Aircraft MRO market seen topping $19.1 billion by 2030

The Business Research Company projects the commercial and military aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul market will grow from $15.16 billion in 2025 to $19.16 billion by 2030. The forecast points to rising air traffic, fleet growth and wider use of predictive maintenance as airlines and militaries push for more aircraft availability and lower downtime.

Why it matters: - Aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul keeps commercial and military fleets safe, compliant and in service. - The market’s growth signals more spending on aircraft uptime, lifecycle extension and maintenance technology. - Airlines and defense operators are facing heavier maintenance demand as global flying activity rises.

What happened: - The Business Research Company released its Commercial And Military Aircraft Maintenance, Repair Global Market Report 2026 – Market Size, Trends, And Forecast 2026-2035. - The report estimates the market will rise from $15.16 billion in 2025 to $15.94 billion in 2026. - The report projects the market will reach $19.16 billion by 2030. - The forecast implies a 5.1% CAGR from 2025 to 2026 and 4.7% CAGR through 2030. - The report was published Oct. 19, 2026.

The details: - MRO covers inspections, repairs, restorations and servicing needed to keep aircraft and components airworthy and compliant. - The work includes scheduled and unscheduled maintenance across an aircraft’s operational life. - The report cites fleet growth, stricter safety and regulatory compliance, lifecycle extension demand, airline outsourcing and military modernization as key drivers behind recent market expansion. - Future growth is expected to come from predictive maintenance, more advanced component repairs, faster turnaround times, cost optimization and next-generation aircraft servicing. - The report says global air passenger traffic grew 10.4% in 2024, measured in revenue passenger kilometers, according to IATA data cited for January 2025. - The same IATA data showed available seat capacity rose 8.7% in 2024. - North America led the market in 2025, supported by large aviation infrastructure and established maintenance hubs. - Asia-Pacific is projected to grow the fastest during the forecast period. - The broader regional analysis also covers South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, South America, the Middle East and Africa. - The report also includes market attractiveness scoring, TAM analysis, company scoring matrix graphics and tables, Excel-based forecasting dashboards, market hotspots infographics and updated graphics and tables.

Between the lines: - More flying hours usually means more inspections, more component wear and more maintenance spending. - Predictive tools and digital maintenance systems are becoming a competitive advantage because they can reduce downtime and improve aircraft availability. - The regional forecast suggests maintenance demand is following both commercial aviation growth and defense fleet upgrades outside North America.

What's next: - The market is expected to keep expanding as carriers and militaries look for faster, cheaper and more data-driven maintenance operations. - Asia-Pacific’s growth trajectory will likely pull more MRO investment toward regional hubs and fleet support networks. - Demand for automated inspection, digital management systems and component repair capability should continue to rise as aircraft utilization increases.

The bottom line: - Aircraft MRO is moving from a support function to a growth market tied directly to fleet expansion, aircraft utilization and maintenance technology adoption. - The report’s long-range outlook points to steady demand rather than a short-term spike.