Airbus forecasts global freighter fleet to grow 46% by 2045
Airbus forecasts the global freighter fleet will grow 46%, from 2,360 aircraft in 2025 to 3,460 by 2045. It projects 2,670 deliveries and annual air cargo traffic growth of 3.2%.
1. Fleet and delivery forecast
Airbus projects demand for 2,670 freighter deliveries, including 1,580 aircraft to replace older models and 1,090 for fleet growth. Passenger-to-freighter conversions are forecast to account for 1,700 deliveries, compared with 970 new-build aircraft. North America is expected to require 925 freighters and Asia-Pacific 850, together representing two-thirds of global deliveries. Airbus forecasts annual air cargo traffic growth of 3.2% over the next two decades, compared with projected trade growth of 2.9%.
