Signature Flight Support: the world's largest FBO network

Signature Flight Support (Signature Aviation) runs the world's largest FBO network — 200-plus private terminals across 27 countries. Footprint, services, ownership.

No other operator comes close on scale. When a business jet lands at a major airport in North America or Europe, the odds are good that the terminal on the apron carries one name. That name is Signature Flight Support.

What is Signature Flight Support?

Signature Flight Support — operated by parent company Signature Aviation — is the world's largest network of fixed-base operators (FBOs), the private terminals where business and general-aviation aircraft refuel, park, clear customs and hand off passengers. As of 2026 the company describes its footprint as more than 200 locations across 27 countries on five continents, which makes it the biggest single FBO network anywhere by a wide margin.1

If you have never used a private terminal, our explainer on what an FBO is covers the basics; this article is about the company that runs more of them than anyone else.

An FBO is the ground-side counterpart to the airline gate. Where a scheduled passenger walks through a crowded concourse, a private-aviation guest is driven to a small dedicated building, often metres from the aircraft. Signature operates that building — and the fuel trucks, de-icing rigs, hangars and ramp crews behind it — at airports from London Luton to Los Angeles. The company positions itself less as a fuel reseller and more, in its own words, as an "aviation hospitality" business: the experience, not just the kerosene.1

The scale matters for travellers and operators alike. A flight department that flies a US trunk route one week and a European leg the next can deal with the same brand, the same loyalty programme and broadly the same standard operating procedures at both ends. That consistency is Signature's central selling point, and the reason it sits at the top of most rankings of the best FBO networks in 2026.

A business jet parked on the apron at a private aviation terminal. Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA.

Signature's global footprint

Signature's network is anchored in the United States, where it holds a position at almost every significant business-aviation field, and extends across Canada, Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa and the Caribbean.12 The company reports more than 200 owned and operated locations, supplemented by a wider partner programme — Signature Select — and a fuel-distribution reach that touches several hundred independent FBOs beyond the wholly owned bases.3

Alongside the terminals, Signature controls a substantial property portfolio: as of 2026 it cites more than 16 million square feet of office and hangar real estate, which it markets as carbon-neutral, and it describes itself as the largest distributor of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in business aviation.1

The table below lists a sample of notable Signature bases. It is illustrative, not exhaustive — the full network runs to hundreds of sites, and you should always confirm the current operator on the live map before you plan a trip.

Location / Airport (ICAO) Region or note
London Luton (EGGW) UK; multiple terminals, a long-standing European flagship
Paris–Le Bourget (LFPB) France; recently renovated facility at Europe's busiest business-aviation airport4
Nice Côte d'Azur (LFMN) France; site of Signature's first all-electric, zero-emission refueller in EMEA5
Los Angeles Intl (KLAX) US West Coast gateway
Miami Intl (KMIA) US; Florida and Latin America hub
West Palm Beach / Palm Beach Intl (KPBI) US; new private terminal opened in 20256
Fort Lauderdale Executive (KFXE) US; Executive Jet Center acquired by Signature in late 20257
Westhampton Beach / Gabreski (KFOK) US; Long Island location opened in 20258

A note on Teterboro (KTEB), the New York-area airport long synonymous with Signature: industry reporting indicates that a former Signature site there is being redeveloped by NetJets, so confirm the present operator before assuming a Signature terminal at that field.4 This is exactly the kind of change a live directory catches and a static list does not.

What Signature offers

Signature's proposition runs well beyond pumping fuel. A typical full-service location provides:

  • Fuelling — Jet-A and avgas, plus contract-fuel acceptance; Signature is also the business-aviation sector's largest SAF distributor, with blended sustainable fuel now available at dozens of locations across the US and Europe.19
  • Ramp and ground handling — marshalling, towing, ground power, lavatory and water service, baggage handling.
  • Hangar and parking — overnight and long-term aircraft storage drawn from that 16-million-square-foot real-estate base.1
  • De-icing — seasonal aircraft de-icing at northern and high-altitude fields.
  • Passenger and crew facilities — lounges, conference space, crew rest, flight planning and weather, concierge and ground-transport arrangements.
  • Loyalty and membership tiers — Signature operates rewards and status programmes (marketed under names such as Signature Status, Signature TailWins and Signature Premier) that let frequent users accrue benefits across the network.2

If you want the line-by-line version of what each of these means on the ramp, our FBO services guide breaks them down, and our piece on the difference between an FBO and a private jet terminal clears up the terminology Signature itself blurs by branding its sites "private aviation terminals".

A private aviation lounge interior. Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA.

Ownership and history

Signature's corporate story is one of consolidation. The Signature Flight Support brand was formed in 1992 through the merger of two earlier businesses — Page Avjet and the Butler fixed-base operations — and grew up inside the UK-listed group BBA Aviation, whose own lineage reportedly traces back to a company founded in the nineteenth century.2 BBA expanded the network aggressively, most notably with the 2015 acquisition of Landmark Aviation for a reported $2.1 billion, a deal contemporaneously described as the largest in the history of the business-aviation services industry.2 In 2019 the parent renamed itself Signature Aviation, aligning the corporate name with its best-known brand.2

The defining ownership change came in 2021. A consortium led by Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) and Blackstone, together with Bill Gates's investment vehicle Cascade Investment, agreed to take Signature private in a deal reported at an enterprise value of around $4.7 billion, after which the company was delisted from the London Stock Exchange.2 One further wrinkle changed who ultimately stands behind the network: in October 2024, asset-management giant BlackRock completed its acquisition of GIP, folding GIP — and its stake in Signature — into BlackRock's infrastructure platform.10 Treat precise shareholding splits as subject to change, and verify current ownership against primary sources.

Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Signature has continued to expand under private ownership.2 In 2022 it acquired the TAC Air division of The Arnold Companies, rebranding 14 of those locations under the Signature name.11 More recent moves — covered below — show the same pattern of bolt-on growth into 2026.

How to find a Signature terminal

Knowing that Signature is large does not, by itself, tell you whether it is the right choice at your specific airport. Many fields host several FBOs, and at a busy hub the cheapest fuel, the shortest wait or the best hangar availability may sit at a competitor's terminal next door.

The practical approach is to compare. On the FBO Finder map you can locate Signature's terminal at a given airport, see its ICAO code and contact details, and — crucially — line it up against every other FBO on the same field before you commit. Our guide to how to find an FBO walks through the method step by step. Because operators change hands and terminals open and close, a live directory is more reliable than any static list, including the table above.

If you are weighing Signature against its rivals, it is worth reading our profiles of the other major networks — among them Jet Aviation, Atlantic Aviation, Jetex, Universal Aviation and ExecuJet — each of which leads in regions or service tiers where Signature is not always the obvious pick.

Frequently asked questions

Is Signature Flight Support the same as Signature Aviation? Effectively, yes. Signature Aviation is the parent company; Signature Flight Support is the long-standing FBO brand under which most of its private terminals trade. In everyday use the names are interchangeable.

How many FBO locations does Signature have? The company describes its network as more than 200 locations across 27 countries on five continents as of 2026.1 Treat the exact figure as approximate — it moves as Signature opens, acquires and divests sites.

Who owns Signature Aviation? Signature was taken private in 2021 by a consortium led by Global Infrastructure Partners and Blackstone, alongside Cascade Investment.2 BlackRock completed its acquisition of GIP in October 2024, bringing GIP's interest under BlackRock.10 Confirm current ownership against primary sources before relying on it.

Does Signature offer sustainable aviation fuel? Yes. Signature markets itself as the largest distributor of SAF in business aviation, and blended sustainable fuel is available at a growing list of its US and European locations.19

The bottom line

Signature Flight Support is the default name in fixed-base operations: more than 200 private terminals in 27 countries, a deep real-estate and fuel-distribution base, and the consistency that comes with being everywhere at once. As of 2026 it remains privately held — ultimately, in part, through BlackRock's infrastructure arm following the GIP deal — and is still expanding, from a new Palm Beach terminal to fresh acquisitions in Florida.67 But scale is not the same as best-at-every-airport. Before you book, compare Signature against every nearby FBO on the FBO Finder map and choose on the facts that matter for your trip.


Sources

Article last updated June 2026. If you represent Signature Aviation or spot an inaccuracy, email editorial@fbo-finder.com — we'll review and correct within 48 hours.

Footnotes

  1. Signature Aviation, "Signature Aviation Grows Network with Agreement to Acquire Fort Lauderdale Executive Jet Center" (company boilerplate description), GlobeNewswire, 3 November 2025. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/11/03/3179552/0/en/Signature-Aviation-Grows-Network-with-Agreement-to-Acquire-Fort-Lauderdale-Executive-Jet-Center.html 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

  2. "Signature Aviation," Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signature_Aviation 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

  3. Signature Aviation, corporate website. https://www.signatureaviation.com/

  4. "Recent Developments At Business Aviation Facilities," Aviation Week Network. https://aviationweek.com/business-aviation/airports-fbos-suppliers/recent-developments-business-aviation-facilities 2

  5. Signature Aviation, "Signature Aviation Brings Blended Sustainable Aviation Fuel to Six New European Locations," GlobeNewswire, 24 March 2025. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/03/24/3047886/0/en/Signature-Aviation-Brings-Blended-Sustainable-Aviation-Fuel-to-Six-New-European-Locations.html

  6. Signature Aviation, "Signature Aviation Elevates Travel in South Florida with New Private Aviation Terminal in Palm Beach," GlobeNewswire, 12 November 2025. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/11/12/3186376/0/en/Signature-Aviation-Elevates-Travel-in-South-Florida-with-New-Private-Aviation-Terminal-in-Palm-Beach.html 2

  7. Signature Aviation, "Signature Aviation Grows Network with Agreement to Acquire Fort Lauderdale Executive Jet Center," GlobeNewswire, 3 November 2025. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/11/03/3179552/0/en/Signature-Aviation-Grows-Network-with-Agreement-to-Acquire-Fort-Lauderdale-Executive-Jet-Center.html 2

  8. Signature Aviation, "Signature Aviation Opens Newest Location at Francis S. Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach," GlobeNewswire, 21 May 2025. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/05/21/3085755/0/en/Signature-Aviation-Opens-Newest-Location-at-Francis-S-Gabreski-Airport-in-Westhampton-Beach.html

  9. Signature Aviation, "Signature Aviation Expands Blended Sustainable Aviation Fuel Offering at Six New Locations," GlobeNewswire, 21 October 2024. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/10/21/2966314/0/en/Signature-Aviation-Expands-Blended-Sustainable-Aviation-Fuel-Offering-at-Six-New-Locations.html 2

  10. BlackRock, "BlackRock Announces Expected Closing Date for Acquisition of Global Infrastructure Partners," Investor Relations. https://ir.blackrock.com/news-and-events/press-releases/press-releases-details/2024/BlackRock-Announces-Expected-Closing-Date-for-Acquisition-of-Global-Infrastructure-Partners/default.aspx 2

  11. AOPA, "Signature Aviation buys TAC Air," 6 July 2022. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2022/july/06/signature-aviation-buys-tac-air