Passenger Air Transport Market Report 2026

The passenger air transport market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $870.78 billion in 2025 to $925.84 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.3%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to expansion of global tourism activity, growth of international business travel, increasing airline route connectivity, rising disposable income levels, development of airport infrastructure.

The passenger air transport market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $1.2 trillion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.7%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing investments in sustainable aviation fuel, rising demand for contactless travel solutions, expansion of regional air connectivity, growing adoption of smart airport systems, increasing focus on carbon-efficient flight operations. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing adoption of low-cost carrier services, rising demand for digital ticketing platforms, expansion of sustainable aviation practices, growing integration of data-driven flight operations, enhanced focus on passenger experience.

The rise in global tourism is anticipated to drive the expansion of the passenger air transport market in the coming years. Global tourism involves the movement of people to domestic and international destinations for leisure, business, or other travel purposes, encompassing the use of travel, accommodation, and related services. This growth in tourism is attributed to enhanced international connectivity, making travel more convenient and accessible. Passenger air transport facilitates global tourism by offering fast, reliable, and long-distance connections between destinations, shortening travel time and improving accessibility, which boosts both international and domestic tourist movement. For example, in February 2024, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), a Spain-based specialized UN agency, reported that 1.28 billion international tourists traveled in 2023, marking a 34% increase compared to 2022. Consequently, the growth in global tourism is contributing to the expansion of the passenger air transport market.

Increasing numbers of air travelers are expected to drive the growth of the passenger air transport market in the coming years. Air passengers are individuals who travel by commercial airlines or private aircraft for various purposes. The rise in air travel is attributed to growing disposable incomes and the increased affordability of flights. Passenger air transport is essential for providing fast and efficient long-distance travel for air passengers, and it plays a key role in promoting global tourism and strengthening connectivity between regions and countries. For example, in December 2024, according to Eurostat, a Luxembourg-based European Union statistical office, air passenger transport across the European Union reached 973 million passengers in 2023, up from 816 million in 2022, representing a 19.3% year-on-year increase. Consequently, the rising number of air travelers is fueling the growth of the passenger air transport market.

Major companies in the passenger air transport market are increasingly focused on launching passenger airlines to enhance their competitive advantage. A passenger airline is an organization that provides air transportation services, enabling individuals to travel by air between different locations. For example, in October 2024, Qatar Airways, a Qatar-based airline, introduced the world's first Boeing 777 equipped with Starlink technology to improve in-flight connectivity. The inaugural flight occurred on October 22, 2024, from Doha to London, offering passengers complimentary high-speed, low-latency internet access, allowing for seamless streaming, gaming, and work during the flight. The airline plans to retrofit 12 additional Boeing 777-300ERs with Starlink by the end of 2024 and aims to extend this service to its entire Boeing 777 fleet by 2025, with the Airbus A350 fleet to follow.

Major companies operating in the passenger air transport market are American Airlines Group Inc., Delta Air Lines Inc., United Airlines Holdings Inc., Lufthansa Group, Air France-KLM, WestJet, TAL Aviation Group, Egyptair, LATAM Airlines, Air Transat, Sunwing, Allegiant Air, easyJet, Controladora Vuela Compania de Aviacion SAB de CV, South African Airways, China Airlines, The Emirates Group, Red Sea Airlines, Avianca Group International Limited, Emirates Airline, Ryanair DAC, Kenya Airways, United Nigeria Airlines Company Limited, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways Company Q.C.S.C., Japan Airlines Co Ltd, ABC Aerolineas SA de CV, El Al Israel Airlines Ltd, Air Canada, Linea Aerea Amaszonas, AirAsia, TAROM SA, Austrian Airlines AG, Jazz, Aerolineas Argentinas, Ikar Airlines LLC, Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, Boliviana de Aviacion, Azul Linhas Aereas Brasileiras S/A, British Airways Ltd, Grupo Aeromexico SAB de CV, Oman Air, Riyadh Air, FB Lineas Aereas SA, Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines Company, Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA, Saudia, Red Wings Airlines, Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines Ltd., Flydubai, Swiss International Air Lines AG, LOT Polish Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, RwandAir Limited.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the passenger air services transport market in 2025. North America was the second largest region in the passenger air transport services market. The regions covered in the passenger air transport market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the passenger air transport market report are China, India, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, South Korea, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, New Zealand, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iran, Turkey, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa.

The passenger air transport services market includes revenues earned by entities that transport passengers from one location to another in a short period of time while also improving security. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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