European aircraft manufacturer Airbus believes it may have already lost the race when it comes to the highest number of airplane orders this year, as Guillaume Faury, Airbus Chief Executive Officer, has somewhat already conceded defeat.

While Airbus remains ahead of the United States aircraft manufacturer Boeing in terms of aircraft deliveries and order pipeline, Boeing will likely take the crown, with between January and November, recording net orders after cancellations of 908 aircraft, compared to Airbus’ 700, as noted by the manufacturer’s CEO to Frances Inter Radio.

Five Years’ Worth Of Aircraft Backlog

It’s hardly doom and gloom for Airbus, with the manufacturer stating to a French radio station that the backlog of current aircraft will last at least five more years, boasting that it is much higher than its main rival. On the other side, Boeing has seen a boost in aircraft orders through tariff and trade negotiations, which saw aircraft orders as a result of these talks.

For Boeing, the strong demand for aircraft orders remains for the widely popular 787 Dreamliner. In late November, Simple Flying reported that the American plane maker still has over 700 of the widebody planes to manufacture on the books. This strong demand has helped Boeing regain the title of most aircraft net orders for the first time in six years. Faury explained:

« The fact that we have been ahead on orders for five years means our order backlog is much higher than that of our main competitor.

« But it is true that they have been helped by the American president as part of tariff negotiations with several countries, where plane orders became part of the resolution of trade disputes. »

The A321 And 787 Are Fueling Aircraft Orders

As already mentioned, for Boeing, its successful year has hinged on the popularity of the 787 Dreamliner, which airlines around the globe continue to utilize to revolutionize their long-haul widebody networks. The capabilities of these planes, paired with their operational efficiency, mean airlines have opted for these planes to reconsider new markets that may previously not been possible with traditional widebodies.

Across the Atlantic, Airbus has revelled in the success of the Airbus A321 family of airplanes, including the delivery of several Airbus A321XLR, which are set to be a game-changer in the narrow-body market, now offering airlines the choice to deploy these aircraft on long-haul type routes with much smaller capacity and overhead costs.

Airbus remains the world’s largest manufacturer when considering deliveries, and sees continued expansion with additional assembly lines in both China and the United States to support local demand. Just recently, Airbus added a second assembly line to its factory in Tianjin, which has doubled capacity to ramp up production, with an overall goal to output 75 planes per month by 2027.

Plenty Of Orders to Fulfill

China has been a key focus for both Airbus and Boeing, hoping to win the lion’s share of internal order goals set by the Asian country. It is estimated that more than 500 jets are poised to be ordered by one of the world’s most populous countries and economic powerhouses. Just recently, the Chinese have agreed to go ahead with a previous order of 120 airplanes.

Airbus published its order book up until November 2025, which has outlined the 797 aircraft it has received orders for this year, the largest share being for the single-aisle family of airplanes, with big customers including United Airlines, BOC Aviation, Avolon, and VietJet Air. For widebody aircraft, the manufacturer has collected a total number of 253 aircraft, which include the A330 and A350 families of planes, with big customers being Riyadh Air and IndiGo. Details below:

Both Airbus and Boeing have continued to manage high demand for their aircraft while handling supply chain challenges for engines and parts, alongside labor shortages. This has led to Airbus lowering its planned delivery target from 820 aircraft to 790 this year, as a result of these challenges.

Just recently, Airbus had to grapple with a weekend of a worldwide reset for many Airbus A320 software recalls, which affected thousands of A320s around the world, seeing many passengers having flights cancelled or delayed, as airlines were required to upgrade their onboard software, due to solar radiation interference.