Air transport USM market seen topping $8 billion by 2030

The global air transport used serviceable material market is projected to pass $8 billion by 2030, with components expected to remain the biggest category. North America and the U.S. are set to lead growth as airlines and maintenance providers lean more on certified used parts to cut costs and reduce aircraft downtime.

Why it matters: - Air transport used serviceable material, or USM, is becoming a bigger part of airline maintenance economics as fleets age and operators look for lower-cost certified parts. - The market is forecast to support a larger aviation aftermarket as maintenance, repair and overhaul providers try to reduce aircraft-on-ground time and improve parts availability. - Sustainable aviation and circular-economy goals are also pushing more reuse of certified aircraft components.

What happened: - The Business Research Company said the global air transport USM market is expected to surpass $8 billion by 2030. - The market is projected to grow at a 5% compound annual growth rate through 2030. - The category represents about 6% of the broader aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul services market, which is projected to reach nearly $129 billion by 2030. - The segment is forecast to account for roughly 0.6% of the wider aerospace and defense industry, which is expected to hit $1,166 billion by 2030. - A free sample report is available here. - The full report is available here.

The details: - North America is expected to remain the largest regional market in 2030, rising to $2.254 billion from $1.896 billion in 2025. - The region is forecast to grow at a 4% CAGR, supported by a mature MRO ecosystem, a large pool of retired aircraft for parts recovery, and broader use of FAA-certified used materials. - The U.S. is projected to lead globally in 2030 at $1.901 billion, up from $1.612 billion in 2025. - U.S. growth is expected to come from more aircraft dismantling and parts reclamation facilities, demand from airlines and MRO providers, a strong certification and traceability regime, and investment in digital sourcing platforms. - By product type, the market is split into engine, components and airframe categories. - Components are expected to be the largest segment in 2030, at 53% of the market or $4 billion. - That lead is tied to replacement demand for line replaceable units and rotable parts, plus demand for certified avionics, landing gear, hydraulics and electrical components. - Predictive maintenance is also helping drive more timely component swaps and refurbishments. - The market also breaks out by aircraft type, including narrow-body, wide-body, turboprop and regional aircraft. - Application categories include original equipment manufacturer and aftermarket. - The largest growth drivers are aging aircraft fleets, sustainability-focused reuse of parts, and steady aircraft retirements and teardowns. - Aging fleets are adding about 2.5% annual growth, according to the report. - Sustainability and circular-economy trends are adding about 2.3% yearly growth. - Aircraft retirements and teardown activity are adding an estimated 2.0% annual growth. - The top 10 companies held only 9% of total market revenue in 2025, underscoring a fragmented market. - AAR Corporation led the global market in 2025 with a 2% share. - GA Telesis LLC also held a 2% share, while HEICO Corporation, AJW Group, AerSale Inc. and Unical Aviation Inc. each held 1%. - The Boeing Company held 0.5%, Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd. held 0.4%, Liebherr Group held 0.2% and RTX Corporation held 0.1%. - KP Aviation expanded its MRO and leasing portfolio in June 2026 by adding Airside MRO and buying two former Spirit Airlines A320neos for disassembly and component recovery.

Between the lines: - The market appears to be consolidating around companies that can combine sourcing, certification, digital tracking and aircraft teardown capabilities. - Fragmentation suggests no single supplier has meaningful control, but it also means scale, global supply chains and airline relationships remain important advantages. - The report’s emphasis on traceability and regulatory compliance shows that used parts growth depends on trust as much as price.

What's next: - The biggest growth opportunities through 2030 are expected in components, engines and airframes, which together are projected to add more than $1.8 billion in value. - Components alone are forecast to add $1 billion, while engines add $0.5 billion and airframes add $0.3 billion between 2025 and 2030. - Market players are expected to keep investing in component recovery, inspection and repair capabilities, dismantling networks and digital tracking tools. - Additional growth should come from condition-based maintenance, parts traceability, teardown programs and asset recovery from end-of-life aircraft.

The bottom line: - Used serviceable materials are shifting from a niche support market to a core cost-control tool for aviation maintenance, with components leading the next phase of growth.