1. Executive Summary

Air traffic management at a crossroads

Air traffic management (ATM) is an essential safety- and security-critical infrastructure for Europe, ensuring all types of aircraft fly safely and as efficiently as possible.

European ATM is at a crossroads. European airspace is experiencing increasing levels of congestion due to a mix of factors, including the year-on-year increase in the number of flights, while maintaining an excellent safety record. The ATM system has been struggling to keep up with the rising demand, which in 2019 led to an all-time high of nearly 11 million flights. In 2024, traffic volumes in many parts of the European Network exceed 2019 levels, and forecasts show a yearly increase of around 5 % until 2030 and a rise to approximately 16 million flights by 2050. At the same time, the airspace will become more complex to manage, as new types of air vehicles – such as zero-emission aircraft, drones, and military and high-altitude aircraft – share the sky.

ATM is impacted by and has an impact on climate change. This is prompting the aviation industry to step up its efforts to improve the environmental sustainability of aviation, with the goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. In addition, geopolitical crises, security threats and natural events are all contributing to significant stress on aviation; the Russian war against Ukraine has reduced the airspace available for civil aviation in Europe by around 20 %.

Balancing these complex aspects while maintaining Europe’s competitive edge in the global aviation system is a formidable challenge that no single ATM organisation or stakeholder can do alone. It requires a joint approach involving all stakeholders coming together to chart the way forward.

Today, innovation and the deployment of new ATM systems are not up to speed with the growing traffic levels and there is an urgent need to prioritise actions that can address the operational needs and the performance of the network.

A roadmap for ATM modernisation

As part of the Single European Sky (SES), the European ATM Master Plan (hereafter referred to as ‘the Master Plan’) is the planning tool for ATM modernisation across Europe. It sets out the vision and priorities for the Digital European Sky, and for making Europe the most efficient and environmentally friendly sky to fly in the world by 2045.

The twin digital and green transitions are the central focus of the plan, which is structured around five technological levers for transformational change.

By 2045, all flights will be optimised from gate to gate through ensuring continuous connectivity between air–ground and ground–ground operations. European ATM will avoid any unnecessary fuel burn while also improving performance on non-CO2 emissions, noise and local air quality. The system will be fully scalable and resilient, ready to adapt to fluctuating traffic demand and accommodating the growing diversity of aircraft, while achieving the highest safety and security levels. ATM will be fully integrated into a multimodal transport system.

  • Trajectory-based operations. Through these operations, data-enriched flight plans will allow aircraft to navigate very precisely along fuel-efficient routes, facilitated by ATM.
  • Greater data volumes through better air–ground and ground–ground communication. The use of machine learning, artificial intelligence and big data analytics will enable ATM to operate smarter and safer.
  • Higher levels of automation between the flight deck and the ground. Voice communication will no longer be the primary means of communication, as machine-to-machine applications will manage most routine tasks.
  • Human–machine teaming. Through this process, air traffic controllers, air traffic safety electronics personnel, flight crew and operators will team up with the machines to deliver the highest quality of service.
  • Dynamic airspace. This will enable the near-real-time configuration of airspace, and the system will be fully automated for certain phases of flight.

Added to these levers is a move to a data-driven and cloud-based service-oriented architecture (SOA) delivery model. This new approach, involving a shift of focus from assets to services, will enable the quicker deployment of new features, while improving the interoperability of operations, airspace and technology across air navigation service providers and other stakeholders.

Prioritisation and roll-out

The Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) project has delivered over 130 solutions, many of which are already deployed across Europe and elsewhere. These deployments, notably the Common Project One, have already brought tangible benefits. Therefore, this edition of the Master Plan places emphasis on deployment, providing important direction for future investments, as well as standardisation and regulatory decision-making. With, for the first time ever, the prioritisation of 10 strategic deployment objectives (SDOs), which need to be implemented by 2035, the aim is now to accelerate the uptake of mature solutions that will bring even more benefits. The 10 objectives address safety-critical features such as runway/taxiway incursions (SDO 1), environmental benefits for airports (SDO 2) and for all flights thanks to trajectory-based operations (SDO 5), improvements of capacity and scalability (SDOs 3, 4, 6 and 8) as well as the uptake of innovative air mobility (SDO 10). The transversal objectives related to air–ground connectivity (SDO 7) and to communication, navigation and surveillance (SDO 9) complete the selection.

The Single European Sky (SES) initiative of the EU includes the SESAR project (Single European Sky ATM Research). SESAR defines, develops and deploys the innovative solutions that underpin the Master Plan, in support of the goals of SES, as well as broader EU policies, such as the sustainable and smart mobility strategy. This modernisation work is done in close coordination with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, to ensure alignment between the Master Plan and the regulatory framework and accelerate deployment.

Furthermore, and again for the first time, this edition of the Master Plan defines phase D, the last phase of the Digital European Sky, by detailing 12 development priorities to address the following challenges:

  • the vision of making Europe the most efficient and environmentally friendly sky to fly in the world;
  • the further integration of innovative air mobility;
  • the emergence of higher airspace operations;
  • the integration of the next generation of aircraft for zero-/low-emission aviation by 2035;
  • the new security context for ATM in Europe.

Expected benefits

The transformation outlined in the Master Plan holds significant value for the European economy and society at large. A more efficient and reliable aviation system will enhance connectivity, supporting competitiveness and economic development across the continent. Improving the predictability of traffic and ensuring on-time arrivals will significantly improve the passenger experience. It is estimated that every euro invested in deploying SESAR solutions will result by 2050 in a return on investment for SESAR investors of EUR 17, increasing to EUR 53 taking into account the broader socioeconomic benefits for Europe. In 2040, SESAR investors will already see a return on investment of EUR 7 for every euro invested.

In terms of sustainability, it is estimated that up to 400 million tonnes of CO2 could be saved by 2050, with 100 million tonnes of CO2 already saved by 2035 and 200 million tonnes by 2040. This is equivalent to close to 3 years’ worth of total CO2 emissions from aviation in Europe. Other environmental benefits of the transformation will include improved air quality, reduced noise pollution and a more resilient and sustainable air transport system.

Conditions for success

There are several major conditions that must be met to implement the Digital European Sky. These include a fit-for-purpose economic and technical regulatory framework; support for early movers; a synchronised and harmonised deployment, where needed; the concentration of all research resources on the development priorities and the involvement of the entire ATM workforce in managing the transformation.