The Citation M2 market enters August with one of the tightest supply environments we have seen in several years. Transaction activity strengthened in July just as available inventory contracted sharply, leaving buyers (particularly U.S. buyers) with far fewer actionable options than the headline inventory count might suggest. With 26 aircraft sold over the past six months compared with just 18 currently identified as available, demand continues to absorb supply at a healthy pace.
Fleet Size and Availability
There are currently 18 Citation M2s identified as available for sale, including 9 off-market aircraft, representing just 5.9% of the fleet. That is a notably restrained level of inventory for the M2 market and one we have not seen in several years.
More importantly, the headline count of 18 materially overstates the number of aircraft readily available to a buyer. Of the 9 M2s being publicly marketed, 5 are already under contract, leaving just 4 publicly available aircraft worldwide—2 in the U.S. and 2 in Europe. The remaining 9 aircraft are off-market, and only 5 of those are U.S.-based. For an unrepresented U.S. buyer relying solely on advertised inventory, the practical selection is therefore exceptionally limited. Buyers represented by an acquisition consultant with access to off-market opportunities have a broader pool from which to work, but even that inventory is constrained.
Inventory had remained remarkably stable through the first half of the year, with between 24 and 26 aircraft tracked for sale from February through June. That changed abruptly in July, when inventory fell to 19 aircraft, and current availability has since declined further to 18. The direction is significant: supply is not merely low; it is contracting at a time when buyer activity is strengthening.
At 5.9% of the fleet currently available versus 8.5% of the fleet sold during the past six months, recent transaction volume continues to exceed current supply.
Market Listings
Current asking prices range from $3.4 million to $5.3 million, while reported transaction prices over the past six months range from $2.0 million to $4.95 million.
The broad transaction range reflects the meaningful differences that exist within the M2 fleet. Model year, total time, maintenance history, engine program status, avionics and equipment, cosmetics, and overall aircraft condition can create substantial separation in value between otherwise similar aircraft.
Current inventory averages 137 days on market, compared with 161 days for aircraft sold during the past six months. That relationship is notable because today’s active inventory is, on average, fresher than the aircraft that have recently closed. Combined with the sharp decline in available supply, it suggests the market is not simply being left with an accumulation of aging listings.
Sales Activity
A total of 26 Citation M2s have sold during the past six months, including 2 off-market transactions.
Sales activity has remained healthy throughout the period: three aircraft sold in February, five in March, seven in April, four in May, and two in June before activity rebounded to five transactions in July. July’s combination of stronger sales activity and sharply lower inventory is particularly important because it demonstrates that the tightening supply picture is occurring alongside continued buyer demand.
Key Takeaways
• 18 M2s are currently identified as available, including 9 off-market.
• Current inventory represents just 5.9% of the worldwide fleet.
• Of the 9 publicly marketed aircraft, 5 are already under contract, leaving only 4 publicly available worldwide and just 2 in the U.S.
• Only 5 of the 9 off-market aircraft are U.S.-based, further limiting practical selection for domestic buyers.
• 26 M2s sold during the past six months, representing 8.5% of the fleet.
• July produced 5 sales, up from 2 in June.
• Inventory fell from a six-month range of 24–26 aircraft earlier in the year to just 18 today.
• Current listings average 137 DOM, compared with 161 days for recently sold aircraft.
Key Insight
The M2 market is considerably tighter than the headline inventory count suggests. While 18 aircraft are technically identified as available, an unrepresented U.S. buyer searching only publicly advertised listings currently has access to just two fully available U.S.-based aircraft. Off-market opportunities expand the pool, but those aircraft are generally accessible only through acquisition consultants with the relationships and market reach to uncover them, and even that off-market supply is limited.
This is the most restrained M2 inventory environment we have seen in several years, and it is occurring as transaction activity is strengthening. Buyers planning to acquire an M2 before year-end should not assume that waiting will produce better selection. If demand continues at its recent pace, the greater risk is that the strongest aircraft; those with the best maintenance status, condition, equipment, and value proposition will be absorbed first, leaving fewer high-quality choices as Q4 approaches.
For sellers, the tightening market creates a favorable backdrop, but scarcity alone does not eliminate buyer discipline. Aircraft that are properly priced, well presented, and strong on maintenance and condition should be best positioned to benefit from the current imbalance between demand and genuinely available supply.
