23 December 2025
DUBAI AIRSHOW 2025
Building towards an innovative future
The 2025 Dubai Airshow was the largest event to date, attracting over 248,000 visitors, nearly 1,500 exhibitors, and 200 aircraft from 115 countries to Dubai World Central Airport.
Aptly titled ‘The future is here’, the 19th edition of the biennial event expanded beyond aircraft orders, with talk tracks, conferences and panels focusing on next-generation regulations, air mobility and digital transformation. The airshow also hosted its largest-ever space pavilion, bringing together aerospace players, space innovators, and start-ups under one roof.
A strategic and diverse order run
Airbus and Boeing announced combined firm orders and MoUs for 369 aircraft. Of these, Airbus can claim a higher total volume at 194 aircraft (firm and MoU) which promise a healthy future production pipeline. Airbus also won plenty of headlines with flydubai’s surprise decision to add the A321neo to its fleet. However, while Boeing’s volume (175 aircraft) was smaller than Airbus, the manufacturer clearly won on contracts, securing 102 firm orders, over seven times Airbus’s firm orders booked during the show. Regional and turboprop manufacturers also saw wins, signalling a diversification in demand.
Dubai Airshow: Airbus vs Boeing by the numbers
Innovation in focus
If 2023 was about sustainability, this year’s edition of the Dubai Airshow combined that theme with technological innovation. Manufacturers, operators and technology firms showcased a new wave of capability, much of it already approaching commercial readiness.
Airlines and airports also presented risk mitigation tools designed to enhance operational reliability, such as next-generation digital cabin connectivity and solar-powered ground operation equipment. Such innovations may be of interest to insurers and others in the aviation industry focused on risk management and sustainability.
Themes shaping aviation’s next chapter
Sustainability beyond the boardroom
In 2025, the industry tackled a key question: What does sustainability look like in 45°C environments? An aircraft deemed sustainable in Europe might not withstand the extreme heat and operational demands of places like Dubai.
Recognising this, both OEMs and aircraft operators showed this year that they are moving the conversation beyond prototypes into real-world applications. They showcased demonstrations of sustainable aviation technologies, such as electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft, biofuels, and advanced energy management systems, designed to perform reliably even in high-temperature, high-demand settings.
Flying taxis: Ready for take-off?
At this year’s airshow, the spotlight was on the advanced air mobility (AAM) Pavilion, where full-scale electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft took to the skies in live demonstrations. These flights, paired with immersive urban integration scenarios, underscored the UAE’s strategic push to become one of the first nations to commercialise ‘flying taxis’.
The eVTOL models revealed significant strides in operational range, system redundancy and performance in desert conditions, a critical benchmark for regional deployment. Trilateral collaborations among operators, regulators and technology firms also unveiled detailed blueprints for aerial mobility corridors, offering a glimpse into the frameworks that could soon support routine urban air travel.
Aviation’s new value chain
At the Dubai Airshow 2025, the spotlight moved beyond the traditional giants of aviation, namely airlines and aircraft manufacturers, to a new constellation of players shaping the industry’s future. As aviation’s next chapter focuses on smarter over bigger, here’s what’s redefining the value chain for global aviation:
- Technology and AI: Digital twin platforms, predictive maintenance, AI‑driven air traffic management
- Green propulsion and energy: Battery innovators, hydrogen fuel solutions
- Resilient materials and operations: Advanced material science, sustainable ground operations
With organisers claiming record visitor attendance and USD202 billion worth of signed deals, the 19th edition of the Dubai Airshow was a significant event in the global aviation calendar, despite the backdrop of geo-economic and supply chain pressures and soaring operational costs. But it was the tone that was most encouraging, as the industry arrived armed with a roadmap for resilience, sustainability and innovation.
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