Boeing has secured orders for nearly 1,200 commercial planes in 2025, surpassing its European rival Airbus for the first time since 2018. According to figures released on Tuesday, the US aviation giant booked 175 orders in December, bringing the total for the year to 1,173. In contrast, Airbus disclosed net orders of 889 aircraft for the year.
The achievement marks a significant milestone for Boeing, which has been working to recover from a series of setbacks, including fatal crashes of its 737 MAX planes in 2018 and 2019. Although the company still lags behind Airbus in terms of undelivered planes, the latest orders suggest a positive trend. Boeing’s efforts to improve its quality control and manufacturing operations, under close scrutiny by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), appear to be paying off.
In a boost to Boeing’s prospects, Delta Air Lines announced an order for 30 Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes, with options for 30 more. Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed confidence in Boeing’s turnaround, citing the company’s progress under the leadership of CEO Kelly Ortberg, who joined in 2024. The order was not included in Boeing’s 2025 figures.
The improvement in orders is the latest sign of progress for Boeing after a challenging 2024. The company faced a near-catastrophic emergency landing on an Alaska Airlines flight in January and a lengthy labor strike that halted plane production in the Seattle region. However, after fortifying its quality control and manufacturing operations, Boeing received approval from the FAA to increase production on the 737 MAX to 42 per month from 38.
Boeing delivered 63 planes in December, taking the annual total to 600 for 2025. While this figure marks the most since 2018, it remains below the 793 delivered by Airbus. Boeing’s commercial plane chief, Stephanie Pope, acknowledged the progress made by the company, stating that the team is focused on improving the on-time delivery of safe, quality airplanes to support customers’ growth and modernization plans.
The outcome is seen as a positive development for Boeing, although analysts caution that it should be weighed against the accumulated orders, which provide a better benchmark. Morningstar analyst Nicolas Owens noted that Boeing’s outpacing of Airbus’ orders in 2025 is “a nice bit of news,” but it is just one year in a competition for a large market that plays out over decades. Boeing shares rose 2.0 percent in response to the news.
