With explicit support from the President of the United States, Donald Trump, who began using the company’s contracts as a tool in international economic negotiations, Boeing ended 2025 ahead of Airbus in net commercial aircraft orders.
Even so, the U.S. manufacturer remained behind its European rival in the number of aircraft actually delivered during the year, highlighting the gap between order volume and production capacity.
By the end of 2025, Boeing had accumulated 1,173 net orders, compared with 889 recorded by Airbus. In contrast, Airbus delivered 793 commercial aircraft to customers, while Boeing completed 600 deliveries, including 30 units of the 767 model. The figures show that, despite stronger commercial performance, Boeing still faces constraints in its production pace.
The U.S. manufacturer’s results were driven primarily by strong demand for the 737 MAX family, which accounted for 591 orders. Orders for the 787 Dreamliner also played a significant role, with 381 contracts, as did long-term agreements for the 777X, totaling 163 orders. Airbus, for its part, kept its order book heavily supported by the A320neo family, which concentrated around 500 orders.
One point of contrast between the two companies lies in the disclosure of data. Airbus reports order cancellations in detail, while Boeing presents only aggregated figures, reducing transparency in direct comparisons between the order books.
Despite delays in the entry into service of the 777X, the program continues to attract long-term commitments. In addition, military aircraft derived from commercial platforms, such as the KC-46A aerial refuelers and the P-8A maritime patrol aircraft, contributed to Boeing’s total contract volume.
Another relevant data point is that Boeing’s total orders in 2025 were more than double those recorded in 2024. This growth occurred in a context of strong political involvement, in which Trump began highlighting the company’s orders as a symbol of strengthening the American industry during negotiations with U.S. trading partners.
In summary, 2025 marked a significant advance for Boeing on the commercial front, signaling a gradual recovery after years of difficulties related to certification delays of the 737 MAX and the 777X, the consolidation of Spirit AeroSystems, and recurring quality issues. Even so, the gap between orders and deliveries indicates that the company continues to face challenges in converting contracts into production at the same pace as its main European competitor.
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Source and images: Airbus | Boeing. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
