ACI World forecasts 10.2 billion passengers in 2026

Airports Council International (ACI) World said in its recently released World Airport Traffic Forecasts 2025–2054 that  global passenger traffic is forecast to reach 10.2 billion in 2026 (+3.9% YoY). Long-term demand remains strong with global passenger traffic projected to double by 2045 and reach 18.8 billion (3.4% CAGR), the association said, adding while “demand shows structural strength, it is increasingly uneven across regions, with mounting capacity constraints”. The long-term outlook is firmly positive. Global passenger traffic demand is projected to double by the mid-2040s, driven primarily by emerging and developing markets. However, this growth is increasingly accompanied by: Capacity constraints, such as airport infrastructure limitations and aircraft delivery challenges. Uneven regional growth, with some markets significantly outperforming while others structurally lag. Operational complexity, driven by supply-chain disruptions, geopolitical uncertainty and sustainability imperatives. “The forecast sends a clear signal to the global aviation community: long-term growth is not guaranteed without coordinated action,” said ACI World Director General Justin Erbacci. “To accommodate rising demand, the industry must accelerate investment in airport infrastructure, airspace capacity, and operational resilience, while strengthening collaboration across airports, airlines, governments, regulators, and industry partners. “Without collective action, capacity constraints jeopardise the industry’s ability to meet the projected demand and create operational bottlenecks, directly affecting the quality and reliability of the passenger journey,” Erbacci said. “At the same time, insufficient investment to meet the projected demand would result in missed economic development opportunities at regional and national levels. Aviation plays a central role in global economic development (3.9% of global GDP; ATAG). Ensuring the sector can sustainably absorb future demand growth is therefore not only an industry priority, but a global economic imperative.” For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Sally Passey at [email protected]