Dubai’s DAE, Blackstone launch $1.6b aircraft leasing program

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Dubai’s DAE, Blackstone launch $1.6b annual aircraft leasing program

April 10, 2026

DUBAI,— A joint aircraft leasing investment program targeting annual deployments of approximately $1.6 billion has been agreed upon by Dubai Aerospace Enterprise and Blackstone Credit and Insurance, the two firms announced on Thursday.

Named Equator, the program will assemble a portfolio of commercial jets placed under lease with carriers across the world, a joint statement said.

Aircraft sourcing from outside parties falls under DAE’s responsibility, while the company’s Aircraft Investor Services division will handle asset oversight.

The agreement adds to a broader trend of alternative asset managers moving into aviation finance, where shrinking aircraft supply has pushed lease rates upward, drawing heavier institutional money into the space.

Blackstone Credit and Insurance runs an Infrastructure and Asset Based Credit Group with assets exceeding $100 billion under management. Equator’s investor base will draw on capital from funds operated by ITE Management, identified in the statement as a strategic partner of Blackstone Credit and Insurance.

DAE’s managed fleet reaches approximately 700 jets. Over 100 aircraft valued above $4 billion sat under third-party management at end-2025, the statement noted. The firm holds servicer positions across 17 institutional and financial investor agreements.

Separately, in March 2026, Blackstone also disclosed a $250 million investment in Advanced Digital Gaming Technology, a United Arab Emirates-based payments and data intelligence platform.

(With files from Reuters)