Year-End Reflections for ACI Members, Partners, and Colleagues
As 2025 draws to a close, I want to extend our deep appreciation to each ACI member, partner, and colleague. This year has been one of transformation—both for our industry and for ACI World—and your engagement, insights, and leadership have been central to everything that has been achieved.
Navigating an Evolving Global Landscape
Aviation continues to operate at the intersection of geopolitics and global economics. This year brought no shortage of volatility: geopolitical tensions, global conflicts, aircraft delivery constraints, recessionary pressures, and workforce challenges all demanded our attention.
Yet the strength and resilience of our industry were equally clear. Passenger demand surged, surpassing 2019 levels last year and continuing to accelerate. We are on track to reach 9.8 billion passenger journeys in 2025, powered by robust international travel, stable economic indicators, and steady consumer confidence.
Looking further ahead, global traffic is projected to double to 18.9 billion passengers by 2047—growth driven largely by emerging markets and the expansion of the global middle class. The opportunity before us is significant. The challenge is ensuring that airport infrastructure, systems, and policies are ready to meet it.
Launching a Bold New Strategy for Airports
In response to these quickly evolving dynamics, ACI World launched a new mission and strategy to guide our collective future:
“Champion the transformation of airports and aviation globally to better connect the world; promoting sustainable growth and capacity optimization, operational and commercial excellence, safety, security, and an exceptional travel experience – all in collaboration with the ACI regions.”
This strategy was shaped through extensive engagement with the ACI Regional teams, the World Governing Board, and many of you. It focuses on five priority areas essential to sustainable industry growth:
- Increase capacity — moving more passengers and aircraft through existing facilities.
- Plan and build new facilities — because current infrastructure alone will not meet future demand.
- Operate as viable businesses — ensuring airports can finance efficient operations, and both new and expanded capacity.
- Improve safety, security, and the passenger experience.
- Do all of this sustainably — balancing growth with environmental and social responsibility.
These priorities are supported by strategic drivers that guide how ACI World advocates, collaborates, innovates, and delivers value to members.
With the strategy now in motion, we delivered meaningful progress toward each of the strategic drivers mentioned below. Together, they show how ACI World is transforming commitments into measurable impact.
Turning Strategy into Action
1. Advocacy: Championing Airports on the Global Stage
As the foundation of our work, advocacy remained front and centre in 2025. Engagement at the 42nd ICAO Assembly delivered important outcomes across six critical topics: sustainable energy access, global connectivity, seamless passenger experience, aerodrome certification, security equipment testing and certification, and slot policy reform.
Read about ACI’s key achievements at the ICAO Assembly
ACI World also countered against proposals that would have imposed prescriptive approaches to economic regulation, customer experience, or climate adaptation.
In parallel, ACI World strengthened its advocacy framework—developing a new Policy Agenda for 2030, to be finalized in 2026 along with a Tactical Plan, and aligned its ICAO engagement model for greater impact.
2. Data & Intelligence: Strengthening the Evidence Base
Building on a stronger global voice, ACI World also deepened the evidence base needed to support effective advocacy and informed airport decision-making.
ACI World’s flagship datasets and reports—including the World Airport Traffic Report, Forecasts, and Economics publications—were expanded, and forecasting methods refined in closer alignment with ICAO.
A new quarterly publication, the Airport Industry Report (AIR), was launched to provide macroeconomic insights, traffic trends, and leading indicators for decision-makers.
Access the AIR, Q3 and 9M 2025 edition
ACI’s internal data backbone was also advanced through the Intelligence Hub, Internal Data Portal, and the introduction of the ACI Data Dictionary to support global interoperability.
ACI World also released publications on ESG reporting, biodiversity management, workforce practices, GSE electrification, and a roadmap for airports as future energy hubs.
Discover the ACI World Library
3. Innovation & Thought Leadership: Preparing for the Future
Richer data and insights better position us, collectively, to prepare for what lies ahead—through innovation, foresight, and multi-stakeholder collaboration.
ACI World convened new multi-stakeholder task forces on seamless borders and aerodrome certification. With approval of the Policy Agenda 2030, expert groups have been reoriented toward sustainable growth, commercial resilience, and passenger-centric operations.
Events such as the ACI Airport Think Tank (AT3) and updates across safety and operations supported forward-looking thinking on evolving airport business models and practices.
4. Member Value: Delivering Trusted Programs, Services & Events
This year, global events reached new heights—from the Airport Experience Summit in Guangzhou to the Airports Innovate in Korea. The 2026 Trinity Forum in Qatar has also been announced, in partnership with ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East, ACI EUROPE, and the Moodie Davitt Report.
5. Organizational Strength: Delivering Better Support to Airports
Delivering stronger programs and services requires a resilient organization behind them. This year marked significant internal progress to better support airports.
ACI World strengthened its capabilities across the board. Investments in people, tools, and processes are helping us respond more quickly to member needs, integrate expertise from across the organization, and provide clearer, more actionable guidance.
For airports and partners, this means more timely insights, more relevant programs and training, and a stronger focus on practical solutions that support day-to-day operations and long-term planning.
None of this progress would have been possible without the ACI community, particularly collaboration with the ACI Regions. Recognition and thanks are also due to the ACI World Governing Board, with special appreciation to Candace McGraw, who concludes her term as Chair in December.
As we move into 2026, the path forward is clear. The world is flying more than ever before. The long-term growth curve is steep and promising. Airports—and the ecosystems around them—must be ready.
With the new strategy in place, strengthened collaboration across the ACI federation, and the collective expertise of the global airport community, the industry is well positioned to shape this future together.
Early in 2026, my next message will set out our priorities for the year ahead and how we will continue to support airports on key issues such as growth, sustainability, innovation, and the passenger experience.
Thank you for your partnership and your trust. Together, we will continue to transform airports, empower aviation, and connect the world.
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