Aircraft leasing is a financing model where airlines rent planes instead of buying them outright, letting them operate expensive jets without paying the full $100M+ purchase price. A leasing company—called a lessor—owns the aircraft and charges the airline monthly fees to use it, usually through either an operating lease (shorter term, flexible, airline returns the plane) or a finance lease (longer term, similar to owning). This model gives airlines flexibility to grow or shrink their fleets quickly, avoid huge upfront costs, and upgrade to newer aircraft more often, while lessors make money by owning large fleets and leasing them worldwide. | Jet Crumbs | March 15, 2026
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