Duluth’s Cirrus leads U.S. plane sales again in 2025

Duluth-based Cirrus Aircraft led the U.S. general aviation industry in the number of planes sold in 2025 for the fourth consecutive year, according to data released this week.

Cirrus also topped $1 billion in billings in 2025 for the second year in a row, and its stock is trading near an all-time high.

Cirrus, which specializes in single-engine aircraft, sold 797 planes in 2025, up 9% from the previous year, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), which released annual sales data on Wednesday, Feb. 18.

Textron Aviation, owner of the Cessna and Beechcraft brands, was second at 639 aircraft.

Cirrus had 2025 billings of $1.18 billion in 2025, up 16% over the previous year, according to GAMA. Textron, which also makes more expensive twin-engine planes, had $3.8 billion in billings.

Corporate jet maker Gulfstream Aerospace led all general aviation manufacturers last year with $10 billion in billings.

Cirrus, one of Duluth’s largest employers with about 1,500 workers, has posted strong growth since 2021, when it sold 528 planes for $632.9 million, GAMA data shows.

Cirrus went public in July 2024 on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange at around $28 per share. After a lackluster performance in 2024, Cirrus shares climbed to $61 in September before falling and then rising again. The stock closed Friday at $63.60.

Cirrus’ initial public offering represented a relatively small amount of its shares. The company’s ultimate owner, Aviation Industry Corp. of China (AVIC), intended to sell only 20% of Cirrus in the stock offering, aiming to raise up to $400 million.

State-owned AVIC took control of Cirrus in 2011 and provided the financing needed to launch the company’s single-engine jet. Last year, 13% of the planes sold by Cirrus were jets, GAMA data shows.