With demand rebounding for international air travel following the pandemic and amidst urgent calls for a more sustainable aviation industry, Boeing is projecting demand for more than 41,000 new airplanes in the next two decades, leading to an 80 percent increase in the global fleet compared to 2019 levels.

In the airline manufacturer’s just-released annual Commercial Market Outlook (CMO), Boeing forecast a market value of US $7.2 trillion for new airplane deliveries.

The long-term forecast further states that approximately half of passenger jet deliveries will replace today’s models, improving the global fleet’s fuel efficiency and sustainability.

Meanwhile, single-aisle airplanes will account for 75% of all new deliveries, unchanged from last year’s CMO, and totalling nearly 31,000 airplanes. And through the 2041 forecast period, new widebody airplanes will account for about 18% of deliveries with more than 7,200 airplanes, enabling airlines to serve new and existing markets, passenger and cargo, more efficiently than in the past.

In addition, Boeing Global Services forecasts $3.6 trillion in demand in its market segments over the same time period, including strong demand for maintenance and modifications such as converted freighters; digital solutions that increase efficiency and reduce cost; and effective training to enable the supply of pilots and technicians.

“Despite the unprecedented disruption over the past two years, the aviation industry has shown incredible resilience adapting to the challenge,” said Ihssane Mounir, Boeing’s Sr. VP of Commercial Sales and Marketing. “The 2022 CMO draws upon our expertise forecasting market trends to demonstrate the strong demand for new airplanes and related services in the coming decades, providing a waypoint as the industry continues to navigate its recovery.”

Boeing has provided the CMO annually for more than 60 years. As the longest-running jet forecast, the CMO is regarded as the most comprehensive analysis of the commercial aviation industry.