Hydrogen-powered aviation: What do we know and where do we go?

Zahra Jaffary, Yahua Zhang, Zhifang Wu, Kun Wang, Xiaowen Fu and Yifei Cai

Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 2026, vol. 211, issue C

Abstract: The transition to hydrogen-powered aviation is a critical step toward achieving net-zero emissions in the aviation industry. However, significant uncertainties and research gaps remain in understanding its feasibility, deployment and broader implications. This literature review analysed 138 hydrogen-related articles published between 2015 and 2025 to assess the current state of research. The synthesis included the lead authors and their affiliations, the citations, the status of the leading journals and highlighting key thematic areas. The key thematic areas identified include carbon reduction policies, hydrogen-powered aircraft, the hydrogen supply chain and infrastructure, safety and the environmental impacts of hydrogen fuel in aviation. An understanding of these thematic areas is essential for shaping future research priorities, particularly in areas such as airport hydrogen demand, supply chain and infrastructure planning, and policy frameworks. The findings of this literature review can offer valuable insights for airports, airlines, policy makers, decision makers and hydrogen industries in supporting the uptake and offtake of hydrogen fuel. Based on our findings, we call for (1) in-depth airport-specific case studies to assess hydrogen infrastructure needs, comparing onsite, offsite and hybrid supply chain models in particular; (2) an investigation of demand profiles at airports as well as spatial constraints and the feasibility of hydrogen development; and (3) the identification of the supportive policy frameworks and regulatory measures that will be required to enable a successful transition to hydrogen power at the airport level.

Keywords: Hydrogen aviation; Airport hydrogen infrastructure; Decarbonization policy; Hydrogen supply chain (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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DOI: 10.1016/j.tra.2026.105067

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