Throughout 2023, Airbus and Boeing delivered more than 1,000 aircraft and received thousands of orders. But it can be challenging to answer the question of who performs better overall throughout the year.
As the global aviation industry gradually fully recovers from the pandemic, the industry has experienced a momentous moment in 2023. The success of aircraft manufacturers depends largely on the number of orders and deliveries, giving us an in-depth look at the performance of Airbus and Boeing.
In 2023, both Boeing and Airbus have achieved major victories for both widebody and narrowbody aircraft. Airbus achieved major victories at the Paris Air Show in June, including a huge order for 500 A320neo family aircraft from Indian low-cost carrier Indigo.
At the Paris Air Show, Boeing also saw a significant increase in orders for wide-body and narrow-body aircraft, with China Airlines ordering eight 787 aircraft and a number of other airlines also increasing their orders for 737 MAX. At the Dubai Airshow, Boeing sold nearly 300 aircraft, beating rival Airbus, which had fewer than 100 orders.
But looking at the whole year, Airbus orders are still among the best. Airbus also continues to lead Boeing in terms of backlogs, with more than 8,000 aircraft backlogs, compared to just over 5,700 for Boeing.
Boeing currently has a limited range of commercial airliners on sale, primarily the 737 MAX and 787 aircraft. Boeing expects to deliver 375 737 MAX and 70 787 aircraft in 2023, in addition to a number of freighters and other aircraft (such as some older generation 777s), which will slightly boost total deliveries.
Airbus' product offering is more diverse, with four major aircraft families, including the A220, A320, A330 and A350. Despite problems with Pratt & Whitney engines**, Airbus expects to meet its target of 720 deliveries this year.
Commercial aviation continues to thrive in a dynamic market environment, with airlines ordering more aircraft than ever before. Boeing and Airbus continue to face off each other, with Airbus leading the year in both deliveries and orders. Driven by the success of the A320 and A350 in particular, Airbus continues to outperform its rival Boeing.
In January, the two aircraft giants are expected to release full financial reports, including earnings as well as final orders and deliveries. Let's look forward to it.