Airbus needs record fourth-quarter delivery push to meet 2026 target
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Airbus delivered 72 commercial aircraft in September, bringing its 2026 total to 547. The manufacturer must sharply accelerate production and deliveries in the final quarter of the year to meet its annual target of approximately 870 aircraft.
The European planemaker confirmed its September orders and deliveries on 8 October, reporting 72 deliveries to 37 customers and 17 new aircraft orders.
Deliveries increased by 7.9% compared to the first nine months of 2025, when Airbus handed over 507 aircraft.
September’s total was just below the 73 aircraft delivered in the same month last year.
Airbus must deliver 323 aircraft in final three months
Airbus has met 62.9% of its annual delivery target, with 323 aircraft remaining to be handed over before the end of December.
The manufacturer must average nearly 108 deliveries per month during the fourth quarter to meet its target. That is compared with approximately 61 delivered per month between January and September. However, deliveries have historically been higher at the end of the year.
Airbus delivered 286 aircraft in the final quarter of 2025, including 136 in December. Reaching this year’s target would require 37 more deliveries than during the equivalent period last year.
Despite the pressure, Airbus Commercial Aircraft CEO Lars Wagner recently told Reuters that he was “very confident” of meeting the annual target.
A321neo leads Airbus deliveries in September
The A320 family accounted for 59 of September’s 72 deliveries, including 37 A321neos, 21 A320neos and one A319neo.
The manufacturer also delivered eight A220s, two A330neos and three A350-900s.
The A321neo remains Airbus’s largest individual delivery category, with 267 aircraft handed over since January—nearly half of all Airbus commercial deliveries this year.
Airbus’s September workbook provides the following year-to-date breakdown:
| Aircraft family | Jan–Sep 2025 | Jan–Sep 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| A220 | 62 | 68 | +9.7% |
| A320 family | 392 | 428 | +9.2% |
| A330 | 20 | 13 | −35.0% |
| A350 | 33 | 38 | +15.2% |
| Total | 507 | 547 | +7.9% |
The A330 remains the weakest-performing programme, with deliveries down 35% year-on-year.
The manufacturer suspended A330 deliveries in June and July after discovering a tool inside an aircraft’s tail section. Deliveries resumed in August.
Airbus has since advised operators to inspect certain A330 aircraft for foreign objects. Reuters reported that approximately 160 aircraft, including military variants, could be affected.
Airbus receives 17 new aircraft orders in September
New orders slowed sharply in September, with Airbus recording just 17 gross orders, compared with 67 in August.
September orders comprised 15 A320neos ordered by Egyptian carrier Air Cairo on 14 September and two A321neos ordered by FlyOne Armenia on 29 September. No new widebody orders were recorded during the month.
However, Airbus has accumulated substantial new business during 2026. The manufacturer recorded 1,174 gross orders during the first nine months, including 830 A320-family aircraft, 182 A220s, 67 A330s and 95 A350s.
After 69 cancellations, net orders stood at 1,105 aircraft. This is more than double the 514 net orders recorded during the first nine months of 2025.
The company’s outstanding order book reached 9,310 aircraft at the end of September.
Can Airbus still achieve its 2026 delivery target?
Airbus continues to face industrial challenges involving engines, components and aircraft inspections.
The manufacturer has previously identified Pratt & Whitney engine shortages as a constraint on A320neo-family production. More recently, quality issues with A321neo components have added pressure to its delivery schedule.
Reuters reported that approximately 20 aircraft slipped from the third quarter into the fourth due to accumulated production delays. Nevertheless, Airbus has maintained its annual delivery target.
The company is also working towards higher production rates, including between 70 and 75 A320-family aircraft per month by the end of 2027. Its longer-term plans include producing 13 A220s and 12 A350s per month in 2028, followed by five A330s per month in 2029.
With 323 aircraft still needed to meet its annual target, Airbus faces a demanding final quarter that will test its ability to overcome supply-chain and production constraints.
