ICCAIA was established in 1972 to provide the civil aircraft industry a means to be represented in the deliberations of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).  The organization is an association of associations, constituted by the Aerospace Industries Association of America (AIA) and the European Association of Aerospace Industries (AECMA).

In 2004, AECMA merged with two other European associations to form the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD).

ICCAIA has expanded today to be a global organization, representing the interests of manufacturers from many different regions. Members of ICCAIA now include associations from Canada, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, Singapore, Malaysia and China. In 2021, ICCAIA created a level of Membership, called Associate, that was specifically designed to accommodate the needs of Associations with a smaller membership of their own.

ICCAIA continues to grow its membership to ensure that the priorities of manufacturers from all countries and regions are represented.