Global maintenance, repair and overhaul demand reached $136 billion in 2025, an 8 percent increase over the $126 billion recorded in 2024, according to the Oliver Wyman Global Fleet and MRO Market Forecast 2026-2036.

Spending is expected to approach $193 billion by the end of this decade, close to double the 2019 figure. The firm projects the market to expand at a 3.7 percent compound annual rate and reach nearly $198 billion by 2036. North America is named among the regions where maintenance spend will outpace fleet growth, a function of older aircraft flying more hours per year.

The pricing pressure traces back to supply. Global aircraft production finished 2025 running 24 percent below 2019 levels, and roughly 17,000 unfilled orders sat on manufacturer books at the start of 2026, a backlog that would take more than 12 years to clear at current build rates. Carriers responded by extending service lives, pushing the average age of the world fleet to nearly 13 years, about 18 months older than the prior year. The in-service commercial fleet stood near 30,000 aircraft in early 2026 and is forecast to reach roughly 41,000 by 2036.

Labor cost adds to the total. The report finds that 41 percent of certified mechanics in the United States are over 60 years old and that roughly 45,000 will retire within the next decade. Engines remain the largest and fastest growing segment of the market. Shortages of composites and titanium have lengthened turnaround times and made shop visit pricing harder to predict, a condition the authors expect to persist through at least 2030.

Source: Oliver Wyman - https://www.oliverwyman.com/our-expertise/insights/2026/feb/global-fleet-and-mro-market-forecast-2026-2036.html