Top 10 Aircraft Lessors in Asia Pacific
Editorial comparison of 10 commercial aircraft leasing providers serving Asia-Pacific, with selection criteria, provider strengths and buyer questions.
Compare Fleet Access, Capital Strength and Lease Execution
Asia-Pacific airline growth has created a deep regional leasing ecosystem spanning Singapore, Hong Kong, mainland China and Japanese financial groups. Airline credit appetite, aircraft orderbooks, sale-leaseback pricing and access to local capital vary materially across these lessors.
This ranking is designed for aircraft owners, airlines, lessors, financiers, flight departments and procurement teams building a professional shortlist. The order reflects service relevance and public capability rather than a claim that one provider is universally superior for every mandate.
For adjacent decisions, ACMI World also covers leading aircraft leasing companies, aircraft lease rates by model and operating lease versus finance lease.
Editorial Methodology
Rank the Provider Against the Mandate
We compare specialization, geographic relevance, service depth, execution capability and fit for the underlying aviation transaction. Buyers should still complete legal, technical, regulatory, insurance and commercial due diligence before appointment.
Top 10 Providers Compared
| Rank | Provider | Best Fit | Service Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BOC Aviation | global airline leasing from Singapore | Singapore-headquartered lessor with a large global aircraft portfolio |
| 2 | CALC | Chinese and international airline leasing | Hong Kong-listed aircraft lessor with full-life-cycle aviation services |
| 3 | ICBC Leasing | large Chinese airline and transport finance | bank-backed Chinese leasing company active in commercial aircraft |
| 4 | CDB Aviation | global airline operating leases | CDB Leasing-backed aircraft lessor with international portfolio |
| 5 | AVIC Leasing | China-linked aviation leasing | large Chinese leasing platform within AVIC |
| 6 | CMB Financial Leasing | Chinese airline leasing and finance | financial leasing company active in aircraft assets |
| 7 | ORIX Aviation | Japanese-backed aircraft investment and leasing | ORIX-owned aviation asset manager and lessor |
| 8 | Tokyo Century | aviation investment and leasing exposure | Japanese financial group with aviation leasing investments |
| 9 | Avation PLC | airline leasing from Singapore | Singapore-based commercial aircraft lessor with narrowbody and regional exposure |
| 10 | Macquarie AirFinance | global aircraft leasing with APAC capital links | international lessor backed by institutional capital including Macquarie |
1. BOC Aviation
BOC Aviation is included for Singapore-headquartered lessor with a large global aircraft portfolio.
Best fit: global airline leasing from Singapore. Before appointment, confirm the exact contracting entity, service scope, exclusions, regulatory responsibility where applicable, commercial basis and who will manage the mandate day to day.
2. CALC
CALC is included for Hong Kong-listed aircraft lessor with full-life-cycle aviation services.
Best fit: Chinese and international airline leasing. Before appointment, confirm the exact contracting entity, service scope, exclusions, regulatory responsibility where applicable, commercial basis and who will manage the mandate day to day.
3. ICBC Leasing
ICBC Leasing is included for bank-backed Chinese leasing company active in commercial aircraft.
Best fit: large Chinese airline and transport finance. Before appointment, confirm the exact contracting entity, service scope, exclusions, regulatory responsibility where applicable, commercial basis and who will manage the mandate day to day.
4. CDB Aviation
CDB Aviation is included for CDB Leasing-backed aircraft lessor with international portfolio.
Best fit: global airline operating leases. Before appointment, confirm the exact contracting entity, service scope, exclusions, regulatory responsibility where applicable, commercial basis and who will manage the mandate day to day.
5. AVIC Leasing
AVIC Leasing is included for large Chinese leasing platform within AVIC.
Best fit: China-linked aviation leasing. Before appointment, confirm the exact contracting entity, service scope, exclusions, regulatory responsibility where applicable, commercial basis and who will manage the mandate day to day.
6. CMB Financial Leasing
CMB Financial Leasing is included for financial leasing company active in aircraft assets.
Best fit: Chinese airline leasing and finance. Before appointment, confirm the exact contracting entity, service scope, exclusions, regulatory responsibility where applicable, commercial basis and who will manage the mandate day to day.
7. ORIX Aviation
ORIX Aviation is included for ORIX-owned aviation asset manager and lessor.
Best fit: Japanese-backed aircraft investment and leasing. Before appointment, confirm the exact contracting entity, service scope, exclusions, regulatory responsibility where applicable, commercial basis and who will manage the mandate day to day.
8. Tokyo Century
Tokyo Century is included for Japanese financial group with aviation leasing investments.
Best fit: aviation investment and leasing exposure. Before appointment, confirm the exact contracting entity, service scope, exclusions, regulatory responsibility where applicable, commercial basis and who will manage the mandate day to day.
9. Avation PLC
Avation PLC is included for Singapore-based commercial aircraft lessor with narrowbody and regional exposure.
Best fit: airline leasing from Singapore. Before appointment, confirm the exact contracting entity, service scope, exclusions, regulatory responsibility where applicable, commercial basis and who will manage the mandate day to day.
10. Macquarie AirFinance
Macquarie AirFinance is included for international lessor backed by institutional capital including Macquarie.
Best fit: global aircraft leasing with APAC capital links. Before appointment, confirm the exact contracting entity, service scope, exclusions, regulatory responsibility where applicable, commercial basis and who will manage the mandate day to day.
What to Compare Before Appointing a Provider
- Asia-Pacific market relevance
- aircraft portfolio and orderbook capability
- sale-leaseback activity
- airline customer breadth
- capital and funding access
Request a written scope that defines deliverables, exclusions, regulatory responsibility, pricing, third-party costs, liability allocation, termination rights and the individuals responsible for execution. For cross-border aviation work, confirm that the proposed structure is acceptable in every relevant jurisdiction before commercial commitment.
A useful shortlist usually contains three to five providers after the initial screen. Give each firm the same data set and ask for the same commercial response so the comparison remains meaningful.
Procurement Note
Normalize the Scope Before Comparing Fees
Aviation proposals often look comparable while allocating different work, third-party expenses and execution risk to the client. The lowest headline fee can therefore represent a more expensive mandate once exclusions and operational dependencies are included.
Provider Selection FAQ
How were the top 10 commercial aircraft leasing providers selected?
The ranking is editorial. It weighs public service scope, specialization, geographic relevance to Asia-Pacific, transaction capability and fit for professional aviation buyers. It is not a safety certification or substitute for vendor due diligence.
What should I compare before appointing a commercial aircraft leasing provider?
Compare the exact scope, responsible legal entity, regulatory approvals where relevant, staffing model, service exclusions, pricing basis, insurance, references and the escalation process for operational or transaction problems.
Should price determine the ranking?
Price is one commercial input. Aviation mandates often turn on technical capability, response time, approval path, contract allocation and execution reliability. Quotes should be normalized to the same scope before they are compared.
Should I approach more than one provider in Asia-Pacific?
For a material mandate, a controlled shortlist is usually appropriate. Give each provider the same requirement and deadline, then compare capability, commercial terms and deliverables on a like-for-like basis.
