How Much Does a Commercial Aircraft Cost?
October 16, 2026
New commercial aircraft cost about $100 million to $135 million for a single aisle jet (Airbus A320neo or Boeing 737 MAX) and $290 million to well over $360 million for a widebody (Boeing 787 or Airbus A350). Those are list prices though and almost no buyer pays them. Who is buying, how many aircraft they order when they take delivery all affect that figure.
That gap between sticker price and what buyers, lessors, lenders and advisors in the U.S. pay is where analysis starts.
Commercial Aircraft List Prices at a Glance
Boeing and Airbus stopped publishing official price lists after 2018 so most of the figures quoted here are from those last releases or analyst estimates but they give a reasonable sense of scale:
Within the family price goes up with size. Longer fuselage, more seats and more range all cost more so a 737 MAX 10 lists well above a MAX 7.
Why nobody pays list price
Manufacturers use list prices as a starting point for negotiation. Airline orders are 40% to 60% below list (size of order, delivery time and how much buyer has already bought). Even single aircraft sell 10% to 20% under list.
That means a delivered A321neo can land near $110m instead of $130m. Manufacturers and airlines rarely publish final transaction prices so any published number should be treated as an informed estimate not a fixed quote.
What Shapes the Price You Actually Pay
A few things move that last number up or down:
What you buy and what it costs to make it.
How much money is made on each item sold.
How much money is paid in taxes.
How much is spent on advertising and promotion?
What interest is paid on loans?
Engine choice. Engine choice affects fuel efficiency, maintenance cost and resale value.
Cabin configuration. Seat count, premium cabins and bespoke interiors can add tens of millions of dollars.
Delivery slot. Early delivery slots in a crowded order book tend to be more expensive.
Financing structure. Buying outright, leasing and sale-leaseback all change the cost picture over time.
New vs used. Used airliners are priced from market valuations based on age, cycles and remaining maintenance life.
The Purchase Price Is Only the Beginning
What it costs to buy an aircraft tells you what it takes to buy one. But it doesn’t tell you what it takes to keep flying profitably. Fuel burn, maintenance programs, crew, insurance, parking and handling fees depreciation all add up every year and over the life of an aircraft they can rival the original purchase price.
That’s why serious buyers compare aircraft on total cost of ownership not sticker price. A plane that costs more to buy but less per hour to fuel burn and maintain can win over a ten year horizon; cheaper airframe can quietly become the expensive one.
How AviaCost Helps Buyers Calculate the Real Cost
AviaCost was designed to take the guessing out of that comparison. No more shuffling spreadsheets and old price sheets – buyers can work from one platform that supports business, private and commercial aircraft evaluations.
12 aircraft operating cost calculators that break down fixed costs, variable hourly costs (VAT), depreciation and annual ownership budgets.
A database of 200+ aircraft performance and cost data so you can start from real specs not assumptions.
Compare up to five aircraft side by side so you can see how models compare against the same mission and budget.
Branded PDF reports you can share with clients, investors or internal decision makers.
Whether you’re for an airline looking at fleet options, lessor evaluating acquisition, broker advising client or financial institution valuing aircraft — the goal is always the same: replace one headline price with a complete defensible picture.
Get Help Pricing Your Next Aircraft
If you are weighing a purchase and want clear numbers behind the decision, the AviaCost team is ready to help. Contact us through aviacost.com to request a demo, and we will show you how to model acquisition and operating costs for the aircraft you are considering, from business jets to commercial airliners.