Airbus sees Asia-Pacific demand for 19,120 aircraft

Airbus forecasts that the Asia-Pacific region will require 19,120 new passenger aircraft over the next two decades, representing 45% of projected global demand.

The outlook points to Asia-Pacific remaining the main source of growth in commercial aviation. Passenger traffic in the region is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 5.1%, ahead of the global average of 3.9%. Over the period covered by the forecast, traffic volumes are expected to more than double.

Of the 19,120 aircraft Airbus expects airlines in Asia-Pacific to take, about one-third would replace older fleets and the rest would support expansion. Airbus puts total global demand at 42,060 new passenger aircraft.

Economic and demographic trends underpin the projection. The middle-income population in Asia-Pacific is expected to reach three billion by 2045, while continued urbanisation is widening the potential market for air travel across the region.

Widebody demand

Demand is expected to be particularly strong for larger long-haul aircraft, with Asia-Pacific accounting for 3,420 new widebody deliveries, or almost half of global widebody demand.

The region is also expected to remain heavily reliant on single-aisle jets. Airbus forecasts demand for 15,700 aircraft in the 100-244 seat segment by 2045, reflecting domestic growth, expanding regional links, and the replacement of older narrowbody fleets.

Network patterns in Asia-Pacific are shifting as airlines develop more direct services between secondary cities rather than relying only on traditional hub airports. Longer-range narrowbody aircraft are also allowing carriers to open routes that might previously have been uneconomic.

Among the aircraft types cited in the forecast were the A321XLR and the A220, which Airbus said could support services linking smaller or underserved markets. The manufacturer said the A220 had already been used to open more than 400 routes worldwide and that it saw potential for more than 800 additional unserved city pairs in Asia-Pacific.

"We are seeing an evolution in the Asia-Pacific networks and how they connect," said Anand Stanley, President, 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 leveraging latest-generation aircraft technology, carriers in the region are rewriting connectivity maps and driving the region's long-term economic prosperity," Stanley said.

Market share

Airbus also used the forecast to highlight its current position in the region. By the end of August 2026, 119 airlines in Asia-Pacific were operating 5,000 Airbus commercial aircraft, according to the company.

That installed fleet gives Airbus a 58% market share in the region, it said. Airbus also said it had nearly 3,500 aircraft on order for future delivery, representing 61% of the backlog across manufacturers in the market for jets with more than 100 seats.

In the widebody market, Airbus said its share of the regional backlog had risen to 50% over the previous three years. It attributed the increase to demand for the A330neo and A350 family, adding that the A350 had become a widely chosen option among airlines in the region for long-range intercontinental routes.

The forecast identifies China, India, the Pacific, Southeast Asia, and North Asia as the main markets shaping regional demand. Together, those markets are expected to underpin both replacement cycles and new capacity as airlines respond to growing traffic and changing route structures.

Asia-Pacific's prominence in Airbus' outlook underscores the extent to which the region now sits at the centre of the global commercial aircraft market, for both short-haul expansion and long-haul fleet renewal, with 19,120 new aircraft expected to be needed by 2045.