Biggest Aviation Markets – and the Sectors Driving the Most Growth

The global airline sector is in a growth phase, with annual revenue on pace to reach $1 trillion, driven by strong leisure demand and the significant rebound of business travel.

Skift Research's latest deep dive into the global airline sector reveals an acceleration of several key trends: Leisure travel accounts for over half of global airline revenue, business travel is nearing pre-pandemic highs, and the shift toward premium cabins has picked up.

Online channels dominate ticket sales, while regional trends point to the Americas leading in overall revenue and Asia-Pacific gaining fast — all detailed in Global Airline Sector Market Estimates 2025.

Global revenue is heading toward the $1 trillion mark – we project $949 billion by 2026.

Of all the major regions,