Airbus Forecasts Demand for 2,670 Freighters Through 2045 as Global Fleet Grows 46%

Global – European aircraft manufacturer Airbus has released its 2026 Cargo Global Market Forecast, projecting that the worldwide fleet of dedicated freighter aircraft will grow by 46%, from 2,360 aircraft in 2025 to 3,460 by 2045. The projected expansion and replacement of cargo fleets will create ongoing requirements for aircraft type ratings, conversion training and recurrent pilot training across narrowbody and widebody operations.

• Airbus forecasts a requirement for 2,670 freighter aircraft between 2026 and 2045, comprising 1,580 aircraft to replace ageing fleets and 1,090 aircraft to accommodate growth.
• Of the projected freighter requirements, 1,700 aircraft are expected to come from passenger-to-freighter conversions, while 970 will be new-build freighters. Converted aircraft account for approximately 64% of forecast additions.
• By aircraft category, the projected demand comprises:
  • 1,140 single-aisle freighters
  • 860 mid-size widebody freighters
  • 670 large widebody freighters
• North America and Asia-Pacific are expected to account for approximately two-thirds of global freighter demand, with requirements for 925 and 850 aircraft, respectively. The remaining regional demand is distributed across:
  • Europe and CIS – 515 aircraft
  • Latin America – 165 aircraft
  • Middle East – 125 aircraft
  • Africa – 90 aircraft
• Global air cargo traffic is forecast to increase by 3.2% annually through 2045, compared with projected annual global trade growth of 2.9%. Airbus identifies e-commerce, high-technology products and the increasing use of air freight for time-sensitive shipments as factors supporting demand.
• Asia-Pacific is expected to remain the largest region for international air cargo traffic, with air freight volumes between Asia-Pacific and North America projected to grow by 3.8% annually. The development of these routes will support continued demand for long-haul widebody freighter operations.
• The freighter fleet transition identified by Airbus includes new-build aircraft such as the A350F, alongside passenger-to-freighter conversions involving the A320, A321 and A330 families.
• AFM previously reported that Airbus' separate 2026–2045 Global Services Forecast identified a requirement for 660,000 new pilots worldwide and projected the annual commercial aviation training market to reach US$17 billion by 2045. These figures cover the broader commercial aviation sector.

Source: Airbus