Asger Risom
The traditional tube-and-wing aircraft that has defined commercial flying for decades may eventually give way to a radically different shape.
The traditional tube-and-wing aircraft that has defined commercial flying for decades may eventually give way to a radically different shape. Airbus now believes the future of long-haul travel could be built around a single sweeping wing with passengers seated inside it.
The idea, long studied but never certified for commercial use, is drawing fresh momentum as manufacturers chase huge efficiency gains and lower emissions.
Airbus looks ahead
Speaking to Bild, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said the next 30 to 40 years could see major airlines adopt blended-wing-body aircraft, or BWBs. The design merges the fuselage into the wing to spread lift across the entire structure, a concept Faury said is “better suited” to widebody jets.
Airbus says the approach can improve fuel burn and offer more interior space, though it would come with trade-offs. Windows may be eliminated entirely, and passengers seated deep inside the cabin could feel disoriented or far from exits during emergencies.
The company has been testing BWBs since 2017 as part of its ZEROe program, flying a demonstrator in 2019 that suggested roughly 20 percent fuel savings. Future versions could run on hydrogen, though Airbus has delayed its original 2035 goal by up to a decade due to certification hurdles, infrastructure limitations and concerns over passenger acceptance.
A long history, but no commercial jet
Although the Northrop B-2 bomber is the best-known flying-wing aircraft, commercial variants have never made it to market.
McDonnell Douglas and NASA explored versions of the concept in the 1990s, and Boeing continued that work through the X-48 demonstrators after a merger. The program ended in 2013, and Boeing has not announced plans for a full-scale passenger BWB.
Airbus’ renewed interest now comes as competition accelerates from younger, more agile companies trying to outpace the industry’s two biggest players.
Startups aim to break the duopoly
San Diego-based Natilus is developing a narrowbody BWB, Horizon, pitched as an alternative to the A320 and 737. The company promises about 25 percent lower fuel burn and 40 percent more cabin space while still fitting into standard airport gates. CEO Aleksey Matyushev told Business Insider that airlines may need 40,000 narrowbodies in the next two decades, far beyond what Airbus and Boeing alone can supply.
Renderings show three aisles, wider seats and even “privacy pods.” Horizon will keep windows throughout, supplemented by skylights to help those seated far from the sides.
Further north, JetZero is targeting widebody operators with its Z4, a BWB design that could replace the Airbus A330 or Boeing 767 while cutting fuel burn by up to half. United Airlines Ventures has signaled interest in purchasing as many as 200 of the 250-seat jets. Executives say the spacious interior could feel like a “living room in the sky.”
JetZero successfully flew its Pathfinder subscale model in 2024.
A race to redefine the airliner
Between Airbus’ ZEROe research and the ambitions of startups, the BWB concept is gaining traction after decades of false starts. Whether passengers ultimately accept a windowless cabin — or airlines embrace a format that alters airport operations — remains an open question.
But momentum is clearly building toward an era in which the standard jetliner may look far closer to a stealth bomber than to the planes we board today.
Sources: Bild, Airbus, Business Insider
