Airbus Outpaces Boeing in October 2025 Aircraft Deliveries

Airbus widened its lead over Boeing in October 2025, delivering 78 commercial aircraft compared to its rival's 53, according to official company filings. The monthly figures highlight the persistent production challenges facing both Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) as they struggle against supply chain constraints to meet ambitious end-of-year targets.

The delivery gap underscores a pivotal moment in commercial aviation history that occurred during the month. According to a report from Simple Flying, the Airbus A320 family surpassed the Boeing 737 as the most-delivered jetliner in history on October 7, 2025. This milestone, combined with the ongoing delivery disparity, reflects the intense pressure on both manufacturers to ramp up production while navigating significant industrial headwinds.

October 2025 Delivery Breakdown

According to its monthly orders and deliveries filing on November 7, 2025, Airbus's 78 deliveries were primarily driven by its popular A320neo (Airbus A320 New Engine Option) family of narrow-body jets. The European manufacturer has been focused on increasing its production rate for this aircraft line to address a record backlog.

Boeing's delivery report, released on November 11, 2025, showed a total of 53 aircraft handed over to customers. The majority of these were from the Boeing 737 MAX family, the direct competitor to the A320neo. While the figure represents a steady production pace, it remains below the levels required to meet heightened analyst expectations for the year.

The Race to Meet Full-Year Targets

The October results placed intense scrutiny on the full-year delivery goals for both companies. Airbus maintained its official guidance of delivering approximately 820 aircraft in 2025. With 585 aircraft delivered as of October 31, the OEM needed to deliver an ambitious 235 aircraft in the final two months of the year to meet its target. Subsequent end-of-year results confirmed the challenge; Airbus ultimately delivered a total of 793 commercial aircraft for the full year 2025, missing its guidance by a narrow margin.

Boeing did not publish a formal delivery target for 2025, a practice it has maintained amid production volatility. However, industry analyst projections, including those from Forecast International, placed expectations in the range of 590-600 aircraft. According to its full-year data released in January 2026, Boeing successfully met this market expectation, delivering a total of 600 commercial aircraft.

Persistent Supply Chain Headwinds

Underlying the delivery numbers are persistent and systemic supply chain disruptions. Industry trends indicate that both manufacturers are grappling with shortages of components, raw materials, and skilled labor. A primary bottleneck remains engine availability, with airframe production at times outpacing the output from engine suppliers like Pratt & Whitney and CFM International. Airbus has previously noted instances of fully assembled aircraft waiting on tarmacs for engines to be installed.

These delays have a significant financial and operational impact on airlines. IATA Director General Willie Walsh commented on the situation, stating, “Airlines are feeling the impact of the aerospace supply chain challenges across their business. Higher leasing costs, reduced scheduling flexibility, delayed sustainability gains, and increased reliance on suboptimal aircraft types are the most obvious challenges.” The cost of these bottlenecks to the global airline industry was estimated to be over $11 billion in 2025.

Despite these short-term production issues, long-term demand remains exceptionally strong. As of late 2025, the global order backlog for commercial aircraft surpassed 17,000 units, extending production visibility for both OEMs well into the next decade. To meet this demand, both companies are working to increase output. Airbus is targeting a production rate of 75 A320 family aircraft per month by 2027.

Why This Matters

The October 2025 delivery figures are more than a monthly scorecard; they are a clear indicator of the deep-rooted industrial challenges shaping the aviation sector's recovery and growth. For airlines, these production constraints delay fleet modernization, increase operational costs, and hamper efforts to improve fuel efficiency. For the manufacturers, the inability to consistently meet production targets puts pressure on financial performance and complicates the management of a record-high order backlog. This dynamic between immense demand and constrained supply will likely define the commercial aerospace landscape for the next several years.

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