The hub-and-spoke model has defined global aviation for decades. But the report Morgondagens Flyg argues that this logic is ripe for disruption—especially in a country like Sweden, where distance, decentralisation, and climate policy demand new solutions.
The report envisions a future of distributed air networks powered by electric aircraft and eVTOLs. Instead of routing passengers through large international hubs, flights will connect cities, towns, and even rural areas directly—linking smaller airports into a net of short-haul routes tailored to actual regional demand.
This is no longer speculative. Heart Aerospace’s ES-30, a hybrid-electric aircraft, received investment from Air Canada and SAS a few years ago and is specifically designed for short-haul flights between regional airports. Its range and low operational cost could make routes under 400 km economically viable again—routes that have declined steadily in Sweden over the past decade due to falling profitability and tightening emissions expectations.
Meanwhile, digitalisation makes it possible to coordinate schedules and ticketing across multiple small operators and modes of transport. With Sweden’s advanced digital infrastructure and real-time public transport systems already in place, regional aviation can integrate into a broader door-to-door journey in ways previously not feasible.
But to unlock this potential, Morgondagens Flyg stresses the need for infrastructure upgrades at regional airports—charging capabilities, vertiport integration, and improved first/last-mile access. The report also suggests public procurement mechanisms to guarantee service on otherwise marginal routes, especially in northern Sweden and the Baltic archipelago.
The age of bigger airports isn’t over—but the future lies in smarter networks, smaller aircraft, and a regional air system built around real human mobility needs.
The successful company Heart Aerospace has already relocated its headquarters – and virtually all of its operations – from Sweden to the United States in order to accelerate the development of its hybrid-electric aircraft, the ES-30. The question is: will more Swedish tech companies follow the same path in pursuit of growth – or will Sweden be able to accelerate its own development opportunities to encourage companies to stay?
This article builds on the report “Morgondagens Flyg” (The Aviation of Tomorrow), created by Transportföretagen and Aero EDIH.
