A major Dubai-based aviation company has announced a significant partnership with investment giant Blackstone to create an ambitious aircraft leasing venture worth $1.6 billion per year.
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise and Blackstone Credit and Insurance revealed their collaboration Thursday, establishing a joint investment program called Equator that will focus on acquiring commercial aircraft to lease to airlines around the world.
Under the arrangement, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise will be responsible for acquiring aircraft from outside sources, while the company’s Aircraft Investor Services division will handle day-to-day management of the fleet assets.
This partnership represents the latest move by alternative investment firms to enter the aviation finance market, an industry that has seen increased attention from institutional investors as limited aircraft availability drives up leasing costs.
Blackstone Credit and Insurance operates through its Infrastructure and Asset Based Credit Group, which oversees more than $100 billion in assets. The Equator program will receive funding from various sources, including capital from funds overseen by ITE Management, which maintains a strategic partnership with Blackstone Credit and Insurance.
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise currently manages approximately 700 aircraft in its fleet. The company also handles more than 100 aircraft worth over $4 billion through third-party management agreements as of the end of 2025. The firm serves as the managing entity for seventeen different management contracts with institutional and financial investors.
