Asia-Pacific is expected to remain the main engine of global aviation growth over the next two decades, with the region requiring 19,120 new passenger aircraft by 2045, according to Airbus’ latest Global Market Forecast.
The projected demand would account for about 45% of the 42,060 new aircraft expected to be required globally between 2026 and 2045.
Airbus expects Asia-Pacific passenger traffic to grow at a compound annual rate of 5.1%, well above the global average of 3.9%, resulting in traffic volumes more than doubling over the forecast period.
Of the 19,120 new passenger aircraft required in the region, about one-third will be for replacement, while the remainder will support fleet expansion.
Airbus said the growth outlook is underpinned by strong economic fundamentals, with Asia-Pacific’s middle-income population projected to reach three billion people by 2045, alongside continued urbanisation and rising demand for air connectivity.
The region is expected to account for a particularly large share of widebody demand, requiring around 3,420 new widebody aircraft, or almost half of global deliveries in the category.
Single-aisle aircraft will continue to dominate overall demand, with 15,700 aircraft in the 100-244 seat segment expected to be needed by 2045 as airlines expand domestic and intra-regional networks.
Airbus said longer-range single-aisle aircraft such as the A321XLR and A220 are also enabling airlines to connect more secondary cities directly, reducing reliance on traditional hub-and-spoke networks.
The aircraft maker sees scope for the A220 to unlock more than 800 currently unserved city pairs across Asia-Pacific.
“We are seeing an evolution in the Asia-Pacific networks and how they connect,” said Anand Stanley, President of Airbus in Asia-Pacific.
“Alongside sustained expansion in long-haul networks, airlines are decentralising beyond traditional hub-and-spoke models to connect secondary cities directly to the global economy.”
By the end of August 2026, 119 airlines in Asia-Pacific operated about 5,000 Airbus commercial aircraft, giving the manufacturer a 58% market share.
The region also had nearly 3,500 Airbus aircraft on order, equivalent to 61% of the backlog among all manufacturers in the above-100-seat jet market.
Airbus said its A330neo and A350 families have helped raise its share of the region’s widebody backlog to 50% over the past three years, with the A350 increasingly used for long-haul intercontinental services.
