Research Publications

CAPA – Centre for Aviation (CAPA) and Envest Global have partnered since 2020 to build a comprehensive database of airline carbon emissions and benchmark the performance of the world's major airlines, in order to understand their relative emissions quantity and intensity across both passenger and freight transport.

The first CAPA-Envest Global Airline Sustainability and Benchmarking Report was launched in 2021, offering a comprehensive, independent, data-driven evaluation and rating of the sustainability performance of the world's largest airlines.

This 2026 report profiles the top 100 airlines and airline groups globally by seat capacity. Alongside a broad range of aviation metrics, the dataset captures each airline's reported use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), providing insight into the progress being made — both by individual airlines and by the industry as a whole — towards the 2050 net-zero goal.

For the first time, this year's report also introduces a dedicated airport sustainability assessment, profiling the top 100 airports globally. This new addition extends our benchmarking approach beyond airlines to the airports that support them, reflecting the growing recognition that meaningful progress towards net zero requires action across the full aviation value chain; not just from airlines alone. We believe this data offers valuable insight for stakeholders across the aviation value chain, and that it goes beyond many existing self-reporting tools in both rigour and independence.

This report aims to:

• Provide an objective, consistent, data-driven assessment of the sustainability performance of individual airlines and airline groups;

• Compare the relative carbon impact of each airline across a range of KPIs;

• Rate and rank each airline's sustainability performance relative to its peers, based on a weighted composite of multiple sustainability KPIs.

To deliver these aims we have compiled sustainability, operational, and financial performance data for the 100 largest airlines and airline groups by seat capacity, alongside a parallel assessment of the top 100 airports by sustainability performance.

The data used in this report was compiled by CAPA and Envest Global from publicly available sources, including airlines' and airports' statutory reporting disclosures and information published on their websites.

All data can be traced back to its original source and date of release via the digital audit trail functionality within the Envest Global Data Portal. 

This report examines how airports worldwide are transforming into intelligent, data-driven ecosystems through technology adoption. It explores the innovations reshaping airport operations, from robotics, AI, and biometrics to digital twins, IoT, and advanced security systems—and how these technologies are improving efficiency, security, sustainability, and passenger experience.

The report emphasises that success depends not just on individual technologies, but on airports' ability to integrate systems and coordinate data across complex stakeholder networks. Drawing on global case studies and emerging trends, it provides a comprehensive assessment of the technologies driving airport evolution through 2026 and beyond, while examining both the opportunities and risks of accelerating digital transformation in aviation.

Global Aviation, an economic powerhouse living with a persistent security shadow

The global aviation industry has a substantial economic impact, with its total contribution valued at approximately USD4.1 trillion, including direct, indirect, induced, and tourism catalytic effects. That represented 3.9% of global GDP as of the year 2024. There are 86.5 million jobs that are supported worldwide across the aviation ecosystem. 

At the same time, it is threatened by a lurking menace which fortunately has not raised its head so much recently but has very much done so in the past – terrorism.

The global aviation industry entered 2026 at a moment of profound transition.

The year ahead will be marked by ongoing geopolitical realignment, as traditional alliances are reassessed and new partnerships emerge. These shifts are influencing trade flows, tourism demand, regulatory frameworks and bilateral air service agreements, all of which directly affect airline networks and capacity planning.

As a result, air travel in 2026 is set against a backdrop of heightened uncertainty, where strategic agility and flexibility will be essential to navigating an increasingly dynamic global landscape

From closed doors to global gateway, Saudi Arabia’s tourism transformation revealed!

For much of the modern era, Saudi Arabia maintained one of the world’s most restrictive entry policies for foreign tourists. The country’s governance model, built on a foundation of religious conservatism, cultural preservation, and national security priorities, placed tight controls on who could enter, and for what purpose. 

This report takes a deep-dive into the tourism transformation labelled 'Vision 2030' which aims to welcome over 100 million visitors annually.

The CAPA 2025 Megatrends Report shows aviation at a crossroads: demand and profitability are strong, but the industry faces rising geopolitical risks, slowing growth, skills shortages, and urgent sustainability challenges. Despite uncertainty, aviation has regained momentum and is adapting through modern retailing and resilience

2024 was an exceptionally strong year, 2025 has a favourable climate, but many challenges remain.

Having achieved full recovery in 2024, although not without significant regional variation, the aviation industry can expect a return to more moderate growth rates for operational metrics from 2025.

CAPA - Centre for Aviation projects continued growth in travel demand in 2025, but at a rate closer to historical averages. However, travel costs remain elevated compared to pre-pandemic levels and uncertainty surrounding global trade policies continues to grow.

In this special report the CAPA - Centre for Aviation team of analysts look ahead at potential developments in some of the world's key geographies for both airlines and airports.

In 2023 CAPA - Centre for Aviation (CAPA) published three reports on investors in the airport business by sector - sovereign wealth funds; private equity; and pension funds. Together they form a substantial block of investors into airports, and their numbers continue to grow. The fourth and final report follows, on airline investors.

There are just as many of them, but their overall impact is limited compared to the other groups. In most cases their investment level is low, and they may amount to being as little as a small part of a consortium (for example, in Japan). There is no airline or group that can be considered a significant investor in a major airport or group, with the single exception of Lufthansa, which has equity in Fraport and a share in a terminal at Munich.

Most of the players are 'Full Service Carriers' and alliance members, but they also embrace regional airlines and LCCs. Management at the latter are often keen to let their opinion on airports be known, and to suggest that they could "do things better" without actually making much of an effort to prove it. The Capital A (AirAsia) group is one such entity, which has recently been vocally active on the matter - and not for the first time - but which has yet to put pen to paper. Ryanair did much the same in the past, but has not so much nowadays.

In the immediate future the greatest opportunities will probably come in the US, where the public and private partnership method of airport development has increasingly found favour with airport operators, constructors, and both domestic and foreign airlines at major airports. It stands ready to be repeated at smaller airports throughout the country. This report also contains a brief overview of the regulatory issues connected to such investments in the various world regions.

After several years of rapid recovery, strong demand for air travel persists, and an air of cautious optimism has crept into the industry. Airlines are finally starting to see measurable progress in their energy transition, particularly with in the uptake of sustainable aviation fuels. This is occurring largely in the absence of established regulatory frameworks and without the desired levels of public sector policy support.

These key megatrends outline the shape of the industry and the agenda for the upcoming CAPA Airline Leader Summit World & Awards for Excellence held in Belgrade, Serbia on November 21-22!