Gallery: North American MRO In Numbers

According to Aviation Week Intelligence Network's 2024 Commercial Aviation Fleet & MRO Forecast, approximately 9,424 commercial aircraft are in service this year. The largest operators in the region are American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.

North America's commercial fleet is expected to grow at an average compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2% from 2024-33, according to the forecast. The biggest deliveries by aircraft are expected to be the Airbus A321neo (pictured).

CFM International's Leap 1B engine for Boeing 737 MAX aircraft will have the highest number of engine deliveries into the North American fleet this year. This will set the tone for the next decade, with more than 5,000 Leap 1B deliveries expected in the region as operators take delivery of 737 MAX aircraft.

Boeing 787-9 aircraft are anticipated to have the highest number of widebody deliveries into the North America region over the next decade. One sizeable order of the aircraft type in the region is Air Canada, which committed to 18 787-9s last year.

The larger end of the region's fleet growth is exemplified by Southwest Airlines, which has orders in place for nearly 500 new 737 MAX aircraft to replace its older 737-700 variants. Growth in the North American fleet will naturally result in more MRO work. North America is currently the world's largest commercial MRO market, valued at around $26 billion in 2024, according to Aviation Week data. CAGR is expected to be around 1% annually from 2024-33.

North America is trailed by Western Europe—another mature MRO region—followed by Asia-Pacific, China and the Middle East in the order of overall MRO demand in 2024.

North America comfortably has the highest volume of Embraer aircraft in the world, with operators of its E190 aircraft including New York City-based JetBlue (pictured). In 2024, nearly 1,100 of the aircraft type are operating in the region—over three times more than Western Europe, which is the second biggest region for Embraer operators. Total MRO demand in North America for Embraer aircraft this year is $4.1 billion.

Aviation Week anticipates that approximately 472 aircraft will retire in the region this year. The retirements will mostly be comprised of older variants of Airbus A320 family aircraft, Boeing 737-700s and, in the widebody segment, 757s and MD-11 aircraft.

In somewhat of an anomaly, 33% of MRO events in North America this year will be comprised of mandated OEM technical upgrades on several engine types. These are related to ongoing durability fixes on CFM Leap and Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engine programs. This percentage will decrease next year as upgrades are implemented. As in previous years, airframe C checks will account for the largest share of MRO events.