European aircraft manufacturer Airbus delivered 766 planes last year, marking its highest output in six years. The A321neo model has emerged as the world’s best-selling aircraft, driven by airlines investing heavily in upgrading their fleets with more fuel-efficient planes like the A321neo. Notably, carriers such as KLM are replacing older Boeing 737 models with Airbus aircraft.
Despite the impressive figures, Airbus narrowly missed its target of delivering 770 planes in 2024. This goal was widely considered overly ambitious, as the company faced challenges scaling up production.
In addition to deliveries, Airbus secured 826 net orders in 2024, bringing its backlog to an impressive 8,658 aircraft. “Considering the complex and rapidly changing environment in which we continue to operate, we regard 2024 as a strong year,” said Airbus Chief Commercial Officer Christian Scherer.
The company has yet to disclose its delivery forecast for 2025, a figure eagerly awaited by investors. Analysts at Bloomberg Intelligence estimate that Airbus will deliver 869 planes this year.
Meanwhile, rival Boeing is set to release its annual performance report next week. The American manufacturer faced a challenging year, highlighted by a January incident in which an Alaska Airlines Boeing aircraft lost a door panel mid-flight. This mishap, along with other difficulties, likely resulted in Boeing’s delivery numbers falling to less than half of Airbus’s total.