Commercial Aviation Monitor
Aviation insights by Cirium Ascend Consultancy
Get monthly market analysis and industry insight from an award-winning team of analysts.
Commercial Aviation Monitor
Leveraging Cirium data and Ascend Consultancy analysis and insight, the Commercial Aviation Monitor provides everything you need to know about the sector.
The paid monthly digest provides a high‑level summary of demand and supply trends, including macro‑economic indicators, schedules, airline fleet and utilization trends, emissions and sustainability, airline financial data, orders and deliveries, OEM production insight, and aircraft values and lease rates. Each edition also includes a deep dive on an industry theme such as industry outlook, freighter markets, regional aircraft, operating leasing, and more.
In June’s Issue
- This month’s focus: the latest trends in the operating-lease sector. Cirium data shows that the lessors’ market share of the global fleet has been above 50% since early 2020. After peaking at around 52.6% at the end of 2022, this share has gradually declined, although it still sits just above half. Despite this shift, the total leasing portfolio continues to grow in terms of aircraft units.
- Amid conflict-related disruption in the Middle East, Cirium tracked utilization data for May shows a 2.4% decline in global flown capacity (ASK) versus 2025. This was slightly less than the 2.9% fall in April. Given this decline in capacity, it is likely that May will also see a global drop in demand (RPK). Our dedicated section on the conflict outlines three possible commercial aviation market scenarios.
- Year-to-date commercial aircraft shipments are tracking well ahead of 2025 volumes (+11%), having trailed last year until April. The recent gain was largely driven by a strong rise in Airbus monthly shipments, to 81 aircraft in May. This put Airbus 8% up on its 2025 volume, while Boeing is now 14% ahead. By the end of May, around 33% of the 2026 target (1,510 aircraft) had been delivered.
Everything you need to know about the sector, every month.
Monthly updates
- Key developments and news summary
- Macroeconomic data
- Traffic and schedule data
- Utilization data
- CO2 emissions
- Fleet data
- Deliveries, orders, cancellations and retirements
- Airline results
- Operating leasing data
- Aircraft value and lease rate trends