Airbus sees aviation services market topping US$420 billion by 2045
Airbus forecasts aviation services demand will exceed US$420 billion by 2045, a 3.8% annual growth rate from 2026. Its outlook projects a global fleet of 45,550 aircraft and 10 billion passengers by 2045.
1. Services demand outlook
Airbus forecasts aviation services demand will more than double from 2026 to over US$420 billion by 2045, implying a 3.8% compound annual growth rate. The projection assumes the global aircraft fleet reaches 45,550 and passenger numbers rise to 10 billion.
2. Workforce and segments
The outlook projects demand for 2.44 million skilled workers: 1.05 million cabin crew, 730,000 technicians and 660,000 pilots. Off-wing maintenance is projected to be the largest segment at US$217 billion, while maintenance operations support is forecast at US$104 billion. Digital and connectivity is expected to be the fastest-growing segment, reaching US$27 billion at a 5.3% annual growth rate.
