MEXICO CITY, Mexico — Latin America will need 2,720 new passenger aircraft by 2045, according to Airbus, with single-aisle jets accounting for the overwhelming majority of projected deliveries.
The manufacturer’s forecast, released on 19October, puts demand at 2,520 single-aisle aircraft and 200 widebodies. That means roughly 93% of the new aircraft would be single-aisle models.
Replacing older equipment is the larger part of the requirement: 1,500 deliveries would replace existing aircraft, while 1,220 would expand fleets. Airbus expects the region’s passenger fleet to grow from 1,550 to 2,770 aircraft over the period.
The forecast points to economic development, urbanisation and a growing middle class as drivers. More urban centres could support additional routes, while Airbus projects domestic passenger traffic to grow faster than the region’s overall traffic.
For airlines and their suppliers, the figures describe a market shaped by both network expansion and renewal. They are an Airbus market forecast, not signed orders or a guaranteed delivery schedule; the projected demand includes aircraft supplied across the market, not only Airbus jets.