Airbus Set to Overtake Boeing as Best-Selling Jet in Aviation History

Airbus is on the verge of surpassing Boeing to claim the title of the world’s best-selling aircraft family, marking a historic turning point in commercial aviation’s fiercest rivalry. For more than half a century, the Boeing 737—first launched in the 1960s—has stood as the industry’s workhorse, while the Airbus A320 family steadily closed the gap with modern technology and fuel-efficient upgrades. Now, in 2025, the race for the top spot is closer than ever, signaling a dramatic shift in the balance of power between the two aerospace giants.

It’s important to note that the Boeing 737 series held the title of the best-selling commercial aircraft until it was surpassed by the competing Airbus A320 family in October 2019. However, the 737 still maintains the record for total deliveries, though the A320 series is expected to overtake it soon. As of July 2025, Boeing has delivered 12,171 737 aircraft, while Airbus has delivered 12,151 A320 family aircraft.

Boeing 737: The Original Workhorse

The Boeing 737 first entered service in the late 1960s and quickly became the backbone of short- and medium-haul flying. Its design was derived from Boeing’s 707, with improvements that made it smaller, lighter, and more adaptable. Successive generations—from the Classic models to the Next-Generation (737NG) and finally the 737 MAX—kept the type relevant as airlines sought efficient single-aisle jets.

By mid-2025, Boeing had delivered 12,171 aircraft from the 737 family, cementing its legacy as the most-delivered jetliner in history. The MAX variant alone accounted for nearly 2,000 of those deliveries, with total orders surpassing 6,700. Airlines such as Southwest, Ryanair, and Alaska Airlines built entire business models around the type, leveraging its efficiency, reliability, and fleet commonality to keep costs low and operations profitable.

Today, more than 120 airlines worldwide operate the Boeing 737, making it one of the most widely used aircraft in commercial aviation. Major carriers including United, American, and Delta rely heavily on the series, which has been in continuous service since 1967 and has seen over 12,000 units built across multiple generations.

As of July 2025, the 737 still narrowly leads Airbus’s A320 family in cumulative deliveries, though that gap is expected to close in the near future:

Boeing 737 series includes all models, the 737 Original (737-100/-200), the 737 Classic (737-300/-400/-500), the 737 Next Generation (737-600/-700/-800/-900), and the current 737 MAX series.
737 MAX: The 737 MAX is a significant part of the 737 family and has faced scrutiny and production challenges, including a temporary grounding.
Total Orders: 17,037
Total Deliveries: 12,171
Production Rate: currently 38 aircraft per month in May 2025, and is working towards increasing to potentially reach 42 and then 47 aircraft per month.
Backlog: Boeing still has a substantial backlog of 737 MAX orders, with 4,860 unfilled orders, representing 74.4% of their total backlog.

Airbus A320: The Challenger That Caught Up

Launched in 1987, the Airbus A320 introduced fly-by-wire controls that were groundbreaking for commercial jets at the time. Its modernized successor, the A320neo, entered service in 2016 with fuel-efficient engines and aerodynamic upgrades. Unlike the MAX, the NEO family avoided major safety crises and quickly won over airlines.

By mid-2025, Airbus had delivered roughly 12,151 A320 family aircraft—just shy of Boeing’s 737 total—but with far more orders in the pipeline. Overall orders for the A320 family now exceed 19,000, including more than 11,000 for the NEO series, with over 4,000 already delivered. In the first half of 2025 alone, Airbus delivered 286 A320neo jets compared to Boeing’s 243 MAX deliveries, further narrowing the gap.

The Airbus A320 family has demonstrated exceptional dependability, recording an operational reliability rate of 99.7% over the past year, according to Airbus. Its popularity is equally unmatched, with more than 350 airlines worldwide relying on the aircraft for both short- and medium-haul routes, making it one of the most widely operated jet families in commercial aviation.

The Airbus A320 family has seen strong orders and deliveries, with the A320neo family significantly contributing to the overall numbers as of July 2025:

A320neo family includes the A319neo, A320neo, and A321neo, and it is a major driver of the overall A320 family orders and deliveries.
A321neo Dominance: The A321neo accounts for a significant portion of the A320neo family orders and backlog, according to Airbus.
Total Orders: 19,285
Total Deliveries: 12,151
Production Rate: currently around 60 aircraft per month, with plans to increase to 75 per month by 2027.
Backlog: A320 family has a substantial backlog, with 7,634 jets (88% of the total backlog).

Why Airbus Pulled Ahead

Airbus’s breakthrough came with the A321XLR, a stretched and long-range version of the A320neo. Capable of flying up to 11-hour missions, the A321XLR allows airlines to serve thinner long-haul routes—such as Paris to Vancouver or Delhi to London—using a narrowbody aircraft. This range advantage has given Airbus a strong edge over the 737 MAX, which cannot match the XLR’s performance.

Massive orders have fueled Airbus’s lead. IndiGo placed a record-breaking 500-aircraft order in 2023, while Air India signed for 470 jets. Such deals have filled Airbus’s backlog to nearly 8,700 aircraft, representing about 10 years of production. Boeing, by comparison, has a backlog of roughly 6,200 aircraft, including 4,700 737 MAX orders.

Boeing has also been weighed down by setbacks. The twin crashes of the MAX in 2018 and 2019, followed by a global grounding, severely damaged its reputation. Deliveries slowed to just 348 aircraft in 2024, less than half of Airbus’s 766. Production challenges continued into 2025, with the FAA capping MAX output at 38 per month after the Alaska Airlines door plug incident.

What Comes Next

Airbus’s rise doesn’t come without challenges. Supply chain constraints and the risk of overextending production remain concerns. Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury has cautioned against pushing output too aggressively, emphasizing safety and quality.

Boeing, meanwhile, faces an uphill battle to regain trust and competitiveness. A potential new mid-market aircraft—the long-discussed “797”—remains on the drawing board, but such a program would take at least a decade and tens of billions of dollars to bring to market. In the meantime, Boeing must rely on incremental updates to existing models, including the delayed 777X.

A Shift in Aviation Leadership

For decades, the Boeing 737 symbolized dominance in commercial aviation. Today, the Airbus A320 family is poised to surpass it, reshaping market dynamics and giving Airbus a symbolic and strategic edge. Airlines are choosing Airbus for its fuel efficiency, flexible range, and strong reliability, while Boeing works to stabilize production and restore its reputation.

Though both manufacturers will continue to define global aviation, the numbers tell the story: Airbus is pulling ahead in orders, deliveries, and backlogs. The 737 may remain an icon, but the A320neo and A321XLR have become the aircraft of choice for airlines shaping the future of air travel.
 
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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, liveandletsfly.com, airbus.com, boeing.com