Airbus Leads 2025 Deliveries; Boeing Wins on Net Orders

Airbus has retained its title as the world's largest planemaker, delivering 793 commercial aircraft in 2025. However, Boeing demonstrated a significant commercial resurgence, securing more net new orders than its European rival for the first time since 2018, a key indicator of shifting market dynamics.

A Tale of Two Metrics

The 2025 results highlight the intense competition within the commercial aerospace duopoly. While Airbus leads in production volume and maintains a larger overall order backlog, Boeing's stronger sales performance suggests renewed market confidence. The data from both manufacturers underscores the continued, robust demand for new-generation narrow-body aircraft, which dominate both order books and delivery schedules.

According to official company data, Airbus's 793 deliveries in 2025 surpassed Boeing's total of 600 aircraft. The bulk of Airbus's production centered on its popular Airbus A320 New Engine Option (A320neo) family, which accounted for 607 deliveries, per FlightGlobal. Boeing's production was similarly focused on its narrow-body offering, with 447 deliveries of the Boeing 737 MAX (737 MAX) family, as reported by Aerospace Global News. Airbus had previously revised its initial 2025 delivery target downwards from 820 jets, citing persistent supply chain bottlenecks affecting the industry.

Boeing's Order Resurgence

On the sales front, Boeing secured a notable victory. The U.S. planemaker recorded 1,173 net new aircraft orders in 2025, compared to 889 for Airbus. This marks the first time since 2018 that Boeing has outsold its competitor in net orders. Gross orders before cancellations and conversions stood at 1,175 for Boeing and 1,000 for Airbus, according to data from Manufacturing Dive and Airbus.

Despite Boeing's sales success, Airbus maintains a commanding lead in the total order backlog. Airbus ended 2025 with a record backlog of 8,754 aircraft awaiting production. In comparison, Boeing's backlog stood at 6,130 aircraft. These substantial backlogs, dominated by the A320neo and 737 MAX families, signal a tight aerospace market with production slots sold out for years to come. The figures reflect strong airline demand for more fuel-efficient aircraft to handle recovering travel demand and meet sustainability goals.

What Comes Next

Both manufacturers continue to face the challenge of ramping up production rates to meet this demand while navigating a fragile global supply chain. The competition in 2026 will likely focus on stabilizing production, managing supplier performance, and securing orders for wide-body aircraft, a segment where recovery has been slower.

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