Boeing Forecasts 43,625 Commercial Aircraft Deliveries Through 2045

Global – Boeing forecasts that the global commercial aircraft fleet will grow nearly 80% to 50,095 aircraft by 2045, requiring 43,625 new-build deliveries as passenger traffic doubles.

• Boeing’s latest forecast for new aircraft deliveries between 2026 and 2045 comprises:
  • 33,545 single-aisle aircraft.
  • 7,715 widebody aircraft.
  • 1,435 regional jets.
  • 930 new-build freighters.
  • 43,625 aircraft in total.
• Single-aisle aircraft account for approximately 77% of projected deliveries. Boeing expects the global single-aisle fleet to nearly double to more than 36,000 aircraft and provide over half of worldwide commercial aviation capacity by 2045.
• More than 8,000 widebody aircraft are expected to be in service at the end of the forecast period, supporting long-haul passenger routes and dedicated cargo operations.
• Approximately half of the 43,625 deliveries will replace previous-generation aircraft, while the remainder will support fleet growth. Boeing expects less than 10% of the current previous-generation fleet to remain in service by 2045.
• The forecast is distributed between:
  • Mature markets, including North America, Eurasia, Oceania and Northeast Asia, accounting for approximately 45% of deliveries.
  • China, the Middle East, Latin America, South Asia, Southeast Asia and Africa, accounting for approximately 55%.
• Passenger traffic is forecast to grow by an average of 4% annually between 2026 and 2045, resulting in a doubling of global traffic. Low-cost carrier fleets are expected to expand at almost 4% annually, compared with approximately 3% for network carriers.
• Airlines have added almost 5,500 airport pairs since 2015, expanding the global network by nearly 30%. Boeing estimates that airlines would require another 9,000 aircraft to carry the same passenger volume without the productivity and efficiency improvements provided by newer aircraft.
• Air cargo traffic is forecast to grow by approximately 3.7% annually. Boeing projects demand for more than 2,900 production and converted freighters through 2045; this wider figure includes the 930 new-build freighters counted within the commercial delivery forecast.
• Boeing’s 2025 outlook projected 43,600 deliveries and a fleet of approximately 49,600 aircraft by 2044. The 2026 forecast increases expected deliveries by 25 aircraft and the end-of-period fleet by approximately 495 aircraft while extending the forecast through 2045. 

Statements

• “Airlines are adapting quickly to manage near-term industry constraints while demand for air travel remains resilient. That demand is driving the need to grow and modernize the global fleet, underscoring the importance of new, fuel-efficient airplanes that will play an increasingly vital role in connecting people and economies around the world,” said Brad McMullen, Senior Vice President of Commercial Sales and Marketing at Boeing. 

Source: Boeing