Boeing forecasts the global commercial aviation support and services market, which includes aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul, parts and supply chain, training and digital solutions, will be worth $4.9 trillion over the 20-year period from 2026 to 2045. The forecast, released as part of Boeing's 2026 Services Market Outlook, also projects that the industry will need more than 2.4 million new aviation professionals over that span, including 728,000 maintenance technicians, 674,000 pilots and 1,023,000 cabin crew members.
Two-thirds of that workforce demand will replace retiring personnel, while about a third will support fleet growth, according to Boeing. North America alone is projected to need 125,000 new maintenance technicians and account for $995 billion of the total services and support demand through 2045.
Boeing said capacity constraints, including aircraft and engine production delays, workforce availability and parts supply chain issues, are extending the period during which airlines must operate older aircraft, which in turn requires more frequent and extensive maintenance work. As a result, aircraft MRO and modification services, along with used serviceable material, are expected to see sustained demand growth.
The report also points to aircraft digitalization as a growing factor in the services market, projecting that more than 90% of the global fleet will be e-enabled by 2045, supporting a shift toward predictive maintenance and data-driven decision making. Boeing said training providers are responding to workforce pressures with competency-based training programs and virtual and mixed-reality tools designed to accelerate technician and pilot readiness.
Source: Boeing - https://www.boeing.com/commercial/market/services-market-outlook