The rivalry between Boeing and Airbus is one of the fiercest in all of business. Ever since Airbus was formed in 1970, it has targeted Boeing as the company to beat, and 55 years later, Airbus has now matched or even surpassed Boeing in market position and financials. Of course, Boeing has been around for well over a century, and its product lineup is as competitive as ever. In the single-aisle market, the two manufacturers go head-to-head, while in the widebody market, the two companies tend to offer different products with varying strengths and weaknesses.

In the narrowbody market, Airbus sells the A220 (A220-100 and A220-300) as well as the A320neo family (A319neo, A320neo, A321neo). Boeing competes with the 737 MAX series (737 MAX 7, 737 MAX 8, 737 MAX 9, 737 MAX 10). In the commercial twin-aisle space, Airbus sells the A330neo (A330-800neo, A330-900neo) and the A350 XWB (A350-900, A350-1000, A350F), while Boeing produces the 777F and 777X (777-8, 777-9, 777F, 777-8F) and the 787 Dreamliner (787-8, 787-9, 787-10). With the year coming to a close, it’s time to see who received more orders.

Looking At Orders For Small Narrowbodies

The Airbus A220 was not developed by Airbus (rather, it was developed by Bombardier as the C Series), but Airbus acquired the program in 2018 for $1 and subsequently rebranded it as the A220. The CS100 was renamed the A220-100, while the CS300 was renamed the A220-300. While the A220 has faced challenges with production costs, potential market size issues, and reliability concerns related to its Pratt & Whitney GTF turbofan engines, the aircraft itself is exceptional. Most importantly, Boeing doesn’t sell an equivalent airliner to the A220.

The A220 has had a fairly slow year in 2025, with most headlines instead focusing on groundings and fleet retirements due to continued problems with the aircraft’s PW1500G motors. However, in June, LOT Polish Airlines placed its first-ever order with Airbus, ordering 20 A220-100s and 20 A220-300s, for a total of 40 aircraft. In addition, the carrier holds 44 options for additional A220s. These were the only A220 orders recorded in 2025.

The A220 doesn’t compete with any Boeing aircraft other than the larger, heavier 737 MAX 7 (which competes more closely with the A319neo). Instead, the A220 primarily competes with the Embraer E2 family, which has seen far more orders in 2025. The LOT order was seen as a major upset victory for Airbus, as the A220s will be replacing prior-generation Embraer E-Jet aircraft. Although the E2 beat the A220 in 2025 for new orders, the A220 still has more orders overall. As for Boeing versus Airbus, so far we have 40 new orders for Airbus and zero for Boeing.

Boeing Versus Airbus In Large Narrowbodies

In 2025, Airbus recorded 504 new orders for its A320neo family, making it far more popular than its smaller A220 family. Of these, 402 are for the A321neo from 11 disclosed customers (Korean Air, Aegean, United, Jackson Square Aviation, EVA Air, BOC Aviation, AviLease, ANA, Avolon, and Vietjet) and seven undisclosed customers. 102 were for the smaller A320neo family, coming from four disclosed customers (Abra Group, Jackson Square Aviation, BOC Aviation, AviLease), five undisclosed customers, and four private customers.

The 737 MAX family received a total of 461 orders in 2025 from a total of eight disclosed customers (Alaska Airlines, AviLease, BOC Aviation, Japan Airlines, TUI, Macquarie Finance AirFinance Limited, Norwegian, and WestJet), along with orders from 10 undisclosed customers. Unlike Airbus, Boeing does not provide a breakdown of orders by 737 MAX variant. However, these orders are all for either the 737 MAX 8 or the 737 MAX 10 variants, which have emerged as being the most popular 737 MAX variants.

In total, Airbus has slightly outperformed Boeing in the narrowbody market, with 504 A320neo as opposed to 461 737 MAX sales. Adding the 40 A220 sales brings Airbus’ 2025 total to 544 narrowbody orders. While this is more than the Boeing 737 MAX, it’s a fairly close result given the higher volumes of the narrowbody market. Once again, the A321neo is the real winner in this market space, as its superior economics and excellent versatility continue to justify its position as the most popular aircraft variant of all time.

Looking At Medium-Size Widebody Aircraft

In this section, we compare the A330neo with the 787, since these two aircraft are largely similar in size and capability. In this space, Airbus sells the A330-800neo (the re-engined variant of the A330-200) and the A330-900neo (the re-engined variant of the A330-300). In comparison, Boeing sells the 787-8 (comparably sized to the A330-800), the 787-9 (similarly sized to the A330-900neo with greater range), and the 787-10 (sized between the larger A350-900 and A350-1000).

2025 was one of the best years for the A330neo. In total, the A330neo program received 96 orders from seven customers (Saudia, IAG, Vietjet, MAB Leasing, Condor, Avolon, and Etihad Airways). Naturally, all orders were for the A330-900neo, which offers superior operating economics compared to the A330-800neo and has enough range for virtually any airline. While the A330neo has historically been a slow seller, it appears to hold a persistent presence in the widebody market, slowly but consistently picking up sales.

The 787 Dreamliner, however, had a fantastic year. In total, Boeing sold 351 Dreamliners, more than three times the number of A330-900neos. Of these, just one was an order for the 787-8 from an undisclosed customer. 200 orders were for the 787-9, which has established itself as the most popular widebody aircraft variant currently on sale. 150, meanwhile, were for the 787-10, which has begun to gain traction due to its lower per-seat costs. In total, this brings Airbus’ orders for commercial aircraft to 640, while Boeing’s total is 812 units.

Looking At The Large Widebody Airliners

In this space, Airbus sells the A350 (consisting of the A350-900 and A350-1000), while Boeing competes with the 777X family (made up of the 777-8 and 777-9). In addition, these two families contain the only new-build freighters that the two companies sell. Airbus sells the A350F, sized between the A350-900 and A350-1000 with the A350-1000’s wing. Meanwhile, Boeing still produced the last-generation 777F (based on the 777-200LR) while also selling the 777-8F.

In total, Airbus sold 162 A350s. Historically, the A350-900 has been the most popular variant, but in 2025, the A350-1000 gained traction with 82 orders (Lufthansa, British Airways, EVA Air, China Airlines, Riyadh Air, Starlux, Etihad Airways, and an undisclosed customer). The A350-900, meanwhile, only received 52 orders (Egyptair, Iberia, Emirates, IndiGo, and a private customer), while the A350F sold 28 units (Etihad Airways, Starlux, AviLease, MNG Airlines Cargo, Silk Way West, and Air China Cargo).

In 2025, Boeing sold 173 777s, slightly outselling the Airbus A350. 15 of these were for the 777F from FedEx Express, as well as three unidentified orders. The remaining 158, meanwhile, were for the 777X. These orders were primarily for the 777-9 passenger variant, coming from British Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, Emirates, Korean Air, and Qatar Airways. Adding it up, you get 985 orders for Boeing commercial airliners in 2025, whereas Airbus sold 802 aircraft.

Reflecting On 2025 For Boeing And Airbus

Perhaps the biggest news is the sales of the A330-900neo. With 96 orders, 2025 was the third-best year for the program, trailing slightly behind 2019 and 2014. While it’s less capable than a 787-9 and less efficient on longer routes, it’s more efficient on shorter routes, cheaper to purchase, cheaper to integrate for current A330 operators, and available on shorter notice than the 787. With current supply chain constraints, these qualities become more important than ever, especially as older A330s begin to age.

Of course, the 787 continued to sell in high numbers. The 787-9 is versatile and sized in the « sweet spot » of the market, while the 787-10’s superior per-seat economics position it as a popular choice. In contrast, the A350 continues to trail behind the 787 as it’s ultimately a larger, more capable aircraft that’s more costly to operate. The A350-1000 had a relatively successful year as 777-300ERs ages, although the 777X still closely matched its sales. Note, however, that part of the reason the 777X and 787 had such strong sales this year was the strong political deal-making by President Donald Trump.

The 737 MAX had a strong year in 2025, only falling slightly short of the A320neo family. However, the A321neo continues to receive virtually limitless demand, and 2025 was no exception. With over 7,200 orders, it’s the most ordered aircraft variant in history, while the less economical A320neo is slowly fading away from relevance. The A220, meanwhile, is struggling with high production costs, low assembly rates, and reliability issues, which have decreased its market appeal despite otherwise being an excellent airliner.