Boeing has revised its 20-year demand forecast for commercial jets, now predicting that airlines will require 43,975 new airplanes over the next two decades. This updated projection, released ahead of the Farnborough Airshow, marks an increase of 1,375 aircraft from its previous forecast. The U.S. airframer attributes this adjustment to the faster-than-expected recovery of air travel following the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to Boeing’s 2024 commercial market outlook (CMO), air traffic growth is reconnecting with pre-pandemic trends and is expected to rise by an average of 4.7% annually over the next twenty years.
Airbus, Boeing’s main competitor, has also revised its industry-wide delivery forecast upward. Airbus now projects a need for 42,430 new passenger and freighter deliveries between 2024 and 2043, compared to the 40,850 airplanes anticipated in its global market forecast last year.