Gitnux/Report 2026

Aerospace and Aviation Industry Statistics

The global passenger demand forecast shows 2.1% growth in 2026, explore aerospace and aviation figures on growth, companies and trends.
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November 11, 2026Updated
Aerospace and Aviation 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 aerospace and aviation industry at a glance

Global aviation entered 2026 at record scale: airlines are forecast to generate $1.053 trillion in revenue, while passenger demand remains constrained by aircraft supply, infrastructure bottlenecks and decarbonization costs.

$1.053T[1]
Airline revenue forecast, 2026
5.7%[1]
Passenger traffic growth, 2025
2.1M[33]
U.S. aerospace jobs, 2025
793[20]
Airbus aircraft deliveries, 2025
Market size
Global airline revenues are forecast at $1.053 trillion in 2026, up from $1.008 trillion in 2025. Airlines are expected to carry 5.2 billion passengers and 71.6 million tonnes of cargo in 2026.[1]
Forecast & CAGR
IATA forecasts global passenger demand, measured in revenue passenger-kilometers, to grow 2.1% in 2026, following 5.3% growth in 2025. Industry revenue is projected to increase 4.5% in 2026, while passenger load factor reaches a forecast 84.0%.[1]
Market share & regions
The United States was the largest passenger market in 2025, with 890.1 million arriving and departing passengers, followed by China with 776.1 million. Vietnam was among the fastest-growing major markets, rising 14.8% to 80.9 million passengers.[1]
Segmentation
Passenger services remain the largest airline revenue segment, with 2026 passenger revenue forecast at $839 billion. Cargo revenue is forecast at $162 billion and other revenue, including ancillary services, at $165 billion.[1]
Key players & concentration
Commercial aircraft manufacturing remains highly concentrated between Airbus and Boeing. Airbus delivered 793 commercial aircraft in 2025, compared with 585 for Boeing, giving Airbus 57.5% of their combined deliveries; Embraer and COMAC compete mainly in regional and narrow-body segments.[20]
Pricing
The average U.S. domestic itinerary fare was $387 in 2025, down 1.8% from the inflation-adjusted 2024 average of $394. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics measure includes ticket taxes and mandatory fees but excludes optional charges such as baggage and seat-upgrade fees.[68]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Demand remains strong, but aircraft delivery delays and supply-chain constraints are limiting capacity; the full-year 2025 passenger load factor reached a record 83.6%. Decarbonization is also reshaping costs: IATA estimates 2026 SAF production at 2.4 million tonnes, with a blended global SAF price of $2,872 per tonne.[1]
Consumer behavior & competition
Travel demand is increasingly concentrated in high-load-factor markets and premium cabins, while airlines expand ancillary monetization. Ancillary and other revenue is projected to reach $165 billion in 2026, and the global passenger load factor is forecast at 84.0%, indicating intense competition for constrained seats.[1]
M&A
Consolidation continues across airlines and aviation services. Allegiant completed its acquisition of Sun Country Airlines on May 13, 2026, while Lufthansa finalized its acquisition of a 41% stake in ITA Airways in January 2025; aircraft leasing also remains active, including the 2025 acquisition of Air Lease Corporation by a consortium.[29][69][70]
Regulation
ReFuelEU Aviation requires a minimum 2% SAF share at covered EU airports from 2025, rising to 70% by 2050, with a synthetic-fuel sub-mandate beginning in 2030. EASA reported that EU suppliers delivered 1.1 million tonnes of SAF in 2025, equivalent to 2.8% of aviation fuel supplied and above the 2% requirement.[58]
Latest news
Recent industry developments include EASA’s September 2026 finding that EU SAF supply exceeded the first ReFuelEU target, and the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s report that Allegiant completed its Sun Country acquisition on May 13, 2026. These developments highlight simultaneous pressure to decarbonize and consolidate airline networks.[58][29]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Aerospace And Aviation Industry

The leading companies in the aerospace and aviation 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 scale because it supports approximately 70,000 commercial and defense engines in service, 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 · 9.4 · Aircraft engines

    Why we picked it: GE Aerospace supports around 70,000 commercial and defense engines in service, spanning commercial and defense aircraft-engine operations.

    See in ranking ↓Visit geaerospace.com ↗

  2. Leader in commercial aircraft

    Boeing

    US

    Ranked #2 · 9.3 · Commercial aircraft

    Why we picked it: Boeing delivered 600 commercial airplanes in 2025 while reporting a $682 billion total backlog.

    See in ranking ↓Visit boeing.com ↗

  3. Leader in aerospace systems

    RTX

    US

    Ranked #3 · 9.1 · Aerospace systems

    Why we picked it: RTX operates Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon, covering aircraft engines and aerospace systems across defense and aerospace.

    See in ranking ↓Visit rtx.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 aerospace and aviation industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

GE Aerospace

Aircraft engines · US

9.4
2

Boeing

Commercial aircraft · US

9.3
3

RTX

Aerospace systems · US

9.1
4

Airbus

Commercial aircraft · NL

9.0
5

Safran

Aviation interiors and equipment · FR

8.9
6

International Airlines Group

Airline group across Europe and the Americas · ES

8.7
7

Ryanair

Low-cost passenger airline · IE

8.7
8

United Airlines Holdings

Global passenger and cargo airline · US

8.7
9

Embraer

Regional, executive and defense aircraft · BR

8.6
10

Northrop Grumman

Military aircraft, space and defense systems · US

8.2

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 aerospace and aviation industry. In Aerospace And Aviation Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/aerospace-and-aviation-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Projection

Global passengers carried on scheduled services

Global passengers carried on scheduled services grew from 1,848 million passengers in 2019 to 1,909 million passengers in 2024.

1,848
Start
+0.65%
CAGR · 5y
1,909
Projected
20192024
source-verifiedicao.int2024

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

Passengers are already using AI in trip planning and booking: 49% used AI tools in 2026. Airline coding was 20%–40% AI-performed in 2026, alongside rising digital-continuity expectations.

AI in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 49% of global air passengers had used AI tools to plan or book travel in 2026.[1]
  • 17% of global air passengers used AI for inspiration about flight destinations in 2026.[1]
  • 16% of global air passengers used AI to find the cheapest place to book in 2026.[1]
  • 20%–40% of airline coding was being performed by AI in 2026, according to IATA’s industry assessment.[2]
  • 19% of global air passengers used AI to find the cheapest flight in 2026.[1]
  • 21% of global air passengers used AI to search for flights to a specific destination in 2026.[1]

Automation in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 74% of newly installed industrial robots were deployed in Asia in 2024.[3]
  • 1.5% of U.S. aerospace-products-and-parts companies had tested robotics but did not use it in production during 2020–2022.[4]
  • 47.6% of U.S. aerospace-products-and-parts companies said robotics was not applicable to their businesses during 2020–2022.[4]
  • 14.2% of U.S. aerospace-products-and-parts companies used robotics in production during 2020–2022.[4]
  • 16% of newly installed industrial robots were deployed in Europe in 2024.[3]
  • 12.2% of U.S. aerospace-products-and-parts companies had tested but not used robotics during 2020–2022.[4]

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

  • 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.[5]
  • 83% of global aerospace and defense organizations agree that digital continuity is a key enabler of strategic business transformation, according to a 2025 survey.[6]
  • 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.[7]
  • 30% of global aerospace and defense organizations had already reduced time to market through digital continuity, with an average 13% reduction, in 2025.[6]
  • 82% of global aerospace and defense organizations say digital-continuity investments help maintain a competitive edge, according to a 2025 survey.[6]

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.[8]
  • 61% of aerospace and defense manufacturers reported adopting AI automation, the highest share among sectors surveyed in 2024.[9]
  • 31% of aerospace and defense manufacturers reported adopting generative AI in 2024.[9]
  • 41% of aerospace and defense manufacturers reported adopting predictive AI in 2024.[9]
  • 27% of aerospace and defense manufacturers reported adopting AI-powered industrial IoT in 2024.[9]

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

  • 44% of aerospace and defense companies had completed regulatory-compliance planning for cloud adoption, while 52% remained in the planning stage.[10]
  • 52% of European defense-industry executives ranked cloud computing among their top three technologies for augmenting production ramp-up in 2025.[6]
  • 60% of aerospace and defense companies expected better security from cloud adoption in Accenture’s survey.[10]
  • 20% of European defense-industry executives used cloud computing extensively across more than half of processes and activities in 2025.[6]
  • 38% of aerospace and defense companies had mature cloud practices and tools in place in Accenture’s survey.[10]

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

  • 29% of European defense-industry executives used data and analytics extensively across more than half of processes and activities in 2025.[6]
  • 28% of aerospace and defense companies reported having a data-use vision or strategy aligned with business objectives in McKinsey’s study.[5]
  • 62% of European defense-industry executives ranked data and analytics among their top three technologies for augmenting production ramp-up in 2025.[6]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Operational data integration is scaled through IATA: 250+ airlines submit operational and financial data each year. In 2025, Airbus reported 55,000 users connected to Skywise and 11,900 aircraft covered by analytics.

Business intelligence in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 250+ airlines submit operational and financial data directly to IATA each year for its business-intelligence database.[1]
  • 120 cancellations and air turn-backs were avoided at easyJet through Skywise analytics, according to Airbus.[11]
  • 15 years of aviation history, from 2010 to 2025, are available in the standard IATA WATS global dataset.[1]
  • 11.5% of surveyed airlines rated their data-strategy maturity as Optimized in 2025.[1]
  • 55,000 users were connected to Airbus Skywise across company functions in 2025.[12]
  • 22.9% of surveyed airlines rated their data-strategy maturity as Defined in 2025.[1]

Data analytics in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 4.5 million flight-hours had been logged by the C-17A fleet when Boeing described its aircraft-health analytics program in 2026.[13]
  • 3.1% was the share of Latin American and Caribbean airlines in the surveyed data-strategy maturity distribution classified as Initial.[1]
  • 15 application editors were listed for the Airbus Skywise analytics platform in 2026.[11]
  • 1,000-plus operators were targeted by Boeing’s Insight Accelerator flight-data analytics solution for predictive maintenance workflows.[14]
  • 35 million commercial flights were recorded globally in 2025 in Airbus’s aircraft-generation safety analysis.[15]
  • 11,900 aircraft were covered by Airbus Skywise operational and maintenance analytics in 2025.[12]

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

  • 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.[16]
  • 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.[17]
  • 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.[17]
  • 68% of aerospace respondents rated data and technology adoption as a priority in 2025, compared with 61% across the overall manufacturing sample.[17]

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

  • 55% of security and defense firms used advanced security capabilities, including governance tracking and control, for internal sensitive-content communications in 2024.[18]
  • 48% of security and defense firms said they tagged and classified more than three-quarters of their unstructured data in 2024.[18]
  • 38% of defense contractors pursuing CMMC 2.0 Level 2 had comprehensive governance control and tracking systems in 2025, while 62% lacked them.[18]
  • 42% of defense-organization respondents identified data governance and policies for sharing with external partners as a barrier to AI implementation in 2021.[19]

KPIs in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 71.1% of flights arrived within 15 minutes of schedule during the June-to-August peak season in the EUROCONTROL area in 2025.[20]
  • 70.9% of flights departed within the punctuality threshold in the EUROCONTROL area in 2025.[20]
  • 14.7 minutes was the average all-cause departure delay per flight in the EUROCONTROL area in 2025.[20]
  • 82.9% was the 2025 passenger load factor for North American airlines.[1]
  • 76.1% of flights arrived within 15 minutes of schedule in the EUROCONTROL area in 2025.[20]
  • 17.7 minutes was the average all-cause departure delay per flight in the EUROCONTROL area in 2024.[20]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Manufacturers project sustained fleet requirements amid constrained delivery capacity. Airbus forecast calls for 43,400 new passenger and freighter aircraft over 20 years to 2044.

Growth in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 7.1% was the growth in international airline passenger demand in 2025 compared with 2024.[1]
  • 2.4% was the growth in domestic airline passenger demand in 2025 compared with 2024.[1]
  • 8.9% is Airbus’s forecast for annual domestic passenger-traffic growth in India through 2044, the fastest-growing major flow identified in its 2025 forecast.[12]
  • 43,400 new passenger and freighter aircraft are forecast by Airbus to be required over the 20 years to 2044.[12]
  • 46% is Airbus’s forecast increase in the worldwide dedicated freighter fleet, from 2,360 aircraft in 2025 to 3,460 in 2045.[12]
  • 44,000 new passenger jets and freighters are forecast by Boeing to be delivered over the two decades to 2045.[13]

Differentiation in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 50% smaller noise footprints are offered by Airbus A320neo-family aircraft compared with the previous generation.[12]
  • 20% lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions per seat are offered by the Airbus A320neo versus the previous generation.[12]
  • 14% lower cash operating costs per seat are offered by Airbus A320neo-family aircraft compared with the previous generation.[12]
  • 11 hours is the Airbus A321XLR’s stated nonstop flight capability, enabling single-aisle service on longer routes.[12]
  • 30% lower fuel burn is offered by the Airbus A321XLR compared with previous-generation competitor aircraft.[12]
  • 25% lower fuel burn per seat is delivered by the Airbus A350 compared with previous-generation aircraft.[12]

Mergers and acquisitions in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 17 aerospace, defense and government-contracting transactions were recorded in the third quarter of 2026 by PCE Investment Bankers.[21]
  • 30 aerospace deals were recorded globally in the fourth quarter of 2025 in Stout’s aerospace, defense and government-services tracker.[22]
  • 54.9% of fourth-quarter 2024 aerospace, defense and space transactions involved strategic investors.[23]
  • 140 aerospace, defense and government-contracting transactions were recorded on an LTM basis through the third quarter of 2026 by PCE Investment Bankers.[21]
  • $7.4 billion was the value of the 2025 take-private acquisition of Air Lease Corporation cited by Preqin.[24]
  • 333 aerospace, defense and security M&A deals were recorded globally in 2024, up 2% from 2023.[25]

Strategic partnerships in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • €6.5 billion was the pro-forma annual turnover of the proposed Airbus–Leonardo–Thales space partnership at the end of 2024.[12]
  • More than 800 destinations were accessible through Air India’s codeshare and interline relationships in 2025.[26]
  • 161 destinations in 47 countries were covered by Thai Airways’ partner-airline codeshares in July 2025.[27]
  • 56 codeshare routes linked Emirates and Air Canada in their partnership by November 2025.[28]
  • 11 new destinations across Europe and the Caribbean were added to Emirates customers’ reach through its Condor codeshare partnership in 2025.[28]
  • 19 Emirates-operated routes carried Air Canada’s code under their expanded partnership in 2025.[28]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Workforce change ties to delivery schedules and training capacity. Airbus hired 12,475 new employees in 2024 and reported 5,196 hires younger than 30.

Hiring in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 12,475 new employees were hired by Airbus in 2024 worldwide.[11]
  • More than 9,600 internal mobilities were recorded at Airbus in 2024 worldwide.[11]
  • 5,196 Airbus hires in 2024 were younger than 30 years old worldwide.[11]
  • Airbus employed more than 7,500 people at over 40 U.S. facilities in 2025.[12]
  • Civil aviation will need nearly 1.5 million new professionals worldwide over the decade to 2034, according to CAE’s 2025 forecast.[1]

Employee retention in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 2,618 Airbus leavers in 2024 were older than 50 years worldwide.[11]
  • 6,484 employees left Airbus worldwide in 2024 under the company definition.[11]
  • Airbus reported a 7.2% employee attrition rate worldwide in 2024 under the CSRD definition.[12]
  • 1,326 Airbus leavers in 2024 were female worldwide.[11]
  • 5,153 Airbus leavers in 2024 were male worldwide.[11]

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

  • Across U.S. Department of Defense civilian employees, 11.25% of recorded work hours were routine telework in calendar year 2024.[29]
  • 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.[29]
  • Across U.S. Department of Defense civilian employees, 1.43% of recorded work hours were remote in calendar year 2024.[29]
  • Across U.S. Department of Defense civilian employees, 6% of recorded work hours were situational telework in calendar year 2024.[29]

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

  • 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.[29]
  • Among U.S. remote-capable employees, 33% preferred exclusively remote work in November 2025.[30]
  • Among U.S. remote-capable employees, 61% preferred hybrid work in November 2025.[30]
  • Across U.S. workers, 39% worked from home at least some of the time during the week before the Federal Reserve’s 2025 survey.[31]

Upskilling in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • More than 6,000 Boeing employees enrolled in the company’s Foundational Training Center by 2026.[13]
  • Nearly 160,000 Boeing employees completed required safety and quality training in 2024 worldwide.[13]
  • Boeing added more than 600 hours of new training curriculum by 2026.[13]
  • 552 Delta employees completed the foundational L365 leadership training program in 2025.[32]
  • Delta employees logged an average of 59 computer-based training hours in reservations merit roles in 2025.[32]

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

  • Across 25 aerospace and defense organizations, 32% reported no change in employee engagement scores in 2024.[33]
  • Among NASA civil servants, the 2024 Employee Engagement Index was 84.4% positive across the U.S. space agency workforce.[34]
  • Across 25 aerospace and defense organizations, 44% reported better employee engagement scores in 2024 than during the prior year.[33]
  • Across 25 aerospace and defense organizations, 16% did not measure employee engagement in 2024.[33]
  • Across 25 aerospace and defense organizations, 8% reported worse employee engagement scores in 2024 than during the prior year.[33]

DEI in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • Women represented 4% of U.S. flight engineers, according to aviation workforce data cited by ALPA.[35]
  • Women held 22% of Airbus executive management positions worldwide in 2024.[11]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Customer experience and identity adoption are measurable. In IATA’s 2025 passenger survey, 74% of passengers were willing to use biometric identification during air travel.

Customer experience in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 74% of passengers were willing to use biometric identification during air travel, according to IATA’s 2025 passenger survey.[1]
  • 86% of air passengers worldwide were satisfied with their travel experience in 2025.[1]
  • 743 was Delta Air Lines’ customer-satisfaction score in the North American first/business segment in 2024.[36]
  • 9,582 passengers participated in J.D. Power’s North America Airline Satisfaction Study for 2024.[36]
  • 83 was the U.S. airline industry’s ACSI score for ease of check-in in 2024.[37]

Customer retention in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 7% of U.S. airline customers increased their loyalty and 7% decreased it from one quarter to the next during Q1 2023–Q4 2024.[38]
  • 65% of previously loyal U.K. airline customers lapsed during the quarter-to-quarter analysis covering Q1 2023–Q4 2024.[38]
  • 22% of U.S. airline customers were classified as new from one quarter to the next during Q1 2023–Q4 2024.[38]
  • 43% of non-lapsed U.S. airline customers in the tied segment maintained their previous preference quarter over quarter during Q1 2023–Q4 2024.[38]
  • 26% of U.S. airline customers were classified as lapsed from one quarter to the next during Q1 2023–Q4 2024.[38]

Customer acquisition in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • Qantas Points-earning credit-card acquisitions increased 21% in financial year 2023/24 compared with the previous year.[39]
  • Aeroméxico Rewards had approximately 13.9 million members as of December 31, 2025.[40]
  • 90,000 new members joined Qantas Business Rewards during financial year 2023/24.[39]
  • Qantas Business Rewards membership exceeded 500,000 members as of June 30, 2024.[39]
  • Emirates Skywards members could earn and redeem across 20 airline partners in financial year 2024/25.[41]

Customer loyalty in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 28% was the share of wallet for non-loyal U.S. airline customers in Cardlytics’ Q1 2023–Q4 2024 analysis.[38]
  • 39% of U.S. airline customers were classified as not loyal in Cardlytics’ Q1 2023–Q4 2024 analysis.[38]
  • Two-thirds of the top 10% of most-frequent U.S. airline transactors were classified as loyal in Cardlytics’ analysis.[38]
  • 12% of Delta’s revenue miles flown were from award travel in 2025.[40]
  • 52% of Air France-KLM passenger revenue was generated by Flying Blue loyalty-program members in 2024.[42]

Lead generation in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 34% of aerospace and defense marketers cited lead generation as their top priority in 2024.[43]
  • 7.5% of global advertising spending was allocated to aerospace and defense in 2023.[43]
  • The aerospace marketing industry’s online presence grew 35% between 2020 and 2023.[44]
  • 45% of aerospace and defense companies reported higher digital-marketing budgets in 2024.[43]
  • 52% of aerospace companies used marketing automation to support demand generation in 2024.[43]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Airline brand value continues to be tracked at a global scale. The brand value of the world’s top 50 airline brands reached $147 billion in 2026.

Marketing in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • $250 million was United Airlines’ advertising expense in 2025 in the United States.[40]
  • $346 million was Southwest Airlines’ advertising and promotions expense in 2024 in the United States.[45]
  • $266 million was Southwest Airlines’ advertising and promotions expense in 2023 in the United States.[45]
  • $347 million was Delta Air Lines’ advertising expense in 2023 in the United States.[46]
  • $221 million was United Airlines’ advertising expense in 2023 in the United States.[40]

Digital marketing in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 51% of air travelers aged 75 and older cited airline and hotel websites as a source of travel inspiration in 2025.[5]
  • 41% of air travelers overall cited online travel agencies as a source of travel inspiration in McKinsey’s 2025 survey.[5]
  • 41% of air travelers overall cited search engines as a source of travel inspiration in McKinsey’s 2025 survey.[5]
  • 17% of air travelers aged 55 to 64 cited social media among their top travel-inspiration sources in 2025.[5]
  • 36% of air travelers overall cited airline and hotel websites as a source of travel inspiration in McKinsey’s 2025 survey.[5]

Branding in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • $147 billion was the combined brand value of the world’s top 50 airline brands in 2026.[47]
  • 89.1 out of 100 was Southwest Airlines’ Brand Strength Index score in 2026, ranking it second globally.[47]
  • $906 million was Vietjet’s airline brand value in 2026.[47]
  • $13.1 billion was United Airlines’ brand value in 2026, ranking it second globally among airline brands.[47]
  • $2.9 billion was Turkish Airlines’ brand value in 2026, its highest-ever valuation according to Brand Finance.[47]

Social media in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 7,554 was the median number of impressions per airline Facebook post in the third quarter of 2026.[48]
  • 1.88% was the highest median airline Instagram post engagement rate recorded during the third quarter of 2026.[48]
  • 270 Instagram profiles were included in Emplifi’s worldwide airline social-media benchmark for the third quarter of 2026.[48]
  • 50 was the median number of interactions per airline Facebook post in September 2026.[48]
  • 26,582 was the median number of total interactions received by an airline Instagram profile during the third quarter of 2026.[48]

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

  • 55% of B2B marketing leaders across the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil, India and Australia were using influencers in 2025.[49]
  • 76% of B2B marketing leaders across six countries believed creator collaborations build brand authenticity in 2025.[49]
  • 49% of B2B marketing leaders across six countries cited industry relevance as a criterion for selecting creators in 2025.[49]
  • 29% of B2B marketing leaders across six countries planned to adopt influencer marketing within the following year in 2025.[49]
  • 58% of B2B marketing leaders across six countries cited authenticity and credibility as criteria for selecting creators in 2025.[49]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Backlog and delivery pace remain core execution constraints. Airbus held 8,754 aircraft in commercial backlog at end of December 2025, up from 8,658 at end of 2024.

Process optimization in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 8,658 commercial aircraft were in Airbus’s year-end backlog in 2024.[50]
  • 1,254 aircraft were estimated to be delivered globally in 2024, according to IATA’s November 2024 forecast.[1]
  • 1,802 aircraft deliveries were forecast globally for 2025 by IATA in November 2024.[1]
  • 878 gross commercial-aircraft orders were recorded by Airbus in 2024.[50]
  • 2,077 aircraft deliveries were forecast globally for 2026 by IATA in November 2024.[1]

Operational efficiency in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 0.9 percentage points was the year-on-year increase in total weight load factors associated with 2024 fuel-efficiency gains.[1]
  • 39 cents per available tonne-kilometre was the expected airline non-fuel unit cost in 2024.[1]
  • 4.2 litres of fuel were consumed per 100 revenue passenger-kilometres by airlines in 2024.[1]
  • 12.7 million operations were handled at the United States Core 30 airports in fiscal year 2024.[51]
  • 4.3 litres per 100 revenue passenger-kilometres was the corresponding airline fuel-consumption figure in 2023.[1]

Quality management in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 0.68 fatal general-aviation accidents occurred per 100,000 flight hours in the United States in fiscal year 2024.[51]
  • 296 fatalities were recorded in scheduled commercial aviation worldwide in 2024.[52]
  • 2.56 accidents occurred per million scheduled flight departures worldwide in 2024.[52]
  • 95 aircraft accidents occurred in scheduled commercial operations worldwide in 2024.[52]
  • 134 serious injuries were recorded in scheduled commercial aviation worldwide in 2024.[52]

Supply chain in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 8,754 commercial aircraft were in Airbus’s year-end backlog in 2025, compared with 8,658 in 2024.[12]
  • $4.2 billion of delayed fuel savings were attributed to older aircraft forced into airline operations in 2025.[1]
  • 15 years was the average age of the global commercial aircraft fleet in 2024.[1]
  • Aircraft deliveries fell to 1,254 globally in 2024, about 30% below pre-pandemic peaks.[1]
  • The commercial-aircraft backlog reached 17,000 jets in 2024, according to IATA.[1]

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

  • 46% of aerospace companies reported that most supply-chain expenditures were concentrated within their own region, including neighboring countries, in 2024.[53]
  • 21.35% of aerospace survey respondents reported manufacturing less than 25% of components in-house, indicating highly outsourced production, in 2023.[54]
  • 53% of aerospace and defense executives expected to reshore or nearshore their suppliers, on average, within the following three years, in 2022.[55]
  • Nearly 60% of US aerospace and defense companies were considering localization strategies, while 15% had developed or navigated reshoring or onshoring strategies, in 2025.[33]
  • 23.35% of aerospace survey respondents reported manufacturing 51–75% of components in-house, in 2023.[54]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Pricing and cost pressure show up in load factors and unit economics. U.S. average domestic itinerary fare was $387 in 2025, down 1.8% from 2024.

Pricing strategy in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 69% of aircraft younger than ten years that were in storage in 2025 were equipped with Pratt & Whitney PW1000G engines, constraining available capacity and pricing flexibility.[1]
  • 168 dollars is the projected average nominal one-way global airfare in both 2025 and 2026, according to IATA’s industry outlook.[1]
  • 83.7% is the projected global passenger load factor for 2025, reflecting pricing power supported by constrained aircraft capacity.[1]
  • $144 billion in ancillary revenue is expected from global airlines in 2025, an increase of 6.7% from 2024.[1]
  • $839 billion in passenger ticket revenue is expected in 2026, up 9.2% year over year globally as fares rise to cover higher fuel costs.[1]

Cost reduction in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 34% of U.S. airline operating expenses were attributable to labor in the first quarter of 2026.[56]
  • $37.01 per block minute was the U.S. passenger-airline labor cost in 2025, up 5.1% year over year.[56]
  • $29.34 per block minute was the U.S. passenger-airline fuel cost in 2025, down 11.3% from 2024.[56]
  • 10.4% is the increase in global airline payment costs from 2023 to 2025, outpacing the 7.7% increase in travel sales.[1]
  • $18.35 per block minute was the U.S. passenger-airline maintenance cost in 2025, up 0.3% from 2024.[56]

Profitability in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 8.7% was the expected net profit margin for Middle Eastern airlines in 2025, the strongest regional result in IATA’s forecast.[1]
  • $10.1 was the record global airline net profit per passenger in 2016.[1]
  • $7.20 was the estimated global airline net profit per passenger in 2025.[1]
  • 6.7% was the expected global airline return on invested capital in 2025.[1]
  • 4.2% was the estimated global airline net profit margin in 2025.[1]

Financial planning in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 2,460 aircraft deliveries were forecast globally for 2027 in IATA’s December 2025 outlook.[1]
  • 2.4 million tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel were expected to be available to airlines globally in 2026, equal to 0.8% of fuel consumption.[1]
  • 3% was the annual aircraft-fleet replacement rate in 2025, below the normal 5% to 6% range.[1]
  • 1,266 aircraft were delivered globally in 2024, down 8% year over year.[1]
  • 15.2 years was the record average aircraft-fleet age reported by IATA in June 2026.[1]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Services and connected-asset models are expanding against delivery shortfalls. Airbus forecasts digitally connected aircraft supported to increase from 11,000 to more than 40,000 by 2044.

Product development in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 2,670 dedicated freighter deliveries are forecast globally through 2045, led by demand for 925 aircraft in North America and 850 in Asia-Pacific.[12]
  • 8,754 aircraft remained in Airbus’s commercial aircraft backlog at the end of December 2025.[12]
  • 43,600 new commercial airplanes are forecast to be delivered worldwide from 2025 to 2044, including 33,285 single-aisle aircraft and 7,815 widebodies.[13]
  • 34,250 single-aisle aircraft are expected to account for the majority of Airbus’s forecast global deliveries between 2025 and 2044.[12]
  • Approximately $2.7 billion was spent on research and development by GE Aerospace, including customer and partner funding, in 2024.[57]

Product lifecycle in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • The average global commercial fleet age reached 15.1 years in IATA’s 2025 supply-chain assessment, compared with 13.4 years before COVID-19.[1]
  • More than 18,000 aircraft are forecast to reach retirement and recycling during the 2026–2045 period.[12]
  • At least 5,300 aircraft of delivery shortfalls were identified in IATA’s 2025 commercial-aircraft supply-chain assessment.[1]
  • The commercial fleet is forecast to reach more than 49,000 aircraft by 2044, nearly doubling from its 2025 level under Airbus’s services forecast.[12]
  • More than 30% of Europe’s current aircraft fleet is expected to retire during the decade following EASA’s 2024 assessment.[58]

After-sales in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • The number of digitally connected aircraft supported by Airbus is forecast to increase from 11,000 currently to more than 40,000 by 2044.[12]
  • Global digital and connectivity services demand is forecast to grow from $9 billion in 2025 to $26 billion in 2044.[12]
  • Global civil MRO employment totaled 418,732 maintenance employees across 4,966 firms in the 2024 market assessment.[59]
  • More than 2.35 million new aviation professionals are expected to be required by 2044, including pilots, technicians and cabin crew.[12]
  • Material supply represents 85% of the value of Airbus’s forecast off-wing maintenance category.[12]

Value proposition in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • Emerging Asia–China passenger traffic is forecast to grow 8.5% annually from 2025 to 2044.[12]
  • Global passenger traffic is forecast to grow 3.6% annually from 2025 to 2044 under Airbus’s market forecast.[12]
  • India’s domestic passenger traffic is forecast to grow 8.9% annually from 2025 to 2044, the highest rate identified in Airbus’s forecast.[12]
  • Airlines are projected to require 9,000 additional airplanes without the efficiency and productivity gains of newer aircraft, according to Boeing’s 2026 outlook.[13]
  • Airbus forecasts that the global services market will support 1.4 billion additional annual passenger journeys by 2045 compared with 2025 levels.[12]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Decarbonization economics and adoption remain central constraints. IATA estimates 2026 SAF production at 2.4 million tonnes, with a blended global SAF price of $2,872 per tonne.

Sustainability in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 66% of passengers said they were willing to pay more to compensate for aviation emissions in IATA’s 2026 survey.[1]
  • 1.0% of airlines’ 2024 gross CO₂ emissions were mitigated through sustainable aviation fuel or offsets.[1]
  • 82 aircraft operators contributed data to IATA’s TrackZero platform in 2024, representing 45% of IATA members by revenue-tonne-kilometer.[1]
  • 500 million tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel will be needed annually in 2050 for aviation to reach net-zero CO₂ emissions.[1]
  • 62% of aviation’s required carbon-emissions reduction by 2050 is expected to come from sustainable aviation fuel under IATA roadmaps.[1]

ESG in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 46% is Airbus’s target for reducing commercial-aircraft scope 3 emissions intensity by 2035 from 2015.[12]
  • 42,000 Delta employees participated in the company’s 2024 engagement survey.[32]
  • 645 kilotonnes of CO₂e were emitted from Airbus operations in 2023 under scopes 1 and 2.[12]
  • 20,000 employees belonged to Delta’s 12 business resource groups in 2024.[32]
  • 26% of Delta’s supply-chain emissions were linked in 2024 to suppliers that calculate emissions using the GHG Protocol.[32]

Ethics in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 96,714 participants had completed Airbus human-rights training cumulatively since 2020 by 2023.[12]
  • 525,280 Airbus ethics and compliance e-learning sessions were taken by employees in 2023.[12]
  • 367,187 Airbus export-control e-learning sessions were delivered to employees in 2023.[12]
  • 338 employees were covered per appointed Airbus ethics and compliance representative in 2023.[12]
  • 1,730 ethics alerts or allegations were received by Airbus in 2024.[12]

CSR in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 800 Delta volunteers helped build four homes with Atlanta Habitat for Humanity in 2024.[32]
  • $2.5 million was contributed to Delta Care and Scholarship Funds in 2024.[32]
  • $3.3 million was matched by the Delta Air Lines Foundation for employee, retiree and board-member education donations in 2024.[32]
  • 86.5 million jobs were supported globally by air transport in 2023.[1]
  • $442,000 was raised by Delta through the 2024 Covenant House Sleep Out event.[32]

Circular economy in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 3.6 million tonnes of cabin and catering waste are estimated to be generated annually by the global airline industry based on 2024–2025 data.[12]
  • 6,828 tonnes of Airbus hazardous waste went to recycling in 2024.[12]
  • 90,012 tonnes of Airbus non-exceptional waste were generated in 2024.[12]
  • 10,921 tonnes of Airbus non-hazardous waste went to energy recovery in 2024.[12]
  • 60,653 tonnes of Airbus waste were non-recycled in 2024, equal to 26.4% of generated waste.[12]

Carbon footprint in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 3.7% was the year-over-year decline in airline net CO₂ intensity per revenue-tonne-kilometer in 2024.[1]
  • 6.7% was the year-over-year increase in airlines’ total net CO₂ emissions in 2024.[1]
  • 340 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel were produced globally in 2024, according to United Airlines.[60]
  • 85% is the maximum lifecycle greenhouse-gas reduction cited by United for sustainable aviation fuel compared with conventional jet fuel.[60]
  • 578 grams of net CO₂ per available-tonne-kilometer was the airline-industry intensity in 2024.[1]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

Regional demand mix continues to shift. Asia-Pacific airlines generated 33.5% of global airline revenue passenger-kilometres in 2024.

Globalization in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 33.5% of global airline revenue passenger-kilometres were generated by Asia-Pacific airlines in 2024.[1]
  • 876 million passengers used the United States aviation market in 2024, making it the largest national market.[1]
  • 741 million passengers used China’s aviation market in 2024, an 18.7% increase from 2023.[1]
  • More than 70% of Boeing’s total backlog was represented by customers outside the United States.[13]
  • 211 million passengers used India’s aviation market in 2024, an 11.1% increase from 2023.[1]

Cultural adaptation in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 26% of U.S. air traffic-control positions were held by women, according to ALPA’s aviation diversity data.[35]
  • 43% of employees reported by 119 airline signatories to IATA’s 2024 diversity survey were women, representing 375,155 women.[1]
  • 21% of Airbus employees were women, according to the company’s current workforce disclosure.[12]
  • 871,935 employees were represented by the 119 airline signatories that reported workforce data to IATA for 2024.[1]
  • 18% of U.S. flight-dispatcher positions were held by women, according to ALPA’s aviation diversity data.[35]

Supplier management in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • €53 billion was Airbus’s external sourcing volume in 2023.[12]
  • 49 research-and-development centers, consortia and joint research centers were included in Boeing’s global network.[13]
  • More than 20,000 suppliers and partners were included in Boeing’s global network.[13]
  • 16% of Airbus’s 2023 purchased volume was sourced from Germany.[12]
  • 32% of Airbus’s 2023 purchased volume was sourced from France.[12]

Stakeholder management in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 17% of Munich Airport’s sponsorship budget went to social welfare in 2024.[66]
  • 91 complaints per million passengers was Munich Airport’s relative complaint rate in 2024.[66]
  • 51% of disability-related complaints received by carriers in 2023 concerned inadequate wheelchair assistance.[67]
  • 13% of Munich Airport’s sponsorship budget went to environmental initiatives in 2024.[66]
  • 49,082 disability-related complaints were received by U.S. and foreign carriers in 2023.[67]

Distribution channels in the aerospace and aviation industry

  • 48% of U.S. international personal trips were booked through airline websites in January 2025.[56]
  • 21% of U.S. domestic personal trips were booked through airline apps in January 2025.[56]
  • 17% of U.S. domestic personal trips were booked through online travel agencies in January 2025.[56]
  • 37% of U.S. international business trips were booked through airline websites in January 2025.[56]
  • 14% of U.S. international personal trips were booked through airline apps in January 2025.[56]

Key questions about the aerospace and aviation industry

What is the scale of the aerospace and aviation market in 2026?
Global airline revenues are forecast at $1.053 trillion in 2026.
How fast is passenger demand expected to grow in 2026?
IATA forecasts global passenger demand, measured in revenue passenger-kilometers, to grow 2.1% in 2026 after 5.3% growth in 2025.
Which companies lead the aerospace and aviation industry?
GE Aerospace stands out for aircraft engine scale because it supports approximately 70,000 commercial and defense engines in service, while Boeing focuses on commercial aircraft since it delivered 600 commercial airplanes in 2025.
What technology shifts are visible in aviation planning and operations in 2026?
In 2026, 49% of global air passengers had used AI tools to plan or book travel, and 20%–40% of airline coding was being performed by AI.
How concentrated is commercial aircraft manufacturing?
Commercial aircraft manufacturing remains highly concentrated between Airbus and Boeing; Airbus delivered 793 commercial aircraft in 2025 versus 585 for Boeing.
How are decarbonization and supply constraints affecting costs and capacity in 2026?
Demand stays strong but aircraft delivery delays and supply-chain constraints limit capacity, while IATA estimates 2026 SAF production at 2.4 million tonnes and a blended global SAF price of $2,872 per tonne.
Reference

Cite This Report

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APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 10). Aerospace And Aviation Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/aerospace-and-aviation-industry-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "Aerospace And Aviation Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 10 Nov 2026, https://gitnux.org/aerospace-and-aviation-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Aerospace And Aviation Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/aerospace-and-aviation-industry-statistics.

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