Astonishing aviation innovations coming soon to an airport near you

A glimpse into the future of passenger flight

As much as aviation has improved significantly over the decades, the industry is constantly inventing new ways to get us from A to B. Think pilotless air taxis, robot-controlled airports, and glass-bottomed airships. These may seem like the stuff of science fiction, but futuristic technologies could be at an airport sooner than you realize.

Read on to discover what air travel may look like as soon as 2040...

Pilotless air taxis

It's a sweltering afternoon in 2040 and you're running late for your flight. Thankfully, you can ditch the rushed and sweaty dash on public transport or sluggish car journey on gridlocked roads and jump in one of the many climate-controlled pilotless air taxis that are now commonplace in your city.

Pilotless air taxis

Rest assured, the air taxi will whisk you to the airport in no time. Although regulations could be a stumbling block, right now a slew of start-ups and more established firms are scrambling to launch the world's debut air taxi service.

Pilotless air taxis

Dubai may be the first city to boast a fleet of air taxis, with services aiming to start in 2026. The first manned test flights in Dubai were performed by Volocopter back in 2016.

Over in the US, Joby made the first-ever electric air taxi flight in New York in November 2023. Joby's electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft were found by NASA to be quieter than a typical conversation, which should limit noise pollution. The company conducted further test flights in July 2025.

Pilotless air taxis

In 2019, German company Lilium nailed the first successful test flight of its five-seater self-flying air taxi. Just four years later, the firm became the first to offer eVTOL jets for private sale in the US.

Moving at pace, in January 2024 it announced a collaboration with airport operator Fraport to explore the next steps for commercial eVTOL operations at airports. However, Lilium filed for bankruptcy for a second time in February 2025. 

Pilotless air taxis

Yet another autonomous eVTOL, the Ehang 184, first took to the skies for manned test flights in Lianyungang, China, in February 2018. Fast forward to December 2023 and Ehang's EH216-S pilotless passenger-carrying aerial vehicle completed its first commercial flight demos in the Chinese cities of Guangzhou and Hefei.

In April 2025, Ehang revealed that it is the first company in the world to gain a certificate for operating a pilotless flying taxi, meaning that it should become a viable method of transport in China over the next three to five years.

Automated airports

Back to that heat wave afternoon in 2040. You've arrived at the airport and, thanks to your speedy air taxi journey, have plenty of time to kill. You've got time to hang out for a while in the virtual reality space and explore your destination, because checking in your luggage is now a breeze...

Automated airports

You simply approach one of the many check-in robots – who greets you by your name after remotely scanning the biometric chip in your passport – and you'll be relieved of your case. Looking around the airport, there aren't that many human staff members milling around.

Automated airports

Automatons are absolutely everywhere, from friendly check-in robots to information-giving, food-serving, and cleaning androids. According to one 2021 study, almost half of global airlines and 32% of airports were looking for partners to develop their robotic involvement.

Various international airports already use smart gates, which use face or iris recognition technology to reduce passport control procedures to just five seconds.

Automated airports

In fact, the rise of the airport robot has already begun. Since 2018, Kansai Airport in Japan has had an intelligent check-in robot called KATE, while in 2016 Geneva Airport tested Leo, a helpful bag-drop bot. In South Korea's Incheon Airport, hardworking automatons clean floors and assist passengers.

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Automated airports

Robots will look after airport security checkpoints too. The process is expected to become much faster, with extensive use of futuristic tech such as artificial intelligence, retinal and fingerprint scanning, and facial recognition.

Boarding is also set to change. SITA's 2023 Air Transport IT Insights review predicted that 82% of airlines will use biometric-enabled identity technologies for aircraft boarding by the end of 2026.

Hybrid and all-electric planes

So, you've cleared security and made it through the departure gate. Out on the runway, the tarmac is almost melting in the heat. The effects of climate change are more pronounced now. Fortunately, low and zero-emission hybrid and all-electric planes are becoming more and more common in 2040. 

Hybrid and all-electric planes

Limiting or doing away with conventional jet fuels entirely, these aircraft are partly or entirely battery-powered, and are much cheaper to run, which should help bring down air fares – an added bonus. 

Hybrid and all-electric planes

Experts believe hybrid and fully battery-powered planes, which offer less range than conventional aircraft, will begin to dominate the short-haul flight sector in the 2030s, becoming the go-to aircraft for flights under three hours. 

Hybrid and all-electric planes

In February 2024, both United and Air Canada increased their funding to Sweden's Heart Aerospace, who are developing the ES-30 (pictured), a hybrid-electric regional aircraft. Expected to enter service around 2028, there were 250 firm orders for the ES-30 as of late 2024 – including 30 from Air Canada.

Hybrid and all-electric planes

MagniX, based in Washington State, is developing not one but three alternative energy aircraft, with battery electric, hybrid electric, and hydrogen electric offerings. Back in 2020, its modified Cessna became the world's largest all-electric plane to take flight.

Two years later, it flew its first all-electric helicopter and its Eviation Alice aircraft (pictured) took to the skies in a world first for an electric commuter plane. In 2023, MagniX broke records when its DHC8-Q300 became the world's largest flight-tested hydrogen electric plane. In 2024, the company brought the future of travel one step closer with a new line of high-performance batteries.

Hybrid and all-electric planes

All-electric planes are also being developed by Californian start-up Wright Electric, which is partnering with European budget carrier easyJet. They completed successful maiden flights of their hybrid-electric crop duster aircraft in November 2023. 

Meanwhile, Scandinavian Airlines intends to launch its first commercial all-electric planes in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway from as early as 2028.

Luxury airships

If you're flying for leisure, you could always book a relaxing air cruise on one of the luxury airships that may well be all the rage by 2040. 

Luxury airships

Unlike the ill-fated airships of the early 20th century, these hyper-efficient hybrid aircraft run on helium and jet fuel rather than notoriously unstable hydrogen. At the current time, the jaw-droppingly large Airlander 10 is leading the way.

Luxury airships

Developed by British firm Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV), the bulky aircraft, dubbed "the flying bum" for obvious reasons, first took to the skies in 2012 and is one of the world's longest aircraft at 299 feet, about the length of a football pitch. Unlike conventional aircraft, the Airlander 10 can stay airborne for up to five days.

Luxury airships

The hybrid aircraft cruises at speeds of just 80 miles per hour at a max altitude of 20,000 feet right down to only 1,000 feet, so it's ideal for sightseeing, and passengers will even be able to open the windows for fresh air.

Luxury airships

In February 2023, HAV announced the Airlander 10 was ready for commercial production. The early models will provide a 75% reduction in carbon emissions, while electric motors will be introduced in 2028, cutting emissions by a massive 90%. By 2030, all four engines should be electric, making it a zero-emission craft.

Luxury airships

Thanks to HAV and other industry leaders like LTA Research, Flying Whales, and H2 Clipper Inc., the return of airship travel is much closer than you might think. Just imagine peacefully floating over the Great Wall of China, the Amazon rainforest or the Grand Canyon on a multi-day air cruise. Expect to pay what you would for a luxury ocean cruise of similar duration.

Supersonic jets

Fast-forward again to 2040 and you're about to board a plane. You're traveling long-haul, but the flight won't take more than a few hours because you're flying to your destination at supersonic speed.

Supersonic jets

Concorde famously ceased operations in 2003, but supersonic and even hypersonic planes are poised to make a big comeback. Several key aerospace companies are developing a new generation of quiet, fuel-efficient, ultra-fast planes.

Supersonic jets

In January 2024, Lockheed Martin and NASA formally debuted their X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft. In just a few short years, it's gone from an ambitious concept to a firm reality. The X-59 is expected to fly at 1.4 times the speed of sound, or 925 miles per hour while generating a quieter sonic thump, rather than a sonic boom.

Supersonic jets

Denver-based Boom Supersonic is working on Overture, a supersonic passenger aircraft expected to cruise at speeds up to Mach 1.7, which is about 1,300 miles per hour, halving current flight times. In August 2023, American Airlines committed to buying 20 of the super-fast planes, while United is slated to buy 15.

If development stays on track, Boom aims to return commercial supersonic flights to the skies in 2029.

Supersonic jets

Looking further ahead, Boeing has teamed up with NASA to plan a full-size passenger plane that could fly at Mach 4 – four times the speed of sound. Today's larger airliners fly at about 80% of the speed of sound (roughly 600 miles per hour), so you could theoretically hop from London to New York in just over two hours.

Windowless cabins and more

The supersonic jet you're traveling on in 2040 is remarkable enough, but you're most impressed by the windowless cabin. By taking out windows, designers can make planes faster and more energy efficient.

Windowless cabins and more

Emirates is the trailblazer. Way back in 2017, the Dubai-headquartered airline replaced windows in the first class cabins of its new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft with digital displays that show images from outside the plane.

Windowless cabins and more

These virtual windows could also project calming landscape scenes and even show movies. Expect other airlines to follow suit, though the lack of real windows may take some getting used to and could make the flying experience feel claustrophobic.

Windowless cabins and more

In addition to lacking proper windows, newer aircraft in the 2030s and beyond could be accessed by large hotel-style double doors at the center of the plane, as in this design patented by Airbus in 2015. This model could revolutionize the boarding process, significantly speeding it up.

Windowless cabins and more

Robot flight attendants could start to appear on our flights soon too, as could other cutting-edge technologies, from wearable tech that monitors your in-flight health to virtual reality experiences, super-fast Wi-Fi, and antiviral air conditioning. 

The blended wing aircraft

If United Airlines' massive investment in start-up JetZero's next generation of blended wing aircraft is anything to go by, we'll be seeing plenty more of these planes flying above us in the coming years. The investment includes a path to order 100 planes, and comes with an option for an additional 100 if the sci-fi-looking vehicles are able to meet certain safety and operating requirements. 

Why are people getting excited about the JetZero Z4? A lot of the hype centers on the fact that the innovative design could, by reducing drag and improving lift, reduce fuel burn by as much as 50%.

The blended wing aircraft

Also being talked up is the potential for enhanced passenger experience. With plans for a functioning prototype by 2027, it's thought that the 250 people on board will enjoy greater space while traveling due to the plane's increased width. Its potential for roomier comfort, combined with its greater fuel efficiency, has already seen the Z4 dubbed "a living room in the sky" and the future of commercial aircraft.

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