Why Airbus Is Beating Boeing On Deliveries In 2026 & What It Means

For decades, Airbus and Boeing have dominated the commercial aircraft market. Today, their narrowbody and widebody families form the backbone of airline fleets around the world. Both manufacturers continue to receive hundreds of new aircraft orders every year as airlines expand and renew their fleets. However, keeping up with that demand has become increasingly difficult for them.

The aviation industry is still dealing with supply chain problems that worsened after the pandemic, while in recent years, Airbus and Boeing have also faced production issues of their own. As a result, both planemakers now have order backlogs that stretch more than a decade. Boeing started 2026 ahead of Airbus in terms of deliveries, but the European manufacturer has since regained the lead and now appears on course to finish the year ahead. What does this mean for the wider market?

Boeing Leads Q1 Deliveries, 737 MAX Drives Recovery

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Indeed, the first quarter of 2026 (Q1 2026) was an important moment in the Airbus-Boeing delivery race. Boeing, for the first time in seven years, delivered more commercial aircraft than its European rival in a single quarter. The last time the US manufacturer achieved this was in Q1 2019, before the 737 MAX grounding disrupted its production and delivery targets. As we know, the 737 MAX has been a major challenge for Boeing since two fatal accidents in 2018 and 2019 led to the aircraft being grounded worldwide. The family came under further scrutiny in January 2024 after an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 lost a door plug during a flight.

This incident prompted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to limit Boeing’s production rate and require the company to introduce a quality improvement plan. On top of that, the planemaker faced further disruption after its machinists went on strike for seven weeks in late 2024, putting additional pressure on its production schedule. However, the company has since focused on improving its manufacturing processes and increasing output from its 737 MAX program. In fact, Boeing’s recovery in the first quarter was mainly driven by the 737 MAX.

The aircraft family accounted for the majority of deliveries (roughly 80%) during the period. It delivered 143 commercial aircraft in the first three months of 2026, of which 114 were 737 MAX jets. The remaining deliveries included six 767s, eight 777s and 15 787 Dreamliners. Airbus, meanwhile, delivered 111 aircraft during the same period. This included 19 A220s, 81 A320-family aircraft, three A330s and eight A350s. The European manufacturer’s narrowbody deliveries continued to be affected by Pratt & Whitney engine availability issues.

Airbus Reclaims The Lead After A Strong Second Quarter

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For the first four months of 2026, Boeing remained ahead of Airbus in terms of deliveries. However, the European manufacturer reclaimed the lead by the end of May. It handed over 81 aircraft to 45 customers during the month. This was a 59% increase from the 51 aircraft delivered in May 2025 and an improvement from the 67 aircraft handed over in April. The increase was partly driven by the resumption of deliveries to Chinese customers.

Earlier in the year, Airbus said an “administrative topic” had delayed a number of aircraft handovers during the first quarter. Industry reports suggested the holdup was linked to discussions surrounding the certification of COMAC’s C919 in Europe. Around 20 aircraft were affected, and once the issue was resolved, Airbus was able to deliver them. Furthermore, in June, the manufacturer delivered another 89 aircraft, its highest monthly total of 2026 so far. Single-aisle aircraft accounted for the majority of deliveries.

Overall, during the first half of the year, it delivered 351 aircraft to 77 customers. Boeing, meanwhile, has also continued to increase deliveries. The manufacturer handed over 60 commercial aircraft in May, up 33% compared with the same month in 2025. The 737 MAX again accounted for the majority of deliveries, with 51 aircraft handed over during the month. The company followed this with another 64 commercial aircraft in June, although it was not enough to prevent Airbus from extending its lead.

Airbus Must Maintain Its Delivery Pace To Reach Its 2026 Target

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Undoubtedly, Airbus made a strong recovery during the second quarter. The European planemaker entered the year still dealing with supply chain challenges, particularly related to engine availability and shortages of key components, which slowed aircraft completions and contributed to its weaker first-quarter performance. However, supplier output gradually improved during the second quarter, allowing the company to deliver more aircraft to its customers.

That said, Airbus still has significant ground to cover if it wants to meet its annual delivery target. The manufacturer is aiming to deliver around 870 aircraft in 2026 and remains confident that production will continue to improve throughout the year. Based on its second-quarter performance, Airbus would need to maintain a monthly delivery rate of around 84 to 86 aircraft to reach its target. If it continues at a similar pace, it could meet or potentially exceed its annual goal.

Furthermore, alongside increasing deliveries, Airbus has continued to secure new orders across both its narrowbody and widebody aircraft programs. Just last month, SMBC Aviation Capital placed one of the largest commitments; it ordered 100 A320neo family aircraft, including 65 A321neos and 35 A320neos. The manufacturer has also secured orders from airlines across different segments, including flynas for five additional A330neos and 20 A320neos, SAS for 18 A330neos, BermudAir for its first Airbus order of ten A220-300s, Philippines Airlines for nine A350-1000s, and Riyadh Air for six additional A350-1000s.

Pratt & Whitney Engine Issues Could Limit Airbus’ Delivery Advantage

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Airbus and Boeing have competed closely for decades across both narrowbody and widebody segments, but the balance of power in the narrowbody market has shifted in recent years. Much of the European planemaker’s current deliveries are coming from the A320neo family, particularly the popular A321neo and the long-range A321XLR. The family has helped Airbus strengthen its position in the narrowbody market, where it now holds around 60% of the segment compared with around 40% for Boeing’s 737 MAX family. This indeed gives the company a strong position.

It enters this phase with a large order backlog, improving production momentum and strong customer demand. Boeing, meanwhile, is still recovering from years of production and quality challenges that affected its 737 MAX program. That said, Airbus’ advantage is not guaranteed. The manufacturer continues to face challenges of its own, particularly around Pratt & Whitney engine availability. Back in mid-2023, a manufacturing defect was identified in powder metal components used in GTF high-pressure turbine and compressor disks.

The issue affected around 1,200 engines that required inspection or rework. Pratt & Whitney has been working through the issue, but the inspections and repairs have affected its ability to produce new engines at the required pace. As a result, Airbus’ ability to increase production has been limited. In fact, some completed A220 and A320neo-family aircraft have remained on the ground while waiting for engines.

Indeed, this has pushed Airbus’ A320 production ramp-up targets. It has been targeting a production rate of 75 A320 family aircraft per month for several years. The company originally expected to reach that level between 2025 and 2026, but supply chain issues and engine delivery delays pushed the timeline back. Airbus now expects to reach a rate of between 70 and 75 aircraft per month by the end of 2027.

Higher 737 MAX Output Could Change The Delivery Race Again

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Besides this, Boeing’s improving 737 MAX production suggests that the manufacturer is gradually closing the gap. Following the Alaska Airlines incident in 2024, the FAA capped 737 MAX production at 38 aircraft per month while the planemaker implemented a quality improvement plan. Last year, the regulator approved an increase to 42 aircraft per month, although it said production would remain under close oversight.

Earlier this year, in March, it removed the fixed production cap, allowing Boeing to increase output further as long as it continued meeting safety and quality standards. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg has since outlined plans to increase production in five-aircraft-per-month increments; the US manufacturer is targeting around 53 737 MAX aircraft per month by the end of 2026.

To support that increase, it has opened a new 737 MAX production line, known as the “North Line”, at its Everett, Washington, facility. The line is capable of producing all 737 MAX variants, although it is initially focused on the MAX 8, MAX 9 and MAX 10. In addition, just recently Boeing received the amended type certificate (ATC) for the MAX 7, clearing the way for the aircraft to enter commercial service.

Both Manufacturers Face A Backlog Of More Than A Decade

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Overall, Airbus is leading the delivery race in 2026, but whether it can hold on to that advantage will depend on more than its own production. Engine availability, supply chain and the next generation of aircraft development will all play a role in determining whether the current gap over Boeing widens or begins to narrow. Even so, the pressure on both manufacturers remains significant.

According to industry data, Airbus ended the first half of 2026 with a commercial aircraft backlog of 9,216 aircraft, including 7,461 A320neo family jets. Based on its current delivery target of around 870 aircraft this year, that represents more than a decade of production (around 10.6 years). Boeing, meanwhile, had a commercial backlog of 6,814 aircraft at the end of June, which also equates to more than ten years of production at its current delivery rate.

Indeed, the record backlog is both good news and a warning sign. It shows that demand for new aircraft remains strong, as airlines continue to place orders to expand and renew their fleets. However, the size of these backlogs raises a more difficult question: how quickly can manufacturers turn those orders into delivered aircraft? Both Airbus and Boeing are working to increase production, but ultimately their ability to clear these backlogs will depend on factors beyond their own factories.