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Airbus has emerged as the leading commercial aircraft manufacturer in the 2020s, surpassing Boeing in both deliveries and overall sales. This shift became evident last month when Airbus’ A320 family overtook Boeing’s 737 series as the best-selling commercial jet of all time, with over 12,250 units delivered.
The European company has consistently outperformed its American rival since 2020, especially after Boeing faced setbacks following two fatal crashes involving the 737 MAX. These incidents led to a production freeze and regulatory scrutiny from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In contrast, Airbus maintained steady output and introduced new models like the A320neo, A330neo, and A350 without major disruptions.
Yearly delivery data highlights this trend: in 2020, Boeing delivered only 157 aircraft compared to Airbus’ 566. The gap persisted through subsequent years, with Airbus maintaining a delivery lead of about 20% or more annually. For example, in 2024 Airbus delivered 766 planes while Boeing managed just 348. Quality control failures at Boeing have contributed to these differences; for instance, an incident where a door plug was ejected from an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX further restricted Boeing's output due to increased regulatory oversight.
