Airbus Takes Flight Over Boeing in Commercial Jet Deliveries

Airbus has overtaken Boeing in the race to deliver commercial jets in 2026, after a strong month of May. Through the first four months of the year, Boeing had led with 143 deliveries to Airbus's 114, but Airbus closed the gap with 81 deliveries in May alone. This put it ahead on the year-to-date scoreboard, with 262 aircraft delivered to Boeing's 250.

On orders, Airbus has a much larger lead, with net orders running at around 368 to Boeing's roughly 140 by mid-year. The A320neo family, particularly the long-range A321neo and A321XLR, are driving this order lead for Airbus. Boeing's 737 MAX remains its best-seller, but it continues to work through production and reputational challenges that have slowed its order intake.

The Airbus-Boeing rivalry is crucial for airlines, as both manufacturers build nearly every large airliner in the Western world. Their competition shapes which aircraft airlines can buy, how quickly, and at what price. With multi-year backlogs on both sides, the real contest is now about who can actually build jets fast enough to meet demand.