Boeing Commercial Airplanes issued its annual forecast for commercial aircraft demand, projecting the current market will expand by nearly 80% over the next 20 years. Numerically, that means the global commercial airplane fleet will increase by more than 50,000 jets by 2045, including airlines and cargo service operators.

That 50,000-jet target is more than 300 aircraft above the forecast set in Boeing’s 2025 Commercial Market Outlook, and reflects the strength of various factors driving demand. These are rising passenger traffic levels in emerging markets, airlines expanding their point-to-point networks, and the continuing increases in air cargo volumes.

"Airlines are adapting quickly to manage near-term industry constraints while demand for air travel remains resilient," according to Boeing senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing Brad McMullen. "That demand is driving the need to grow and modernize the global fleet, underscoring the importance of new, fuel-efficient airplanes that will play an increasingly vital role in connecting people and economies around the world."

The 20-year expansion - which Boeing projects will call for 43,625 new airplane deliveries through 2045 - will be balanced between mature regional markets (North America, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and Northeast Asia) requiring about 45% of the total new supply; and the “transitioning and emerging” markets (China, the Middle East, Latin America, South and Southeast Asia, and Africa.)

About 70% of the new aircraft deliveries (33,545) during the forecast period will be single-aisle jets, such as the Boeing 737 series, along with 7,715 widebody jets, such as Boeing’s 787 series.

The 20-year forecast also include 1,435 regional jets and 930 freighter aircraft.