Leeham News and Analysis
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Airbus meets revised delivery target in 2025, touts sales performance for A350
By Scott Hamilton
Jan. 12, 2026, © Leeham News: Airbus confirmed today that it delivered 793 jetliners last year. This was on a target revised downward from 820 guided at the beginning of the year.
A late 2025 quality issue involving fuselage panels on the A320 resulted in a reduced target.
Christian Scherer, who relinquished his position as CEO of Airbus Commercial Aircraft, responds to a question during his final press conference today wearing that hat. Credit: Leeham News.
Officials also said that the number of engineless A320 “gliders” was reduced from a peak of 60 last year to a “manageable” small number. Despite continued supply-chain difficulties for interiors, Christian Scherer said that there aren’t any widebody airplanes parked awaiting components.
Scherer officially relinquished his title as CEO of Airbus Commercial Aircraft on Dec. 31. This was his last press conference in that role. He remains with Airbus for the next six months in a transition role with his successor, Lars Wagner.
Scherer and Benoit de Saint-Exupéry, EVP Sales Commercial Aircraft, said sales of the flagship, top-of-the-line aircraft, the A350, are gaining momentum. Orders were signed for 193 A350s last year. A Memorandum of Understanding from Air Europa, which will be finalized this year, is intended to replace aging Boeing 787s.
“I want to particularly highlight the Air Europa order for 20 A350-900s,” said Saint-Exupéry. “With this move, Air Europa recognizes the A350 platform as the right tool for the next chapter of growth, including the superior economics and performance of our technology to replace their existing 787 fleet.
“As we are reaching the first wave of replacements of the early 787 fleets, we are confident that other airlines will reach the same conclusion as Air Europa with the A350-900, but also that of many other airlines which have already decided to replace their 777 fleet with the A350-1000,” he said.
However, Boeing had a banner year for 787 sales, too.
“Trump sales” for 787s
“The real story there is the acceleration of the 350-1000. In 2025, our A350 gross order intake was 50-50 between the dash 900 and the dash 1000,” Saint-Exupéry said.
Boeing announced more than 300 orders for the 787 in 2025, its best performance in years. “How do you describe the bumper sails from Boeing and their Dreamliner? Is there something that they’re doing better or differently in their sales campaigns than Airbus does on the widebody side? Or has Boeing seen a lot of political “Trump” orders, to call them like that?” Airbus was asked.
Benoit de Saint-Exupéry, EVP Sales Commercial Aircraft of Airbus. Credit: Leeham News.
“I would simply say the answer is in the question,” Saint-Exupéry said. “But maybe digging a little bit further into the question, I think if we look at the competition, the open campaigns that we have faced in 2025, we have prevailed two times out of three. The 787 is a great aircraft.
It came to the market earlier. That’s why Boeing still enjoys some good repeat orders.”
Scherer said that it’s undeniable that Boeing benefited from political backing. “Fair enough. What it means for us is that we just have to be more convincing than our competitor and its political support on the quality of our products, of our people, of our professionalism.”
Scherer praised Boeing’s return from years of back-to-back crises.
“It’s actually quite motivating, to be honest, to see Boeing back in the major league after so many years. It’s a good thing, this competition. It’s good.”
“It’s going to make us even more aggressive. It’s going to make us more professional… notwithstanding the political support our competitor benefited from,” Scherer said.
2025 Results
Deliveries were up 4% last year compared with 2024. Airbus said there were 1,000 gross orders recorded from 57 customers (889 net), including 49 A220s, 656 A320s, 100 A330neo, two A330 MRTTs, and 193 A350s. The order backlog is 8,754, including 1,124 (12.8%) at year’s end.
Airbus’ Deliveries for 2025, 2024, and 2023
Lars Wagner’s hello
Lars Wagner assumed the CEO position at Airbus Commercial Aircraft on Jan. 1. Credit: Leeham News.
Scherer’s successor, Lars Wagner, made his first media appearance as CEO of Airbus Commercial. He reported for work on Nov. 1 to begin the transition from Scherer.
“This is my third time arriving at Airbus,” Wagner said. “I kind of intended to be my last one.”
Wagner first joined Airbus in 1994 in an apprenticeship. He left for some additional studies internationally and came back in 2003 for 12 years. He held several positions in Germany, in France, in Spain, mainly on production, in production, in engineering, and also in strategy.
Wagner left in 2015 to become the chief operating officer of MTU Aero Engines. For almost the last three years, he was chief executive officer.
His engine background comes in handy as Airbus continues to deal with Pratt & Whitney’s seemingly endless challenges with the GTF engine, which powers the A320 and A220. MTU is a major supplier to PW for the GTF.
Airbus also continues to work with Rolls-Royce to improve the durability of the Trent XWB-97, which powers the A350.
Airbus did very good and the 820 was a reach. The A320 skin was nothing more than the standard ebb and flow of what happens to any mfg making aircraft.
I would be very interested in finding out why the quality escape (ahem failure) was not caught. It was not just one but a large bunch involved.
Replacing 787s with A350-900s is the usual corporate spin. Any airline is going to need both categories be it filled by 787/A330 or A350/777.
I have seen the flipping back and forth with the A350/A330 and it does not matter, if someone wants an Airbus if its too big they will still buy an Airbus.
It was interesting that Airbus shucks airplanes out the door and calls them delivered when they are not painted.
Not sure why they feel the need to cook the books. Back when they were trying to head-reach Boeing, mmmmm, ok.
Now seems pretty silly. More Corporate America than Europe.
Which planes were delivered unpainted? No books were “cooked”, an unjustified but unsurprising smear.
A few A320 family were delivered ‘all white’ after the customer switched at the last minute (predominantly caused by AirAsia’s ongoing re-org which is holding up a financing deal), most of those have gone to Sun PhuQuoc in Vietnam.
Airbus will only be able to bring in more orders on the Narrowbody side when they manage to seriously up their delivery rates.
In reverse, i would not be surprise to see the A330 get more orders just based on availability, even though it may not be as capable as B787.
would you classify the engines as the biggest single hold up?
Airbus had gross sales of over 700 single-aisle planes in 2025 (including 161 sales in December alone). They not only comfortably outsold Boeing, they sold more than they did in 2024.
They seem to have no issue bringing in more orders at current (and increasing) production rates.
Boeing sold more aircraft in 2025 than Airbus did.
Those are not wide bodies.
Sour grapes on the political aspects ad Europe does that as well.
Ok for one side but not the other!
I watched the review in Mentour pilot, the Airbus info was tgheir. They are a very good feed, I will take their word for it.
I did not say white tails, I said not painted, aka Airline colors.
It explains how Airbus makes those stunning end of the year moves.
I think its stupid to do that, just like their magic orders appearing in December to supposedly out sell Boeing.
Airbus has arrived, they are on top, they don’t have any reason to indulge in that naner nanner stuff.
@Transworld – read what I wrote.
I was talking about single-aisle sales in response to Frank M’s claim that Airbus cannot sell more narrowbodies until they increase production rates. He’s clearly wrong.
Nice job by Airbus, coming very close to their original projection
of deliveries for 2025. I imagine they’ll be ramping it up this year.
Yes. I am amazed. Its a tough business with the volumes they deal with these days. They did really good.
“Scherer said that it’s undeniable that Boeing benefited from political backing”
One wonders if there’ll be many “Trump orders” in 2026 — after all, he already covered the big airlines in the Gulf and much of Asia in 2025, so what’s left?
There won’t be much luck in that regard in Europe…and probably not in China or India, either.
Update:
Delta just ordered 30 787-10s — the airline’s first 787 order.
Who knows who/what may have precipitated this move 😉
I agree. Delta can make it work but its a major shift in The Plan.
Its not a miner shift as its all new engines and systems that have nothing in common with what they operate including the 777 and 767s.
Obviously not a show stopper, there are benefits as well but its not as efficient as focusing on Airbus and the common systems and engines mfg (you can bet Delta will buy GE! – and not just for US reasons)
The order for A350 for Air Europa is interesting as they have around 27 787 of both variants.
All leased, including its oldest planes delivered in 2014 to Norwegian Long Haul/Norse Atlantic. The most recent , leased from BOC, was delivered from Boeing in 20204
I would imagine A350 deliveries might be from around 2030, again via lessors
Yes it is.
Maybe with all the mix of 787s setup as ordered for a different airline in bunches, getting one type with all the same systems makes a difference or enough to shift.
1. FG: Spain’s Air Europa defects to Airbus by selecting A350s for fleet renewal
Multiple sites reported Air Europa chose Airbus as the backbone for its long-haul replacement strategy.
2. Air Europe has a total of 29 x 787:
11 x 787-8
18 x 787-9
Worth noting that the A350-900 is a segment above the 787-8 or 9.
So we are talking a cabin increase and route size. If a -8 works on a route you don’t want an A350-900 (and the 800 looses efficiency all around).
Most curious
Air Europa flies from Madrid to South America. Maybe this route is also quite profitable for cargo. 787-9 and A350-900 can carry the same amount of LD3 but can a Dreamliner then reach its destination?
Airbus needs the engine expertise for the A220, A350-1000. The main question is for the A220-500 as that program needs more volume and supplier competition. As the A320neo volume goes down and customers prefer the A321neo filling the FAL’s with A321’s. Airbus has a problem that the A220 and A321neo has different systems, cockpit and not common pilot type rating. Maybe wait for the A320neo family successor and then make the A220-500 with the same systems, robotic assembly, engine family and cockpit. Loading up its cash coffin during the time. Boeing does not have a viable competitor to the A220-300 anyway.
with only 3 engine makers in the game, this will be interesting one to watch.
The P&W side, is hampered on reliability, though possibly has some more % improvements up its GTF sleeve. Which certainly could help to better the XLR sales as more range would allow for more sales vs. what CFM can offer. Same for the A220-500 as it would it a better a320 replacement.
Same on the RR Side, reliability issues, the Trent XWB97 feels maxed out thus hampering the 35K Sales vs. the 77X. A possible 350Neo with the Ultrafan is probably still years away – but would clearly help a 350-2000.
On the GE/Safran/CFM side, less reliability issues, but MAX and 77x exclusivity asks the question why the would go the extra mile for the competing product. Though they have clearly an interest to get on the A220 and possibly back on the A359.
True for all of them – if any of them can deliver more, it will allow them gain marketshare…
“…the Trent XWB97 feels maxed out thus hampering the 35K Sales vs. the 77X”.
Emirates is the only airline making a fuss of this issue: other than that, the A350-1000 sold (very) well in 2025.
OTOH, there’s zero operational data on the GE90 — it may turn out to have far worse issues than the XWB-97.
I meant the GE9X, of course…not the GE90.
Yes.
‘” Trent XWB97 feels maxed out…” ???
Doesnt seem to be the case as the gross weight for the “K” version has gone from 308 to 322 tonnes
The 787-10 only went from 254 tonnes to 259.5 t
RR keep increasing cooing flow to the turbines and thus reduce SFC a bit to get more life on wing together with I assume improved coatings and alloys in the HPT/IPT. With the T-XBW97 staying on wing for just under 1000cycles in the ME3 and the GE90 doing better, RR pricing Power By Hour programs to be competitive makes for many engine changes and limited profits for RR. P&W have similar problems with the A220 engine where airlines in hot areas selling them off.
“the Trent XWB97 feels maxed out thus hampering the 35K”
In what way does the longest-ranged plane feel like its engines are “maxed out”? Give us facts, not feelings.
I meant the “maxed out” more in regards to the investigated A350 stretch aka A350-2000 requiring more trust or become range limited (more like the 787-10 then).
The engine could do with a larger fan to better compete with the Ge9x – at least on paper – fully agree on real world data.
On the Emirates point i fully agreed, their neighbors have no issues ordering planes. RR seems to have the risk very much under control with their power by the hour contracts.
Spot on.
I think you have to consider that Airbus customers hide the defects and work it out with Airbus (coating breaking off)
So it is not a given that they are having issues. I saw the same thing for the 7000 having TOW problems.
> “Hidden within Airbus’s full-year 2025 delivery total of 793 aircraft is that the company set a new record for single-aisle deliveries — topping its pre-pandemic output peaks with 700 last year.”
https://x.com/jonostrower/status/2010777115629928869
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G-e28EvXgAAmg-r?format=jpg