DAE completes the acquisition of Macquarie Aviation at a value of 33 billion dirhams

Dubai Aerospace Enterprise Limited today announced the completion of the previously announced acquisition of the entire issued share capital of Macquarie Aviation Limited (MAF) and its consolidated subsidiaries. The total value of the deal is approximately $9 billion (AED 33 billion), including the impact of changes to the Macquarie Aviation fleet between the date of the announcement of the deal and the date of its completion.

Following completion of the transaction, DAE now owns, operates and has contractual obligations associated with a fleet of approximately 1,000 aircraft. The owned and operated fleet is chartered to more than 175 airlines in more than 75 countries. The company also has commitments to purchase about 150 aircraft from Boeing, Airbus, and ATR, in addition to a number of counterparties in trading deals.

Commenting on this announcement, Firoz Tarapore, CEO of DAE, said: “In light of our track record of completing qualitative and successful acquisitions, completing the acquisition of Macquarie Aviation represents a new and important achievement in the company’s journey. Thanks to the size of our current fleet, DAE has become the third largest aircraft leasing company in the world, both in terms of fleet value and number of aircraft owned and managed. We have established our position as a leading global provider of fleet solutions to our airline customers, by providing high-quality and competitive solutions. These solutions are further supported by the initiatives we recently announced in cooperation with Blackstone Credit and Insurance and Neuberger Specialized Finance, which allows us to provide an integrated and attractive offer that covers the various stages of the fleet’s operational life.”

Firoz Tarapore added: “This deal strengthens our long-standing relationships with Boeing and Airbus. Our delivery dates currently extend into the 2030s, giving us greater flexibility to meet the needs of our airline customers and support their fleet requirements more effectively.”

He concluded by saying: “We are pleased to welcome new airline clients within the aircraft leasing division of the company, DAE Capital, in addition to expanding the scope of our cooperation with our existing clients within the framework of this deal. We look forward to building on the strengths that unite the business of the company’s unified entity.”

The deal was first announced in February 2026. Allen Overy Shearman Sterling LLP and KPMG provided the necessary advice to DAE.