Airbus profit rises as higher deliveries and defence demand boost first-half results
Airbus has reported an improvement in its Q2 and H1 2026 financial performance, thanks in part to an increase in commercial aircraft deliveries and strong defence activity.
The European planemaker delivered 351 commercial aircraft during the first six months of 2026, up from 306 in the same period last year, helping revenues climb 12% year-on-year to €33.2 billion.
Adjusted EBIT, an alternative performance measure used by Airbus to illustrate profit (or loss), increased 24% to €2.7 billion, while reported EBIT rose 70% to €2.7 billion.
Net income reached €2.24 billion, compared with €1.53 billion during the first half of 2025.
Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury said the results “reflect the higher level of commercial aircraft deliveries and strong performance in Defence and Space, against the backdrop of a complex and fast-changing environment.”
“We are ramping up across all businesses to meet the growing demand for our civil and military solutions,” Faury said.
He added that Airbus’s “focus on steady execution is paying off, as demonstrated by strong deliveries in Q2. This fuels our confidence in our future performance, as reflected in the recently-communicated mid-term outlook.”
Commercial aircraft deliveries provide financial boost
The commercial aircraft division remained the main driver of Airbus’ performance, generating €23.9 billion in revenue during the first half, an increase of 15% compared with the same period in 2025.
The manufacturer delivered 44 A220s, 271 A320-family aircraft, 10 A330s, and 26 A350s between January and June.
The improvement was particularly evident during the second quarter, when Airbus delivered a significantly higher volume of aircraft compared with the same period last year.
Commercial aircraft adjusted EBIT rose to €2 billion, up from €1.7 billion, although the company noted that the benefit of higher deliveries was partly offset by the impact of currency hedging.
Demand for new aircraft has also remained strong. Airbus recorded 886 gross commercial aircraft orders during the first half, compared with 494 in the same period last year. After cancellations, net orders stood at 821 aircraft, more than double the 402 aircraft recorded in H1 2025.
The company’s commercial aircraft backlog stood at 9,222 aircraft at the end of June.
Airbus continues production ramp-up plans
Airbus used the results announcement to confirm its existing production targets across its commercial aircraft programmes.
The A320 family remains central to the company’s growth plans, with Airbus continuing to target a production rate of between 70 and 75 aircraft per month by the end of 2027, before stabilising at a rate of 75.
The manufacturer is also progressing towards higher output on its widebody programmes, with the target production rate of five for the A330 in 2029 and 12 for the A350 in 2028.
For the A220, Airbus continues to work towards a monthly production rate of 13 aircraft by 2028.
Defence and Space delivers strong performance
Beyond commercial aviation, Airbus Defence and Space recorded a significant improvement, with revenue increasing 9% to €6.3 billion.
The unit’s adjusted EBIT rose to €487 million, compared with €265 million a year earlier.
Order intake in Defence and Space reached €9.3 billion during the first half, compared with €5.1 billion in H1 2025.
Airbus Helicopters also reported stable revenue of €3.7 billion, with deliveries increasing slightly to 144 units. Adjusted EBIT for the helicopter business was broadly unchanged at €240 million.
2026 guidance unchanged
Despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, supply chain risks, and volatile economic conditions, Airbus maintained its full-year guidance.
The company continues to target around 870 commercial aircraft deliveries in 2026 and an adjusted EBIT of approximately €7.5 billion.
Airbus said its forecast assumes no further disruption to global trade or aircraft demand and supply chains.
