Airbus Presses Toward Its 870-Delivery Target as Order Intake Crosses a Milestone

Airbus delivers 67 jets in July, lifting 2026 total to 418, with net orders surpassing 1,000 and engine supply issues resolved.

The European planemaker's summer momentum is holding up, even if the assembly line's rhythm remains uneven. Airbus handed over 67 commercial jets to 39 customers in July, a modest slowdown from the pace set in May and June, yet enough to lift year-to-date deliveries to 418 aircraft — comfortably ahead of the 373 units delivered over the same stretch in 2025.

That delivery count matters because it keeps the company on track for its full-year target of roughly 870 aircraft, a goal management reaffirmed on August 2 alongside its first-half results. The second quarter did the heavy lifting there: after a sluggish start to the year, Airbus delivered 351 commercial aircraft in the first six months of 2026, up 15 percent from 306 in the prior-year period. Revenue climbed 12 percent to €33.176 billion, while adjusted EBIT rose 24 percent to €2.727 billion and reported EBIT jumped 70 percent to €2.745 billion, propelled by higher handovers in the civil aircraft business and a stronger showing in defense and space.

Order Book Breaks Through 1,000

On the commercial side, July was a banner month. Airbus booked more than 200 new orders during the month, pushing net orders for 2026 past the 1,000-aircraft threshold for the first time. On a gross basis, the company has now recorded 418 orders this year. The headline transactions included a firm order from China Eastern Airlines for 25 A330-900s, a commitment from Hainan Airlines for 40 A320neo-family jets, and a confirmation from Riyadh Air for six additional A350-1000s, expanding that carrier's engagement to 31 aircraft. An undisclosed customer also ordered six A321neos.

The largest single item came from lessor SMBC Aviation Capital, which signed a firm deal for 100 aircraft — 65 A321neos and 35 A320neos — a transaction that had been flagged during the Farnborough International Airshow in late July. Including commitments from parent Sumitomo Corporation, SMBC's total obligations to Airbus now exceed 900 aircraft across all types. At Farnborough itself, Boeing edged out Airbus in the contest for firm orders — 186 to 157 — but the SMBC deal and the expanded Riyadh Air commitment were among the show's biggest individual wins for the European manufacturer.

Engine Bottleneck Eases

One of the operational headaches that has weighed on deliveries in recent months appears to be receding. Chief Executive Guillaume Faury said there are no longer any finished aircraft sitting on the tarmac awaiting engines. The supply volumes agreed with Pratt & Whitney underpin the current delivery forecast, though discussions continue over the commercial consequences of the engine maker's earlier production cuts.

The July delivery mix was led by the A321neo, with 37 units handed over, followed by 18 A320neos and six A220-300s. The widebody segment contributed four A350-900s and two A350-1000s.

A350F Progress and a Belgian Veto

On the freighter front, Airbus completed a critical ground vibration test on the first A350F flight-test aircraft at its Toulouse-Blagnac site in early August. The tests, conducted over three days in June, mark a milestone in the certification campaign and set the stage for flutter testing during the first three months of the flight-test program. Faury reiterated the goal of a first flight before the end of 2026, with certification and first delivery ideally by end-2027 and larger-scale deliveries from 2028. Two test aircraft are slated for the campaign, entering service in 2026 and 2027.

Elsewhere, the Belgian government's interfederal screening committee blocked the acquisition of helicopter operator NHV Group by GD Helicopter Finance, an Irish lessor ultimately tied to Chinese interests. NHV, based in Ostend, confirmed the deal is off. The case carries relevance for Airbus because NHV was the worldwide launch customer for the H175 and had been competing as a subcontractor for maintenance work on 20 Airbus H145M helicopters ordered by Belgium — a contract for which Airbus itself is the prime contractor. The commercial relationship between NHV and Airbus remains unaffected by the halted transaction.

Shares Near Record Territory

The market has taken note of the operational recovery. Airbus shares closed Friday at €214.05, up 0.54 percent on the day, leaving the stock just 3.25 percent below its 52-week high of €221.25 set on January 13. After a sharp pullback to a yearly low in March, the shares have clawed back most of that ground.

Investors will next look to the August orders-and-deliveries report, expected in early September per the company's usual reporting cadence. At Farnborough, Airbus also unveiled a three-year test program using an A321neo demonstrator to evaluate extended wings under its Wing of Tomorrow initiative, aimed at developing particularly slender, long-span wing designs.