According to its latest Global Services Forecast (GSF), Airbus anticipates a 10 percent increase in demand for aviation services in 2025 compared to this year, with long-term growth projected to follow the expansion of global air traffic. By 2044, the total value of the services market could reach USD 311 billion, representing an average annual growth rate of 3.6 percent.
Around half of the world’s fleet of aircraft with more than 100 seats currently consists of Airbus aircraft, providing the manufacturer with strong potential for expansion in the maintenance and support segment. As global passenger traffic is set to reach a record five billion passengers in 2025, airlines face the challenge of maintaining high fleet availability and reliability while ensuring maximum operational efficiency.
In its report, Airbus highlights five key segments expected to drive growth in the services market as the global commercial fleet nearly doubles—from around 25,000 today to more than 49,000 aircraft by 2044—while annual passenger numbers are projected to rise to ten billion.
The largest share will come from off-wing maintenance, which includes servicing components and engines outside the aircraft itself. This sector is expected to grow from USD 107 billion in 2025 to as much as USD 218 billion by 2044, mainly due to the aging fleet and an increasing number of heavy maintenance checks. The on-wing maintenance segment, which covers routine and more complex inspections, will expand from USD 21 billion to USD 34 billion, while the modifications and upgrades market—such as cabin and systems retrofits—will grow from USD 12 billion to USD 17 billion.
The fastest growth is expected in digital solutions and connectivity, whose value will nearly triple, from USD 9 billion in 2025 to USD 26 billion in 2044. Digitalization enables predictive maintenance, optimized flight profiles, advanced fuel-saving solutions, and an enhanced passenger experience. The training and education market will grow from USD 10 billion to USD 17 billion, driven by the need for up to 2.35 million new aviation professionals over the next two decades— including 633,000 pilots, 705,000 technicians, and more than one million cabin crew members.
“Digital solutions are becoming true efficiency multipliers, enabling operators to grow without compromising reliability or cost. By 2044, the number of digitally connected aircraft will increase from today’s 11,000 to more than 40,000, potentially delivering over USD 83 billion in annual operational savings for our customers,” said Cristina Aguilar Grieder, Airbus Senior Vice President for Customer Services.
In addition to these core segments, Airbus’s report also examines other emerging areas shaping the market, such as maintenance operations support—covering engineering, logistics, and fleet planning services—and ground operations, where technological innovations are enabling more efficient on-ground processes and faster aircraft turnaround times.
By 2044, the largest services markets will be China, Europe, and North America, while the fastest annual growth is expected in South Asia, China, and the wider Asia-Pacific region.
