Boeing projects that the aviation industry will require more than 41,000 new airplanes by 2041 in order to meet the increasing demand for air travel.
This resurgence in demand follows a period of recovery in virtually all domestic markets around the world due to the pandemic as Boeing released its 2022 Commercial Market Outlook (CMO) in advance of the Farnborough International Airshow.
The CMO forecasts that the global fleet of airplanes will increase by 80% through 2041 compared to 2019 pre-pandemic levels. The market value for new airplane deliveries is expected to reach $7.2 trillion.
Boeing Global Services forecasts a demand of $3.6 trillion in its market segments over the next 20 years, including strong demand for maintenance and modifications such as converted freighters.
"Despite the unprecedented disruption over the past two years, the aviation industry has shown incredible resilience adapting to the challenge," said Ihssane Mounir, Boeing's senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing. "The 2022 CMO draws upon our expertise forecasting market trends to demonstrate the strong demand for new airplanes and related services in the coming decades, providing a waypoint as the industry continues to navigate its recovery."
Single-Aisle Jets Comprise a Large Percentage of Future Orders
Single-aisle airplanes will continue to make up the majority of new airplane deliveries, totaling nearly 31,000 planes. This is unchanged from last year's CMO.
Airlines will continue to rely on new widebody airplanes to serve new and existing markets over the next 25 years. By 2041, these planes will account for 18% of all deliveries, with more than 7,200 units entering service. This will provide greater efficiency and capacity for airlines to meet passenger and cargo needs.
The CMO predicts that there will be continued demand for dedicated freighters to support global supply chains and growing express networks. This is due to the continued growth of e-commerce and the need for speedy delivery of goods.
The airline industry is expected to require an additional 2,800 freighters by 2033 in order to keep up with growing demand. This includes 940 new widebody models in addition to converted narrow-body and widebody freighters.