Gitnux/Report 2026

Aero Industry Statistics

The U.S. aerospace and defense market reached $988.6 billion in sales in 2025, explore the aero figures behind company performance, deliveries, and delivery constraints.
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November 11, 2026Updated
Aero Industry Statistics
Samuel NorbergWritten by Samuel Norberg·Fact-checked by Maya Johansson
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Before any source is gathered, an editor locks the question, what qualifies, and how the piece will be judged.

02Source Research

Search agents collect the source set and pull each data point out with its provenance attached.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 31 days

01 Industry overview

The aero industry at a glance

The aerospace industry is expanding on sustained air-travel demand and defense spending: U.S. aerospace and defense sales reached $988.6 billion in 2025, while Airbus ended the year with a record 8,754-aircraft commercial backlog.

$988.6B[38]
U.S. industry sales, 2025
793[15]
Airbus deliveries, 2025
8,754[15]
Airbus commercial backlog, 2025
34.5%[16]
Asia-Pacific passenger share, 2025
Market size
The U.S. aerospace and defense industry generated $988.6 billion in sales in 2025, according to the Aerospace Industries Association. Commercial aerospace represented 51% of direct industry manufacturing employment, with defense and national security accounting for 49%.[38]
Forecast & CAGR
Airbus forecasts demand for 43,420 new passenger and freighter aircraft between 2025 and 2044. Passenger traffic is projected to grow at a 3.6% compound annual rate, while air-cargo demand is forecast to increase at 3.3% annually.[15]
Market share & regions
Asia-Pacific carriers accounted for 34.5% of global passenger traffic measured in revenue passenger-kilometers in 2025, followed by Europe at 26.6% and North America at 21.8%. The full-year global passenger load factor reached a record 83.6%.[16]
Segmentation
The industry spans commercial aircraft, defense and national security, space, helicopters, aircraft systems and components, and aftermarket services. Within Airbus’s 2025 commercial deliveries, the A320 family accounted for 607 of 793 aircraft, or approximately 76.5%, while widebody A330 and A350 deliveries totaled 93 aircraft.[15][38]
Key players & concentration
Commercial large-aircraft manufacturing remains highly concentrated around Airbus and Boeing. Airbus delivered 793 commercial aircraft in 2025, compared with Boeing’s 585, giving Airbus approximately 57.6% of the combined deliveries reported by the two manufacturers.[15][88]
Pricing
Airlines face rising operating costs and are expected to pass part of the increase through fares and ancillary charges. IATA forecasts 2026 passenger-ticket revenue of $839 billion and ancillary revenue of $165 billion, with ancillary revenue rising 12.6% year over year.[16]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Demand is supported by fleet replacement, middle-class growth, GDP expansion and trade, but manufacturers continue to face supply-chain and production constraints. Airbus expects 18,930 of the 43,420 aircraft required through 2044 to replace older aircraft, while IATA projects sustainable aviation fuel output of only 2.4 million tonnes in 2026, about 0.8% of jet-fuel demand.[15][16]
Consumer behavior & competition
Global passenger demand rose 5.3% in 2025, with international demand increasing 7.1% and domestic demand 2.4%. Competition is increasingly shaped by capacity availability, high load factors and airline investment in fuel-efficient aircraft; the global passenger load factor reached 83.6% in 2025.[16][15]
M&A
Industry consolidation continued in aircraft systems and components. Safran completed its acquisition of Collins Aerospace’s flight-control and actuation activities in July 2025; the business generated approximately $1.55 billion in 2024 revenue and was scheduled to be consolidated by Safran from August 1, 2025.[89]
Regulation
Certification and production oversight remain major industry constraints. In August 2026, the FAA issued an amended type certificate and updated production limitation record for Boeing’s 737 MAX 7, while requiring continued on-site safety oversight at Boeing production facilities.[90]
Latest news
Recent industry indicators are mixed: IATA forecast global passenger traffic growth of 2.1% for 2026, while its August 2026 analysis reported a 0.8% year-over-year decline in global revenue passenger-kilometers for that month. Airbus’s 2026 Global Market Forecast also projects the dedicated freighter fleet to expand 46% by 2045.[16][15]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Aero Industry

The leading companies in the aero industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 10, 2026 · Next review December 10, 2026

Verdict

GE Aerospace stands out for aircraft-engine and aerospace activity because it reported $45.9 billion in 2025 revenue from aircraft-engine and aerospace activities, while Boeing focuses on commercial aircraft since it delivered 600 commercial airplanes in 2025.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in aircraft engines

    GE Aerospace

    US

    Ranked #1 · 9.2 · Aircraft engines

    Why we picked it: It reports $45.9 billion in 2025 aircraft-engine and aerospace activities revenue and an operating margin of 21.8%.

    See in ranking ↓Visit geaerospace.com ↗

  2. Leader in commercial aircraft

    Boeing

    US

    Ranked #2 · 9.1 · Commercial aircraft

    Why we picked it: It ended 2025 with a $682 billion backlog and reported revenue growth of 34.4% with a 2.5% operating margin.

    See in ranking ↓Visit boeing.com ↗

  3. Leader in airline operations

    United Airlines Holdings

    US

    Ranked #4 · 9.0 · Airline operations

    Why we picked it: It reported 181 million passengers in 2025 and a 2025 operating margin of 8%.

    See in ranking ↓Visit united.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Picks 2 and 3 are the highest-ranked companies in the top 5 that add a new segment.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the aero industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

GE Aerospace

Aircraft engines · US

9.2
2

Boeing

Commercial aircraft · US

9.1
3

Airbus

Commercial aircraft · NL

9.0
4

United Airlines Holdings

Airline operations · US

9.0
5

Rolls-Royce Holdings

Aircraft engines · GB

9.0
6

RTX

Aircraft engines, aerospace systems and defence · US

8.9
7

Delta Air Lines

Global passenger and cargo airline · US

8.7
8

Lockheed Martin

Military aircraft, missiles, space and defence systems · US

8.4
9

Embraer

Regional, executive, defence and agricultural aircraft · BR

8.3
10

American Airlines Group

Global passenger and cargo airline · US

7.9

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 10, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 10). Top 10 companies in the aero industry. In Aero Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/aero-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Projection

Sectoral output of U.S. aerospace product and parts manufacturing

Sectoral output of U.S. aerospace product and parts manufacturing grew from 158,437.5 millions of USD in 2021 to 214,069.6 millions of USD in 2025.

$158.4K
Start
+7.81%
CAGR · 4y
$214K
Projected
20212025
source-verifiedfred.stlouisfed.org2025

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

AI adoption is now routine in operations and analytics use-cases, and data integration remains a scaling bottleneck: 49% of airlines cite data integration and consistency as the main barrier in 2025.

AI in the aero industry

  • 1% to 2% of global warming is attributed to aviation contrails in the context of an AI-assisted American Airlines and Google trial.[1]
  • 63% of airlines use AI in operations control for disruption, aircraft assignment and crew availability in 2025 globally.[2]
  • 82.7% was the score achieved by the strongest aviation large-language model tested in a 2026 operational-knowledge benchmark.[3]
  • 73% of airports plan to invest in AI for prediction and automation, according to a 2025 aviation technology survey.[4]
  • 49% of airlines identify data integration and consistency as the main barrier to scaling AI in 2025 globally.[2]
  • 83% of airlines use AI for operational decisions and passenger services in 2025 globally.[2]

Automation in the aero industry

  • 33% of MRO providers expect semi-autonomous repair workflows by 2030.[5]
  • 2% of MRO providers expect fully autonomous MRO from detection through repair decision by 2030.[5]
  • 28% of MRO providers expect digitally assisted but non-predictive diagnostics by 2030.[5]
  • 50% of aerospace manufacturing survey respondents used robotic manufacturing in 2025.[6]
  • 14.2% of U.S. aerospace-products-and-parts firms used robots in production processes, according to the 2022 Annual Business Survey.[7]
  • 27% of MRO providers expect predictive analytics and remote troubleshooting by 2030.[5]

Digital Transformation in the aerospace and defense sector (sector benchmark)

  • 82% of global aerospace and defense organizations say digital-continuity investments help maintain a competitive edge, according to a 2025 survey.[8]
  • 83% of global aerospace and defense organizations agree that digital continuity is a key enabler of strategic business transformation, according to a 2025 survey.[8]
  • 60–70% of European aerospace and defense executives expect digital transformation to have a high or very high impact by 2028, while only 20–30% report advanced digital maturity today.[9]
  • 22% of global aerospace and defense companies reported having clean, structured data in a central repository ready for analysis in McKinsey’s digital-maturity study.[10]
  • 30% of global aerospace and defense organizations had already reduced time to market through digital continuity, with an average 13% reduction, in 2025.[8]

Technology Adoption in the aerospace and defense sector (sector benchmark)

  • 30% of U.S. defense companies reported incorporating no AI into their defense products or services in the 2026 survey.[11]
  • 31% of aerospace and defense manufacturers reported adopting generative AI in 2024.[12]
  • 27% of aerospace and defense manufacturers reported adopting AI-powered industrial IoT in 2024.[12]
  • 41% of aerospace and defense manufacturers reported adopting predictive AI in 2024.[12]
  • 61% of aerospace and defense manufacturers reported adopting AI automation, the highest share among sectors surveyed in 2024.[12]

Cloud Computing in the aerospace and defense sector (sector benchmark)

  • 20% of European defense-industry executives used cloud computing extensively across more than half of processes and activities in 2025.[8]
  • 44% of aerospace and defense companies had completed regulatory-compliance planning for cloud adoption, while 52% remained in the planning stage.[13]
  • 60% of aerospace and defense companies expected better security from cloud adoption in Accenture’s survey.[13]
  • 38% of aerospace and defense companies had mature cloud practices and tools in place in Accenture’s survey.[13]
  • 52% of European defense-industry executives ranked cloud computing among their top three technologies for augmenting production ramp-up in 2025.[8]

Big Data in the aerospace and defense sector (sector benchmark)

  • 28% of aerospace and defense companies reported having a data-use vision or strategy aligned with business objectives in McKinsey’s study.[10]
  • 62% of European defense-industry executives ranked data and analytics among their top three technologies for augmenting production ramp-up in 2025.[8]
  • 15% of aerospace and defense companies used digital and analytics for procurement at scale in McKinsey’s study.[14]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Airline and manufacturer analytics platforms support large fleets at scale: Airbus Skywise supported approximately 11,900 commercial aircraft for operations and maintenance in 2025.

Business intelligence in the aero industry

  • 50% of airlines prioritized investment in generative AI, large language models, business intelligence or computer vision in 2024.[2]
  • Approximately 11,900 commercial aircraft were supported by Airbus Skywise for operations and maintenance in 2025.[15]
  • 54% of the Airbus fleet in service was supported by Skywise and related digital solutions in 2025.[15]
  • Approximately 55,000 users accessed Airbus Skywise across company functions in 2025.[15]
  • 16 years of historical airline data are included in the standard IATA World Air Transport Statistics subscription.[16]
  • 2,800 airports in more than 180 countries and territories are covered by ACI World’s airport traffic analytics platform.[17]

Data analytics in the aero industry

  • $39 billion was the projected digital aviation services market size in 2025, according to Boeing.[18]
  • $105 billion was Boeing’s projected digital aviation services market size for 2045.[18]
  • 28 years of historical aviation data were available through FlightAware’s custom-report analytics service in 2026.[19]
  • Nearly 90% of commercial aircraft are projected by Boeing to be e-enabled by 2045.[18]
  • More than 60 airline customers used Boeing’s safety-data analytics program in 2026.[20]
  • More than half a trillion flight records were available to FlightAware’s aviation analytics services in 2026.[19]

Data Quality in the aerospace and defense sector (sector benchmark)

  • 61% of manufacturing leaders globally said poor data quality limits their ability to adopt and optimize emerging technologies in 2025; aerospace respondents were included in the sector analysis.[21]
  • 29% of aerospace and defense leaders said their enterprise data was standardized, governed and accessible in 2026, indicating that 71% lacked this level of data readiness.[22]
  • 68% of aerospace respondents rated data and technology adoption as a priority in 2025, compared with 61% across the overall manufacturing sample.[21]
  • 32% of manufacturing leaders globally identified data-quality issues as a barrier to digital-twin adoption in 2025; aerospace respondents were included in the sector analysis.[21]

Data Governance in the aerospace and defense sector (sector benchmark)

  • 48% of security and defense firms said they tagged and classified more than three-quarters of their unstructured data in 2024.[23]
  • 38% of defense contractors pursuing CMMC 2.0 Level 2 had comprehensive governance control and tracking systems in 2025, while 62% lacked them.[23]
  • 42% of defense-organization respondents identified data governance and policies for sharing with external partners as a barrier to AI implementation in 2021.[24]
  • 55% of security and defense firms used advanced security capabilities, including governance tracking and control, for internal sensitive-content communications in 2024.[23]

KPIs in the aero industry

  • 498,000 air transport movements were recorded at UK airports in the fourth quarter of 2024.[25]
  • 83.1% was Lufthansa Group’s passenger load factor in 2024.[26]
  • 10.4% was the year-on-year growth in global revenue passenger-kilometres in 2024.[16]
  • 69.0 million passengers were handled by UK airports in the fourth quarter of 2024.[25]
  • 14 minutes was the average delay per UK flight in 2026, according to the Civil Aviation Authority.[25]
  • 81% was the average UK airport load factor in 2026, according to the Civil Aviation Authority’s latest quarterly statistics.[25]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Production and demand planning remain tightly linked to backlog and delivery volumes, with Airbus reporting 793 commercial deliveries in 2025 and a record €618.8 billion order book.

Growth in the aero industry

  • 21% was GE Aerospace’s adjusted revenue growth in 2025, while total orders increased 32% year over year.[27]
  • 8,754 commercial aircraft made up Airbus’s record year-end order backlog in 2025.[15]
  • 6% was Boeing’s year-over-year revenue growth to $89.5 billion in 2025, while commercial deliveries reached 600 aircraft globally.[28]
  • 23% was RTX’s year-over-year backlog growth in 2025, reaching approximately $268 billion.[29]
  • $682 billion was Boeing’s total company backlog at year-end 2025, including more than 6,100 commercial airplanes.[28]
  • 4% was Airbus commercial aircraft revenue growth in 2025, reaching €52.6 billion worldwide.[15]

Differentiation in the aero industry

  • $14.5 billion was Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control sales in 2025, focused on precision strike, missile defense and integrated air defense.[30]
  • $2.0 billion was Lockheed Martin’s independent research-and-development investment in 2025.[30]
  • $1.6 billion was Lockheed Martin’s capital expenditure in 2025, supporting production capacity and technology development.[30]
  • $13.0 billion was Lockheed Martin Space sales in 2025, covering national-security, civil and commercial spacecraft, hypersonics and missile defense.[31]
  • 46% was Airbus’s ownership share in the Eurofighter Typhoon industrial partnership shown in its 2025 business update.[15]
  • 19% was Collins Aerospace operating-profit growth in 2025, reaching $4.923 billion.[29]

Mergers and acquisitions in the aero industry

  • €370 million was Airbus’s total net consideration transferred for acquisitions recognized in 2024, compared with €65 million in 2023.[15]
  • £590 million of revenue was contributed by BAE Systems’ acquired businesses between acquisition and June 30, 2024.[32]
  • $4.7 billion was Boeing’s announced purchase price for Spirit AeroSystems, completed in December 2025.[1]
  • $1 was the nominal consideration specified for Airbus’s potential acquisition of the Spirit AeroSystems activities in the 2024 term sheet.[15]
  • €106 million was the net-asset value recognized by Airbus for acquisitions completed by the end of 2024.[15]
  • £65 million of underlying EBIT was contributed by BAE Systems’ acquired businesses between acquisition and June 30, 2024.[32]

Strategic partnerships in the aero industry

  • 4 technology areas were added to the Lockheed Martin–KAI relationship in their 2025 MoU: rotorcraft, space systems, crewed-uncrewed teaming and uncrewed aerial vehicles.[33]
  • 3 steps were set out in the Airbus–MTU Aero Engines roadmap for developing a hydrogen fuel-cell engine for commercial aviation.[34]
  • $70 million was Airbus and Cathay Group’s planned joint investment in sustainable aviation-fuel production projects in Asia and globally.[15]
  • 7 U.S. companies had unfunded NASA commercial-space partnership agreements under the CCSC-2 initiative as of 2025.[35]
  • $1,143,525 was the estimated value of NASA Ames’s 2023 collaborative evaluation agreement with AeroVironment for an upper-class air-traffic-management prototype.[35]
  • 3 parties—ESA, Thales Alenia Space and Blue Origin—signed a 2025 MoU to explore Orbital Reef collaboration opportunities.[36]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Workforce planning shows steady training and attrition benchmarks across aerospace and defense, while Airbus employed 1,579 trainees globally at December 31, 2024.

Hiring in the aero industry

  • 156,921 people worked for Airbus in 2024, compared with 147,893 in 2023.[15]
  • 12.9% of Lockheed Martin’s workforce consisted of new hires in 2023.[37]
  • 1,579 trainees were employed by Airbus globally at December 31, 2024.[15]
  • 15,085 people were hired by Lockheed Martin in 2023.[37]
  • 171,830 employees worked at Airbus globally at December 31, 2024.[15]

Employee retention in the aero industry

  • 17.0% was the average aerospace and defense attrition rate in 2022.[38]
  • 10.9% was the 2023 attrition rate for exempt aerospace and defense employees.[38]
  • 15.6% was the average aerospace and defense attrition rate in 2021.[38]
  • 14.5% was the average attrition rate reported by aerospace and defense companies in 2024.[38]
  • 5.7% was overall turnover across surveyed aerospace and defense companies in 2021.[38]

Remote Work in the aerospace and defense sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. Department of Defense civilian employees, 1.43% of recorded work hours were remote in calendar year 2024.[39]
  • Across U.S. Department of Defense civilian employees, 6% of recorded work hours were situational telework in calendar year 2024.[39]
  • Across U.S. Department of Defense civilian positions, approximately 65% to 68% were eligible for telework or remote work during the period reviewed through February 2025.[39]
  • Across U.S. Department of Defense civilian employees, 11.25% of recorded work hours were routine telework in calendar year 2024.[39]

Hybrid Work in the aerospace and defense sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among U.S. remote-capable employees, 61% preferred hybrid work in November 2025.[40]
  • Across U.S. Department of Defense civilian employees, 81.32% of recorded work hours were in-person in calendar year 2024, indicating limited hybrid-work utilization overall.[39]
  • Among U.S. remote-capable employees, 33% preferred exclusively remote work in November 2025.[40]
  • Across U.S. workers, 39% worked from home at least some of the time during the week before the Federal Reserve’s 2025 survey.[41]

Upskilling in the aero industry

  • 2.40 million courses were completed through GE Aerospace Learning in 2025.[27]
  • 1.95 million courses were completed through GE Aerospace Learning in 2024.[27]
  • 26,271 distinct employees accessed GE Aerospace’s Learning Central platform in 2024.[27]
  • 31,853 distinct employees accessed GE Aerospace’s Learning Central platform in 2025.[27]
  • 31% of aerospace and defense companies said upskilling opportunities help attract employees.[38]

Employee Engagement in the aerospace and defense sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across 25 aerospace and defense organizations, 16% did not measure employee engagement in 2024.[38]
  • Across 25 aerospace and defense organizations, 44% reported better employee engagement scores in 2024 than during the prior year.[38]
  • Among NASA civil servants, the 2024 Employee Engagement Index was 84.4% positive across the U.S. space agency workforce.[35]
  • Across 25 aerospace and defense organizations, 8% reported worse employee engagement scores in 2024 than during the prior year.[38]
  • Across 25 aerospace and defense organizations, 32% reported no change in employee engagement scores in 2024.[38]

DEI in the aero industry

  • 170-plus nationalities were represented among Airbus employees in 2025.[15]
  • 44% of non-exempt aerospace and defense employees felt unfairly compensated and lacked strong benefits.[38]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Distribution and loyalty economics stay central to airline revenue mix: Delta reported $63.4 billion operating revenue in 2025 and more than 200 million customers.

Customer experience in the aero industry

  • 86% of global airline passengers reported being satisfied with their travel experience in 2025.[16]
  • More than 50% of U.S. flyers used a mobile device to check in for flights in 2024.[42]
  • 19% of surveyed passengers booked flights through airline apps in 2025, compared with 16% in 2024.[16]
  • 31% of surveyed passengers booked flights through airline websites in 2025, compared with 37% in 2024.[16]
  • 74 was the U.S. airline customer-satisfaction score in the 2025 ACSI Travel Study, down 4% from 2024.[43]

Customer retention in the aero industry

  • 16.3% of Southwest Airlines’ revenue passenger miles were represented by redeemed flight awards in 2023.[44]
  • 9% of United’s total revenue passenger miles were represented by MileagePlus flight awards in 2024.[45]
  • 3.7 million non-flight awards were redeemed by MileagePlus members in 2024.[45]
  • 13.7% of Southwest Airlines’ revenue passenger miles were represented by redeemed flight awards in 2025.[44]
  • $4.8 billion was Southwest’s recorded loyalty liability at December 31, 2024.[44]

Customer acquisition in the aero industry

  • 20% was the approximate increase in Qantas Business Rewards membership in financial year 2024–25.[46]
  • 21% was the year-over-year increase in Qantas Points-earning credit-card acquisitions in financial year 2023–24.[46]
  • 540,000 businesses belonged to Qantas Business Rewards as of June 30, 2024.[46]
  • 75% of American Airlines’ premium-cabin revenue came from AAdvantage members in the fourth quarter of 2024.[47]
  • 635,000 businesses belonged to Qantas Business Rewards in financial year 2024–25.[46]

Customer loyalty in the aero industry

  • 18.6% higher was the average fare paid by Aeroméxico Rewards members than by non-members in 2025.[45]
  • 82% was the average U.S. airline load factor in 2025, limiting reward-seat and upgrade availability according to Deloitte.[48]
  • 5 times more was spent on Delta by SkyMiles members than by non-members, according to Delta’s 2024 investor presentation.[49]
  • 50% growth was recorded in Delta SkyMiles active membership from 2017 to 2024.[49]
  • 65% of Gen Z airline-loyalty members said less than half of their airline spending went to their preferred carrier in Deloitte’s 2025 survey.[48]

Lead generation in the aero industry

  • 34% of aerospace and defense marketers cited lead generation as their top priority in 2024.[50]
  • 45% of aerospace and defense companies reported higher digital-marketing budgets in 2024.[50]
  • 28% of aerospace marketers identified marketing-analytics capabilities as a top investment area for 2025.[50]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Brand and loyalty marketing operate alongside high load factors, with the global passenger load factor reaching a record 83.6% in 2025.

Marketing in the aero industry

  • $235 million was United Airlines’ advertising expense in 2024, United States.[45]
  • $346 million was Southwest Airlines’ advertising and promotions expense in 2024, United States.[51]
  • $200 million was American Airlines Group’s advertising expense in 2025, United States.[46]
  • $250 million was United Airlines’ advertising expense in 2025, United States.[45]
  • $101 million was Alaska Air Group’s advertising expense in 2025, United States.[52]

Digital marketing in the aero industry

  • 41% of air travelers cited online travel agencies as a source of travel inspiration in 2025, worldwide.[10]
  • 20 million reward-flight searches were generated across Qantas, Jetstar and partner airlines after a digital search-tool launch in March 2026, Australia and partner markets.[53]
  • 11% was Qantas Business Rewards membership growth in financial year 2025/26, Australia.[53]
  • $8.0 billion was Delta Air Lines’ cash sales from loyalty-program marketing agreements in 2025, United States.[54]
  • 8% was growth in Qantas members earning across at least two categories in financial year 2025/26, Australia.[53]

Branding in the aero industry

  • $14.9 billion was Delta Air Lines’ brand value in 2025, worldwide.[55]
  • 85% was growth in Malaysia’s airline-sector brand value in 2025, Malaysia.[56]
  • $132.6 billion was the combined brand value of the world’s top 50 airline brands in 2025, worldwide.[57]
  • 27% was Emirates’ brand-value growth in 2025, worldwide.[57]
  • 209% was Malaysia Airlines’ brand-value growth in 2025, worldwide.[55]

Social media in the aero industry

  • 39% of travelers aged 18–24 cited friends and family as key sources of travel ideas in 2025, worldwide.[10]
  • 7,554 median impressions were generated by an airline’s Facebook post in the third quarter of 2026, worldwide.[58]
  • 1.15% was the highest median Facebook post engagement rate for airlines in the third quarter of 2026, worldwide.[58]
  • 29% of air travelers cited social platforms among their travel-inspiration sources in 2025, worldwide.[10]
  • 1.88% was the highest median Instagram post engagement rate for airlines in the third quarter of 2026, worldwide.[58]

Influencer Marketing in the aerospace and defense sector (sector benchmark)

  • 58% of B2B marketing leaders across six countries cited authenticity and credibility as criteria for selecting creators in 2025.[59]
  • 55% of B2B marketing leaders across the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil, India and Australia were using influencers in 2025.[59]
  • 76% of B2B marketing leaders across six countries believed creator collaborations build brand authenticity in 2025.[59]
  • 49% of B2B marketing leaders across six countries cited industry relevance as a criterion for selecting creators in 2025.[59]
  • 28% of B2B marketing leaders across six countries ranked thought leaders or industry analysts as the most effective influencer type in 2025.[59]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Execution metrics track quality and schedule control under supply constraints, including GE Aerospace’s 96% on-time delivery rate for the turbine center frame line in 2025.

Process optimization in the aero industry

  • 2.6% was the 2023 increase in U.S. labor productivity for aerospace product and parts manufacturing.[60]
  • 3.7% was the 2025 annual change in U.S. labor productivity for aerospace product and parts manufacturing.[60]
  • 11 satellite launches were executed by Airbus Defence and Space in 2025, compared with 3 in 2024.[15]
  • 50% faster inspection was achieved by GE Aerospace’s AI-enabled Blade Inspection Tool for critical stage-one engine blades.[27]
  • 28% was the increase in GE Aerospace LEAP engine output in 2025 supported by improvements to the turbine center frame production process.[27]

Operational efficiency in the aero industry

  • 0.3% was the improvement in aviation fuel efficiency in 2025, down from the industry’s historical annual rate of about 2%.[16]
  • 100% was Airbus Defence and Space’s 2025 delivery record for Air Power missions.[15]
  • 83.5% was the global airline passenger load factor in 2024, a record level reported by IATA.[16]
  • 286 Airbus commercial aircraft were delivered in the fourth quarter of 2025.[15]
  • 15.1 years was the average age of the global aircraft fleet in 2025.[16]

Quality management in the aero industry

  • 96% was GE Aerospace’s 2025 on-time delivery rate for the turbine center frame line after process and quality improvements.[27]
  • 20% was the turbine center frame line’s on-time delivery rate in 2023 before GE Aerospace’s improvement program.[27]
  • 793 Airbus commercial aircraft deliveries in 2025 were affected by an A320 fuselage-panel quality issue that led to revised guidance.[15]
  • 10,000-plus airplane production-line moves were assessed by Boeing under its Move Ready Hazard Assessment process.[20]
  • 100% was Airbus Defence and Space’s 2025 delivery record for Air Power missions after quality and operational safeguards were applied.[15]

Supply chain in the aero industry

  • $1.4 billion was the estimated 2025 airline cost of holding surplus spare-parts inventory as a supply-chain buffer.[16]
  • 49% of aerospace companies surveyed in 2025 cited insufficient financial resources as a ramp-up challenge.[61]
  • 70% of companies in the 2026 European survey had fewer than 1,000 employees and revenue below €500 million.[62]
  • 65% of aerospace companies surveyed in 2025 already used or planned to use AI and innovative software tools, mainly for quality inspection and cybersecurity.[61]
  • 80% of European aerospace companies surveyed in early 2026 expected shortages of some critical raw materials.[61]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the aerospace and defense sector (sector benchmark)

  • 23.35% of aerospace survey respondents reported manufacturing 51–75% of components in-house, in 2023.[63]
  • 53% of aerospace and defense executives expected to reshore or nearshore their suppliers, on average, within the following three years, in 2022.[64]
  • 21.35% of aerospace survey respondents reported manufacturing less than 25% of components in-house, indicating highly outsourced production, in 2023.[63]
  • Nearly 60% of US aerospace and defense companies were considering localization strategies, while 15% had developed or navigated reshoring or onshoring strategies, in 2025.[38]
  • 39.68% of aerospace survey respondents reported manufacturing 25–50% of components in-house, implying substantial outsourced production, in 2023.[63]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Costs and revenue yields define margins under fuel and capacity pressure, with passenger-ticket revenue forecast at $839 billion for 2026 by IATA.

Pricing strategy in the aero industry

  • 19.76 cents was Delta Air Lines’ adjusted total revenue per available seat mile in 2024.[65]
  • Passenger revenue yield per available seat mile increased at Southwest Airlines in 2024, driven by demand, network optimization and revenue-management actions.[44]
  • 21.37 cents was Delta Air Lines’ total revenue per available seat mile in 2024 on a GAAP basis.[65]
  • $185.3 billion in fares represented 75.0% of U.S. scheduled passenger-airline operating revenue in 2024.[66]
  • $13.1 billion in fares represented 82.8% of U.S. international scheduled-airline operating revenue in the fourth quarter of 2025.[67]

Cost reduction in the aero industry

  • $291 billion was the expected global airline fuel bill in 2024, equal to 31% of operating costs.[16]
  • $1.9 billion was United Airlines’ 2024 increase in salaries and related costs, representing 12.8% growth from 2023.[45]
  • $600 million was the estimated global airline cost of CORSIA-related measures in 2024.[16]
  • $2.4 billion was the estimated 2024 cost premium for sustainable aviation fuel over the equivalent quantity of conventional jet fuel.[16]
  • 39 cents per available tonne-kilometer was the expected global airline non-fuel unit cost in 2024.[16]

Profitability in the aero industry

  • $38 billion was estimated global airline net profit in 2024.[16]
  • 10.6% was Delta Air Lines’ adjusted operating margin in 2024.[65]
  • $11.5 billion was North American airlines’ net profit in 2024, equal to a 3.5% margin.[16]
  • $9.6 billion was European airlines’ net profit in 2024, equal to a 3.8% margin.[16]
  • $76.4 billion was estimated global airline EBIT in 2025.[16]

Financial planning in the aero industry

  • $10.544 billion was Delta Air Lines’ adjusted fuel expense in 2024.[65]
  • $3.970 billion was LATAM Airlines Group’s aircraft-fuel expense in 2024.[68]
  • 6.7% was IATA’s forecast global airline operating margin for 2025.[16]
  • $8.025 billion was Delta Air Lines’ operating cash flow in 2024.[65]
  • $3.07 million was expected global airline employment in 2024, slightly above the 2.93 million recorded in 2019.[16]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Service and installed-base scale underpin aftermarket depth, while the global civil aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul market size was $103.9 billion in 2024.

Product development in the aero industry

  • 494 large engines were ordered by Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace in 2024, including orders from IndiGo, Cathay Pacific, Korean Air, Delta and EL AL.[69]
  • $6 billion was invested by Boeing in research and development plus capital expenditures in 2024, including commercial production and advanced combat-aircraft manufacturing facilities in the United States.[20]
  • 250 tests had been completed by GE Aerospace’s CFM RISE program by 2024 to support open-fan, compact-core and hybrid-electric propulsion technologies.[27]
  • $993 million was GE Aerospace’s 2024 research-and-development expense for Commercial Engines & Services.[27]
  • $1.128 billion was Boeing’s research-and-development expense in 2024, primarily reflecting higher investment in the 777X program and other product-development activities.[70]

Product lifecycle in the aero industry

  • 1.5% of the active aircraft fleet was retired annually on average during the five years through 2025.[71]
  • 13.2 years was the average age of the global commercial aircraft fleet in 1995.[72]
  • 25–30 years is the average retirement age for passenger aircraft, while freighters typically retire at 30–40 years.[73]
  • Approximately 10% of the global aircraft fleet was in storage in 2025, down from about 33% around 2020.[71]
  • About 17,000 aircraft were in the global commercial-aircraft backlog in 2024, compared with an average of 10,800 in 2017–2019.[72]

After-sales in the aero industry

  • $119 billion was projected for worldwide repair, alteration and aircraft-parts production services in 2025.[74]
  • $103.9 billion was the global civil aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul market size in 2024.[74]
  • £5.5 billion was Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace’s invoiced flying-hour receipts under long-term service agreements in 2024.[69]
  • $41.6 billion was the U.S. maintenance, repair and overhaul market in 2024.[74]
  • 1,313 total shop visits were recorded by Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace under long-term service agreements in 2024.[69]

Value proposition in the aero industry

  • 1.2 billion flight hours had been accumulated by GE Aerospace’s CFM56 engine family by 2024, supporting its long-term reliability proposition.[27]
  • £617 million of contractual margin improvements were achieved by Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace in 2024 through improved commercial terms and cost reductions.[69]
  • Approximately 19,000 CFM56 engines were in service in 2024, making it one of commercial aviation’s largest installed engine product lines.[27]
  • 10% better fuel efficiency was delivered by GE Aerospace’s GE9X compared with the GE90, strengthening the aircraft’s operating-cost proposition.[27]
  • 70,000 commercial and defense engines formed GE Aerospace’s installed base in 2024, underpinning its global propulsion and services proposition.[27]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

SAF supply remains far below demand projections, while 2026 IATA estimates put 48% of travelers considering carbon emissions when choosing flights.

Sustainability in the aero industry

  • Airbus used 1,086,381 MWh of renewable energy in 2024.[34]
  • 942 million tonnes of gross CO₂ were emitted by airlines globally in 2024.[16]
  • 48% of travelers consider carbon emissions when choosing flights, according to IATA’s 2026 estimate.[16]
  • 82 aircraft operators contributed data to IATA’s TrackZero platform in 2024, representing 45% of IATA members by revenue-tonne-kilometre.[16]
  • 62% of aviation’s required carbon-emissions reduction by 2050 is expected to come from SAF under IATA roadmaps.[16]

ESG in the aero industry

  • Airbus reported 1,230 tonnes of volatile organic compounds in 2024.[34]
  • Airbus received an MSCI ESG rating of A in September 2024.[15]
  • United Airlines’ 2024 total net greenhouse-gas emissions were 52,239,731 metric tonnes CO₂e.[75]
  • Airbus reported 190 tonnes of nitrogen oxides in 2024.[34]
  • Airbus received a CDP climate score of B in 2024.[15]

Ethics in the aero industry

  • 9 code-of-ethics violations were recorded by Korean Air in 2024.[76]
  • 4 minor disciplinary actions were imposed by Korean Air in 2024.[76]
  • 22 ethical reports were received by Korean Air in 2023.[76]
  • 33 ethical reports were received by Korean Air in 2024.[76]
  • 3 code-of-ethics violations were recorded by Korean Air in 2023.[76]

CSR in the aero industry

  • 7,602 volunteer hours were reported by Southwest Airlines in 2024.[51]
  • $4,633,470 was reported as Southwest Airlines’ total corporate monetary giving in 2023.[51]
  • 19 official airline partnerships were reported by EVA Air for sports and arts activities in 2024.[46]
  • 40% of Southwest Airlines employees participated in the 2024 spring employee survey.[51]
  • $7,200,184 was reported as Southwest Airlines’ total corporate monetary giving in 2024.[51]

Circular economy in the aero industry

  • Airbus began recycling titanium production scrap from engine-pylon manufacturing at its Toulouse facility in 2024.[15]
  • Airbus reported a 2030 target of zero landfilling and zero incineration without energy recovery for operational waste.[15]
  • Nearly 80% of aircraft components can now be recycled through advanced aircraft disassembly processes.[77]
  • 40% to 50% of aircraft materials are reused for maintenance after aircraft retirement.[77]
  • Southwest Airlines launched its Repurpose with Purpose aircraft-material upcycling initiative in 2013.[77]

Carbon footprint in the aero industry

  • Airlines reduced net CO₂ emissions intensity per revenue-tonne-kilometre by 3.7% year over year in 2024.[16]
  • Delta Air Lines reported 37,284,766 metric tonnes of total Scope 1 emissions in 2024.[78]
  • United Airlines reported 38,520,027 metric tonnes of direct Scope 1 greenhouse-gas emissions in 2024.[75]
  • United Airlines reported 13,585,207 metric tonnes of Scope 3 greenhouse-gas emissions in 2024.[75]
  • Airlines’ net CO₂ emissions intensity was 824 grams per revenue-tonne-kilometre in 2024.[16]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

Commercial globalization shows via passenger flows and footprints, including 876 million passengers traveling to or from the United States in 2024.

Globalization in the aero industry

  • 26.7% of global airline passenger traffic, measured by RPKs, was generated by European carriers in 2024.[16]
  • 150+ countries are served by Airbus Space Digital customers through its global operating footprint.[86]
  • 37.3 million airline flights operated globally in 2024.[16]
  • 876 million passengers traveled to or from the United States in 2024, making it the largest national aviation market.[16]
  • 5.3% of global airline passenger traffic, measured by RPKs, was generated by Latin American carriers in 2024.[16]

Cultural adaptation in the aero industry

  • 160+ nationalities are represented among Airbus employees worldwide.[15]
  • 170+ nationalities and 20+ languages are represented across Airbus’ workforce.[15]
  • 18% of Airbus employees were from non-founding countries according to the company’s latest diversity data.[15]
  • 14+ employee resource groups operated at Airbus, involving approximately 10,000 volunteers worldwide.[15]
  • 32% of Airbus’ 2025 external white-collar hires were women.[15]

Supplier management in the aero industry

  • More than 2,000 United States-based suppliers support Airbus operations across over 40 states.[15]
  • Approximately $55 million was spent with Spanish suppliers by Boeing Research & Technology-Europe in 2021.[20]
  • More than 1,700 regulated substances are relevant to aerospace supply-chain compliance at Airbus.[15]
  • 18,400 suppliers from more than 100 countries supply parts, components, systems and services to Airbus.[15]
  • Nearly $15 billion is spent annually by Airbus with United States-based suppliers.[15]

Stakeholder management in the aero industry

  • 24-plus Airbus Space Digital stations operate worldwide.[86]
  • 8,000 Boeing employees work across 12 key European markets.[20]
  • 91-plus Airbus Space Digital channel partners and resellers operate in 49 countries.[86]
  • 14+ Airbus employee resource groups involve approximately 10,000 volunteers worldwide.[15]
  • Approximately 182,000 employees work for Boeing across the United States and more than 65 countries.[20]

Distribution channels in the aero industry

  • Over 70 NDC distribution agreements with airlines had been signed by Amadeus in 2024.[87]
  • More than 50 airlines relied on Amadeus to manage and scale NDC APIs in 2025.[87]
  • 98% of travel sellers were NDC-ready according to Amadeus’ 2024 airline technology research.[87]
  • 4.7% was Amadeus’ global bookings growth in 2024 compared with 2023.[87]
  • 42% of global travel agents used global distribution systems more in 2026 than in 2024 in the Americas.[87]

Key questions about the aero industry

What is the current U.S. market size for aerospace and defense?
The U.S. aerospace and defense industry generated $988.6 billion in sales in 2025, according to the Aerospace Industries Association.
How fast is passenger demand expected to grow into 2026?
IATA forecast global passenger traffic growth of 2.1% for 2026, with a 0.8% year-over-year decline in global revenue passenger-kilometers for August 2026.
Which companies lead the aero industry?
GE Aerospace stands out for aircraft-engine and aerospace activity because it reported $45.9 billion in 2025 revenue from aircraft-engine and aerospace activities, while Boeing focuses on commercial aircraft since it delivered 600 commercial airplanes in 2025.
Where does technology spend concentrate as aviation shifts toward data and AI?
In 2025, 63% of airlines used AI in operations control for disruption, aircraft assignment and crew availability, while 49% cited data integration and consistency as the main barrier to scaling AI.
How concentrated is commercial large-aircraft manufacturing?
Commercial large-aircraft manufacturing remains highly concentrated around Airbus and Boeing, with Airbus delivering 793 commercial aircraft in 2025 versus Boeing’s 585.
What supply constraint shows up in near-term decarbonization planning?
IATA projects sustainable aviation fuel output of only 2.4 million tonnes in 2026, about 0.8% of jet-fuel demand.
Reference

Cite This Report

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Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 10). Aero Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/aero-industry-statistics
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Samuel Norberg. "Aero Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 10 Nov 2026, https://gitnux.org/aero-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Aero Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/aero-industry-statistics.

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