How to Price Your Aircraft to Sell Without Leaving Money on the Table

Pricing an aircraft is part art, part data — and getting it wrong in either direction costs you. Set it too high and the listing goes stale. Set it too low and you hand money to the buyer. Here is how to find the number that actually works.

Start with comparable sales, not asking prices

Published asking prices are aspirational. What matters is what aircraft are actually selling for. Look at recent closed transactions for the same make, model, and year — not what someone else is hoping to get. If you can access historical sold data through a broker or trade publication, use it. Asking prices alone can mislead you by 10 to 20 percent.

Understand what your equipment is actually worth

An avionics stack, engine monitor, or recent paint job can add real value — but only up to a point. The market has a ceiling for every model, and buyers will not pay indefinitely for upgrades on a 40-year-old airframe. Be honest about which items add genuine value versus which ones you enjoy but a buyer may not particularly want or need.

Total time and time since overhaul matter more than you think

An engine approaching TBO will almost always push buyers toward aggressive negotiation or away from the listing entirely. Factor the cost of an overhaul — or the uncertainty of its timing — into your price proactively. Buyers will do that math regardless, and a realistic price upfront keeps conversations moving forward.

Logbook completeness affects value directly

A complete, well-organized logbook history tells a buyer that the aircraft was cared for. Gaps, missing annual records, or sloppy entries introduce doubt, and doubt translates into lower offers or lost deals. If your records have issues, address what you can before listing.

Timing affects what the market will bear

The general aviation market is seasonal. Spring and early summer tend to see stronger buyer activity. Listing in late fall or winter often means either a longer time on market or accepting a lower price to motivate movement. If you have flexibility on timing, it is worth factoring in.

Know your walk-away number before you start

Before any negotiation, decide what price you will not go below. That number should reflect your actual costs, the current market, and your timeline — not emotion. Sellers who are anchored to what they paid, or what a neighbor got three years ago, often end up frustrated or stuck.

Wrap-up

Pricing well is the foundation of a successful aircraft sale. At Flaps15, we help sellers understand where their aircraft sits in today's market, set a number that attracts serious buyers, and move through the process without the guesswork.