Airplane Windshield Market Report 2025

The airplane windshield market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $1.52 billion in 2024 to $1.6 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.8%. The expansion during the historic period was driven by increasing aircraft production and deliveries, higher demand for commercial air travel, replacement of older aircraft, heightened emphasis on passenger safety and visibility, and significant investments in military aviation initiatives.

The airplane windshield market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $1.98 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4%. Growth in the coming years is anticipated to be fueled by rising use of advanced composite windshields, increased demand for lightweight and fuel-efficient components, ongoing development of next-generation aircraft, emphasis on smart and heated windshield technology, and expanding air traffic across developing nations. Key trends during the forecast period will include innovations in smart windshield systems, new UV- and impact-resistant coatings, advancements in lightweight composite materials, integration of embedded sensors, and the evolution of electrochromic windshield technologies.

The increase in airline travel is expected to contribute to the growth of the airplane windshield market. Airline travel involves the use of commercial aircraft to carry passengers or cargo across various destinations, typically through scheduled airline operations. One of the key drivers for this growth is the considerable drop in airfares in recent years. Airplane windshields play a vital role in maintaining pilot visibility and flight safety by shielding the cockpit from debris, bird strikes, wind, and extreme weather, while also preserving cabin pressurization and structural stability at cruising altitudes. For example, in March 2023, the U.S. Department of Transportation, a government agency based in the United States, reported that U.S. airlines carried 194 million more passengers in 2022 compared to 2021, representing a 30% increase year-over-year. This rise in airline travel is thereby contributing to the expansion of the airplane windshield market.

Leading companies in the airplane windshield market are increasingly entering strategic partnerships to enhance product quality, elevate safety benchmarks, and adapt to the evolving needs of the aviation sector. Such collaborations involve formal alliances where firms work collectively to achieve mutual goals, such as launching innovative technologies, increasing market penetration, or improving existing product lines. For example, in September 2023, Lilium GmbH, a Germany-based aerospace firm, collaborated with Saint-Gobain Aerospace, a U.S.-based plastics manufacturing company, to co-develop and manufacture customized windows and windshields for the Lilium Jet. By leveraging Saint-Gobain’s broad aviation expertise, the partnership aims to deliver lightweight, feature-rich windshields with anti-icing and anti-fogging technologies to enhance visibility, energy efficiency, and compliance with pilot protection and regulatory standards.

In May 2024, Lee Aerospace, a U.S.-based aerospace and aviation company, announced the acquisition of Llamas Plastics Inc. for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition is part of Lee Aerospace’s strategy to broaden its footprint in the aerospace transparency market by gaining access to military, commercial, and space domains. This move allows the company to diversify its offerings and benefit from Llamas Plastics’ specialized technical knowledge and established clientele. Llamas Plastics Inc. is a U.S.-based manufacturer specializing in aerospace transparencies and composite products, including airplane windshields.

Major players in the airplane windshield market are Compagnie de Saint-Gobain S.A., Safran S.A., PPG Industries Inc., GKN Aerospace Services Limited, Schott AG, Gentex Corporation, The NORDAM Group LLC, McFarlane Aviation Inc., Lee Aerospace Inc., MAC Aero Interiors s.r.o., Kopp Glass Inc., Cee Bailey’s Aircraft Plastics Inc., Texstars LLC, Aero-Plastics & Structures Inc., Control Logistics Inc., LP Aero Plastics Inc., Tech-Tool Plastics Inc., Vision Systems Aeronautics SAS, Aeroval Inc., Aviation Glass & Technology B.V.

North America was the largest region in the airplane windshield market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in airplane windshield report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in the airplane windshield market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

The sharp hike in U.S. tariffs and the associated trade disputes in spring 2025 are notably impacting the aerospace and defense sector by raising costs for titanium, carbon fiber composites, and avionics materials largely sourced from global suppliers. Defense contractors, locked into fixed-price government contracts, absorb these added costs, while commercial aerospace firms face airline pushback on higher aircraft prices. Delays in component shipments due to customs bottlenecks further disrupt tight production schedules for jets and satellites. The industry is responding by stockpiling critical materials, seeking waivers for defense-related imports, and collaborating with allied nations to diversify supply chain.

An airplane windshield refers to the transparent panel or set of panels located at the front of an aircraft's cockpit, enabling pilots to maintain a clear view outside while shielding them from external factors like wind, weather, and debris. These windshields are commonly constructed using several layers of laminated glass combined with polycarbonate or acrylic materials to ensure durability, optical clarity, and resistance to bird impacts and pressure fluctuations encountered at high altitudes.

The main types of airplane windshield include acrylic, polycarbonate, mineral glass, and others. An acrylic windshield refers to a transparent panel made from acrylic plastic (polymethyl methacrylate or PMMA), which is used in various transportation modes, such as aircraft, boats, and motorcycles. These windshields are used in several aircraft types, including narrow-body aircraft, wide-body aircraft, regional aircraft, business jets, and military aircraft. They are applied in commercial aviation, military aviation, and general aviation and cater to both original equipment manufacturers and the aftermarket sector.

The airplane windshield market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides airplane windshield market statistics, including airplane windshield industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with an airplane windshield market share, detailed airplane windshield market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the airplane windshield industry. This airplane windshield market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

The airplane windshield market includes sales of cockpit windshields, side windows, heated windshields, laminated safety windshields, aftermarket replacement windshields, and custom aircraft windshields. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values and are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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