Airbus projects a $4.6 trillion global market for commercial aircraft services from 2018 to 2037.
The company’s Global Services Forecast highlights strong expansion in aircraft lifecycle services over the next 20 years. These offerings span the full lifecycle—from design and maintenance to tooling, technical training, system upgrades and end-of-life dismantling—driven by the growing complexity of fleets and the need to keep aircraft operational, safe and efficient.
Flight operations services make up the next-largest segment of the market. This category includes pilot training, flight-planning solutions and related operational support. With global fleets expected to nearly double to roughly 48,000 aircraft during the forecast period, the industry will need more than 540,000 new pilots. That surge will require more efficient and scalable training methods, increased simulator capacity and innovative training technologies.
Passenger experience services represent the third major component of the services market. Airlines will invest in cabin upgrades, cabin-crew training, in-flight entertainment, onboard connectivity and improved booking systems to meet rising passenger expectations. As more travelers use smart devices throughout their journeys, demand will grow for real-time access to information about flights, airports and baggage handling, along with enhanced onboard connectivity and personalized content.
To address these market trends, Airbus expects to triple its services revenue over the next decade. The company also plans to extend parts of its services portfolio to non-Airbus platforms, recognizing that around 62 percent of the Airbus-operated fleet is managed by multi-fleet operators. Expanding service offerings across mixed fleets aims to provide operators with greater flexibility, reduce overall lifecycle costs and improve fleet availability.
Overall, the forecast underscores how maintenance, operations and passenger-facing innovations will drive long-term growth in the commercial aircraft services market. Airlines and service providers that invest in scalable training, predictive maintenance, modular cabin upgrades and advanced connectivity solutions are likely to capture the biggest share of opportunity as demand for global aviation services expands through 2037.