Pressemitteilung: Airbus forecasts traffic growth driven by urbanisation and increased connectivity made possible by aircraft efficiency / London, United Kingdom, 8 July 2026 – Urbanisation and GDP growth are driving long-term air travel demand according to Airbus' 2026-2045 Global Market Forecast (GMF). In the next 20 years, urbanisation is shifting to smaller cities. With a rise in middle classes and the diaspora this will lead to new city pairings made economically viable thanks to increasingly efficient aircraft and growing passenger traffic volumes. Not only is aviation essential for the transportation of high value, quick to market goods, aviation also connects people for a multitude of reasons across the globe, providing an economic lifeline to many communities. Networks are decentralising. The number of smaller urban centres will grow at a significantly faster pace than larger ones, reflecting shifting urban populations. Alongside aircraft efficiencies the Airbus GMF forecasts expanding connectivity beyond trunk routes to smaller and medium city-pairs. Routes such as Riga-Tenerife or Melbourne-Alice Springs can be already efficiently served by aircraft like the A220. Enhanced aircraft range is also opening new city pairs, allowing direct connections. Such routes include Lisbon-Recife with the A321neo, Dublin-Nashville with the A321XLR, Algiers-Kuala Lumpur with the A330neo and Taipei-Phoenix with an A350. Airbus product strategy echoes market demand. This is evident in Airbus’ record order book which stands at some 9,000 aircraft, underpinning the full product production rates from the A220 to the A350, including rate 75 for the A320. Currently, over 70% of the A320 Family backlog is for the largest A321neo and XLR, ideal aircraft for new city pairs. Higher capacity routes can be served by the A330neo and the longest haul routes by the A350. The A350 is also proving extremely popular in the quick to market cargo segment, with the Freighter variant. (....)