brokers are paid by the seller (split from the listing commission), some charge the buyer a flat retainer of $25,000-$75,000 plus a success fee, and some work on a pure success-fee basis funded by the buyer.

The arrangement matters more than the headline number. A buyer's broker paid by the seller has an inherent conflict—they only get paid if you close, and they get paid more if you pay more. A buyer-paid retainer model removes that pressure but costs you cash up front whether or not a deal happens. Ask any broker you interview to put their fee structure in writing before you sign a representation agreement.

Buyer's broker vs. seller's broker—what's the difference?

A seller's broker (also called a listing broker) is hired by the owner to market the aircraft, screen buyers, and maximize sale price. A buyer's broker is hired by the purchaser to find the right airframe, negotiate the lowest defensible price, and protect the buyer through inspection and closing. The two are not interchangeable, and dual agency—where one broker represents both sides—is legal but problematic.

If you are a first-time buyer or buying outside your primary category, hire your own buyer's broker. The $150,000-$500,000 commission is small relative to a $10M-$30M purchase, and a good buyer's rep will save more than their fee in the negotiation alone. Buyers who skip representation and deal directly with listing brokers routinely overpay by 5-10% and absorb pre-buy squawks they should have negotiated onto the seller.

Which broker firms should you actually consider?

The market splits roughly into three tiers. The large international firms—Jetcraft, Mesinger Jet Sales, Guardian Jet, AvPro, Duncan Aviation's sales group, and OGARAJETS—have global inventory access, dedicated research teams, and the balance sheet to take aircraft in trade. They are the default choice for transactions above $10M and for cross-border deals.

OEM-direct sales teams at Gulfstream, Bombardier, Dassault, Textron, and Embraer handle new aircraft and certified pre-owned inventory from their respective factories. They will not represent you on a competitor's airframe, and their interests are aligned with the manufacturer, not the buyer.

Boutique brokers—often single-principal shops or small teams specializing in a category like King Airs, Citations, or vintage Falcons—can be excellent for sub-$5M transactions where the big firms either won't take the deal or will assign it to a junior. The risk is concentration: if your boutique broker gets sick or loses their AMSTAT seat, your deal stalls.

What credentials and tools should a real broker have?

At minimum, an active NARA (National Aircraft Resale Association) membership, current AMSTAT and JetNet subscriptions, and a documented track record of closed transactions in your target category. NARA membership requires a code of ethics commitment and is the closest thing the industry has to a licensing standard—the FAA does not license aircraft brokers, which is exactly why credentials matter.

AMSTAT and JetNet are the two market intelligence platforms that price the global fleet. A broker without active subscriptions to at least one is working blind. Ask to see a sample market report on your target model; if they can't produce one in 24 hours, move on.

For appraisals, the standard is USPAP (Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice) compliance, typically through an NAAA or ASA-credentialed appraiser. Your broker should not be appraising the aircraft they're selling you—that's a conflict no disclosure cures.

How do you vet a broker before signing?

Ask for the last ten closed transactions, by month and aircraft type, with references from the buyers. A broker who closed eight Phenom 300s in the last two years knows that market. A broker whose last ten deals span King Airs, Globals, and a Robinson R44 is a generalist who will learn on your dime.

Run the broker's name through the FAA Aircraft Registry to confirm they've actually been on title or escrow documents recently. Check NARA's member directory. Search litigation records—aircraft transactions generate disputes, and a broker with three open lawsuits over commission or misrepresentation is telling you something.

Finally, interview at least three. Fee structures, market opinions, and recommended pre-buy facilities vary widely, and the conversation itself will tell you who is thinking transactionally and who is thinking about your interests over a 5-10 year ownership cycle.

What are the warning signs of a bad broker?

Pressure to sign a representation agreement on the first call, refusal to disclose commission structure in writing, vague answers about recent closings, and any suggestion that a pre-purchase inspection can be skipped or shortened to "save time." Roughly 70% of pre-buys uncover $50,000 or more in squawks the seller didn't disclose—a broker who downplays the inspection is either inexperienced or aligned with the wrong side.

Other red flags: a broker who has never recommended walking away from a deal, who can't name three pre-buy facilities for your aircraft type, or who quotes a commission below 2.5%. The cut-rate broker is usually the one who disappears when the deal goes sideways at inspection.