SITA research shows that investments in aviation record technology depend on one thing: data coordination | News

SITA’s 2025 Air Transport IT Insights report shows that while the air transport industry will invest a record $50.8 billion in technology by 2025, a common obstacle continues to emerge: where data does not flow freely between systems and partners, those investments cannot fully deliver what they were intended to achieve. The cost of this lack of data coordination is higher than ever as the conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt the industry on a global scale. Operators who invest in closing that gap are building a foundation that will survive the current disruption.

“We are publishing this research at a time when the industry is under great pressure. In every area we measured, the same limitation emerges: where data does not flow freely between systems and partners, investments cannot fully deliver what they were intended to unlock. That limitation today comes with higher costs, but also offers a clear opportunity to emerge stronger.” said David Lavorel, CEO of SITA.

Airlines and airports are increasing their investments in IT. By 2025, airlines committed $36 billion, or 3.6% of revenue, while airports increased spending to $14.8 billion, or 7.3% of revenue, compared to 6.4% the year before. The reason is the same for both: Eighty-three percent of airlines and 89% of airports say data-driven decision making is a strategic priority, a clear signal that the industry is actively building the operational foundations on which it believes resilience depends.

Operational reliability has become a direct driver of financial performance

When operations close to capacity, disruption entails direct financial costs. According to IATA, flight delays alone are responsible for $30 billion of the industry’s total revenue. Improving forecasts and responding to disruptions is critical. That’s why there is now an active focus on data integration: 46 percent of airlines are upgrading their flight operations systems to make information consistent and accessible to flight, crew, aircraft and passenger systems in real time. The goal is to give operations teams the shared view they need to intervene earlier, before a single delay becomes a network problem. Yet 49% of airlines see data integration and consistency as the top barrier to achieving this. When information becomes fragmented across systems, the early intervention window closes before it can be used.

AI delivers the most value when it coordinates decisions across multiple systems simultaneously

Early AI implementations in aviation focused on individual systems: predictive alerts, route optimization, maintenance predictions. The shift that is happening now is more important. Sixty-three percent of airlines use AI in operational control to manage disruptions, aircraft allocation and crew availability simultaneously, evaluating recovery options across multiple constraints simultaneously before recommending action. Seventy-nine percent cite generative AI and large language models as their top investment priority for the next twelve months, a signal that the ambition is well ahead of current implementation.

AI is most confidently used when used within a single system. It is least used where decisions require consistent data from multiple partners: only 17% of airlines use AI to monitor turnaround activity in real time. Airports are closing that gap: 53% are now applying AI to aircraft turnaround time, up from 36% in 2024. But the ceiling for AI’s impact is not capability. It’s data alignment.

“Aviation is deploying AI with real ambition. But the research is clear: the main barrier to maximizing those investments is the lack of data integration across the operation. The technology is there. The data infrastructure to connect it is often not there,” Lavorel added.

Cybersecurity now protects shared operational data, not just individual platforms

As airlines and airports connect more systems of operations, passengers and partners, the exposure to a cyber incident has changed. A breach would no longer impact a single platform. There is a risk that the accuracy and availability of the shared data on which operations depend will be compromised: gate changes, transit status, passenger information. Seventy-one percent of airports now consider cybersecurity their top IT focus area, and 68% cite it as the top driver of infrastructure upgrades. The industry is responding: 64% of airports are already applying AI in cybersecurity to detect anomalies earlier and shorten response times, up from 51% in 2024.

Digital identity solutions are scaling rapidly, but coordination remains the key limitation

The move towards airline- and airport-issued digital identity credentials is accelerating sharply. Sixty-four percent of airlines plan to use their own issued IDs, up from 32% in 2024, and biometric border control, already in place at 54% of airports, is expected to reach 83% by 2028. The technology is ready and the investment has been committed. The key to delivering value is coordination: 57% of airlines cite airport collaboration as the top requirement for scaling digital identities, up from 40% the year before. An identity program only works if every touchpoint in the passenger journey consistently recognizes the same record. Without that coordination, the infrastructure exists, but the benefit does not exist.

Sustainability investments are most advanced when operators manage the data directly

The sustainability data in this year’s report tells the same story. The focus is strongest when a single operator owns the data and the decision: 83% of airlines implement fleet renewal programs, 67% purchase sustainable aviation fuel at select locations and 75% of airports use building management systems to monitor terminal energy. However, the adoption of total emissions tracking and airside CO2 measurement – ​​capabilities that require consistent data sharing between airlines, ground handlers and infrastructure – remains below 20%.

The pattern is no coincidence. For AI, cybersecurity, digital identities and sustainability, the report finds the same ceiling: progress is most advanced where data is coordinated between systems and partners.

“Across AI, cybersecurity, digital identities and sustainability, operators cite the same limitation: data not flowing freely between systems and partners. It’s consistent across every area we measured. Data coordination is not a future priority. It’s what limits today’s results.” Lavorel concluded.