Boeing delivered more planes than Airbus in August

Boeing delivered more commercial aircraft than Airbus in August, according to industry tallies published on September 3, a one-month reversal in a rivalry Airbus had led every month since 2019. AeroXplorer reported Boeing handed over 63 jets in August, compared with 58 for Airbus. Airbus publishes monthly delivery data on its orders-and-deliveries page, while Boeing reports formal delivery totals quarterly and had disclosed 314 commercial deliveries through June 30. The August comparison does not change the year-to-date lead. Airbus said it had delivered 418 aircraft through July 31 to 82 customers. Boeing said it had delivered 314 aircraft through June 30, and industry trackers put Boeing at 367 through July after 53 deliveries in that month. ### How unusual is one month with Boeing ahead? September 2019 was the last time Boeing outdelivered Airbus in a single month, according to AirInsight and AeroXplorer. (aeroxplorer.com) The gap then widened during the 737 MAX grounding, the pandemic and later certification delays on Boeing programs including the MAX 7 and MAX 10. Airbus still entered August with a substantial cumulative advantage. (airbus.com) Airbus reported 351 commercial aircraft deliveries in the first half of 2026, while Boeing reported 314 through the end of the second quarter. By the end of July, Airbus had reached 418 deliveries, according to its monthly report. ### What numbers are people using for August? AeroXplorer said Boeing delivered 63 aircraft in August and Airbus delivered 58. (airinsight.com) EPlane AI published the same August tally on September 3, saying Boeing had narrowly exceeded Airbus for the month. Airbus’s own website still showed July as the latest posted month when checked on September 3. Boeing’s public investor and newsroom pages likewise did not show a separate August monthly delivery release, reflecting the company’s practice of giving formal delivery totals in quarterly disclosures. (airbus.com) ### Why has Boeing’s pace improved at all? The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration certified Boeing’s 737-7 on August 3, clearing that MAX variant for commercial service and allowing Boeing to prepare first deliveries. (aeroxplorer.com) Boeing said at the time that the amended type certificate had been granted by the FAA. AirInsight said Boeing’s August first-flight and delivery activity suggested the company was moving more aircraft despite the FAA’s cap of 38 737 MAXs a month after the January Alaska Airlines door-plug accident. (airbus.com) AeroXplorer also said Boeing’s August total appeared to reflect progress in clearing previously built inventory. Those assessments were made by industry outlets, not by Boeing in a formal statement on August deliveries. (boeing.mediaroom.com) ### What is slowing Airbus and the wider market? Airbus has said engine supply remains a constraint on output. In its half-year results on July 29, Airbus kept its 2026 guidance unchanged after reporting 351 commercial aircraft deliveries in the first half. ADS, the UK aerospace trade association, said the global commercial aircraft backlog reached a record 17,037 aircraft in July 2026, equal to more than 12 years of production at current delivery rates. (airinsight.com) ADS said the first seven months of 2026 brought 1,573 aircraft orders globally, up 31% from the same period a year earlier. ### What should readers watch next? September data releases will show whether August was an isolated month or the start of a steadier handover pace. (airbus.com) Airbus updates its orders-and-deliveries page monthly, and Boeing’s next formal delivery figure will be embedded in its third-quarter reporting cycle. (airbus.com) (adsgroup.org.uk)