Aviation Week Network's 2026 Commercial Fleet & MRO Forecast projects aftermarket maintenance, repair and overhaul requirements of more than $1.6 trillion between 2026 and 2035, signaling a decade of sustained demand for repair stations, engine shops and parts suppliers.

The forecast expects the active in-service commercial fleet to grow from a little more than 34,600 aircraft in 2026 to about 45,000 by the end of 2035, a compound annual growth rate of 3 percent. Narrowbody aircraft will post the fastest expansion at a 4.5 percent annual rate, increasing their share of the global fleet to 70 percent in 2035 from 60 percent in 2026. Widebody types are forecast to grow at 2.4 percent annually.

Engine maintenance remains the largest cost driver. North America is projected to account for roughly one-fifth of the global engine MRO market over the period, representing $159 billion of an $848 billion worldwide total, a figure that benefits major U.S. engine shops in the Southeast and across the country.

The forecast also flags an estimated $5.1 billion in unscheduled narrowbody engine work expected in 2026 and 2027 as manufacturers continue addressing time-on-wing durability issues on newer powerplants. Regionally, India and the Middle East stand out for above-average MRO demand growth, with compound annual rates of 12 percent and 5 percent, respectively.

Source: Aviation Week Network -- https://aviationweek.com/mro/aircraft-propulsion/new-aviation-week-forecast-projects-record-engine-mro-growth