Final Delivery Tally and OEM Tracker

LONDON — As the curtain falls on 2025, the global aerospace manufacturing sector has navigated a year defined by aggressive production ramps, persistent supply chain "choke points," and a significant shift in the competitive duopoly. While Airbus once again secured the top spot for total deliveries, Boeing closed the year with a resurgent order book and a stabilised production line that signalled the end of its multi-year "bridge" phase.

2025 Year-End Delivery Tracker

The following table summarises the estimated final delivery counts for 2025, based on preliminary year-end reports and November YTD (Year-To-Date) data.

Airbus: Narrowbody King Despite Supplier Setbacks

Airbus entered December under immense pressure. After discovering a "supplier quality issue" involving fuselage panels from Sofitec Aero, the European giant was forced to revise its initial target of 820 aircraft down to 790.

Despite this, the A320neo family remained the industry's "economic engine." By the end of November, Airbus had already delivered 657 aircraft. A massive December “sprint” delivering over 125 jets in the final month pushed the OEM toward its revised goal.

The A321neo Factor: Representing over 50% of narrowbody deliveries, the A321neo continues to be the preferred choice for long-range, high-capacity single-aisle routes.

Widebody Resilience: A350 deliveries stabilised, with the -1000 variant seeing increased uptake from Middle Eastern carriers like Etihad and Emirates.

Boeing: The Turnaround Gathers Momentum

For Boeing, 2025 was a year of "quality over quantity." Under strict FAA oversight, the manufacturer focused on stabilising the 737 MAX production rate, which finally breached the 42-per-month cap in late Q4.

"Boeing's 2025 was a fundamentally bizarre year. While production was constrained by a 'hangover' of quality discipline, the market treated it as a turnaround candidate, rewarding the company for its Spirit AeroSystems merger and a massive order lead over Airbus." — Aviation Analyst Report

Key Boeing Milestones in 2025:

737 MAX Stability: Reached a cumulative delivery total of approximately 400+ MAX units by year-end.

Widebody Lead: Boeing significantly outpaced Airbus in widebody orders, particularly for the 787 Dreamliner and the 777 Freighter.

777X Delay: The formal push of the first 777X delivery to 2027 remains a shadow over the program, despite strong current-generation 777F sales.

The “Rise of the Rest”

While the duopoly remains intact, secondary OEMs carved out significant wins in 2025:

Embraer's Executive Boom

The Brazilian manufacturer hit its guidance of 145–155 executive jets, driven by the high demand for the Phenom 300 series. In the commercial space, the E2 family gained momentum, notably through a landmark order from SAS, positioning the E195-E2 as a cost-effective alternative to the A220.

COMAC’s C919 Reality Check

China's COMAC faced a challenging year, slashing its 2025 C919 delivery target from 75 units to just 25. Supply chain bottlenecks and geopolitics, specifically regarding the CFM LEAP-1C engines, hampered the ramp-up. However, the first international operations in Southeast Asia for the C909 (formerly ARJ21) marked a strategic win for the firm's global ambitions.

2026 Outlook

As we move into 2026, the industry faces a combined backlog exceeding 16,000 aircraft. The focus will shift from "securing orders" to "executing deliveries." Boeing aims to hit a production rate of 50+ MAX aircraft per month, while Airbus will attempt to cross the elusive 800-delivery threshold as fuselage panel issues are resolved.