Boeing sees Middle East fleet doubling to 3,500+ jets by 2045

Boeing dropped its 2026 Commercial Market Outlook on Tuesday, and the headline number for the Middle East is a big one: the region's commercial fleet is on track to double, climbing past 3,500 airplanes by 2045.

The planemaker expects airlines in the region to need 1,370 new widebody jets, plus another 1,505 single-aisle aircraft to keep short- and medium-haul networks growing.

Passenger traffic tells the same story. Boeing forecasts Middle East traffic rising 4.3% a year, even as the industry wrestles with current headwinds — a climb the company ties to trade, tourism and commerce across the region over the next two decades.

Boeing also expects the fleet to get greener as it grows, projecting that roughly 85% of the region's airplanes in 2045 will be modern, fuel-efficient models.

Boeing's outlook lands as Middle East carriers keep expanding their long-haul ambitions, making the region one of the most closely watched battlegrounds for widebody orders.