Over 900 aircraft delivered as production reaches 8-year high, ADS reports

Over 900 commercial aircraft have been delivered worldwide so far this year, the strongest performance since before the pandemic.

UK trade body ADS reports 903 aircraft were delivered between January and August 2026. This is the highest eight-month total since 2018 and up 9% from the same period last year.

Nevertheless, manufacturers must accelerate production during the final four months to meet ADS’s forecast.

Aircraft deliveries reach eight-year high

Planemakers delivered 109 commercial aircraft during August. That was 8% fewer than in August 2025 but still the second-highest August total in eight years.

The latest total follows a strong July, when ADS reported 121 deliveries, bringing the seven-month total to 794 aircraft.

The ADS figures cover reported commercial aircraft deliveries from Airbus, Boeing and COMAC, though the Chinese planemaker is still far behind its more established rivals. It recorded 10 aircraft deliveries so far in 2026.

In the first eight months of 2026, Airbus delivered 475 commercial aircraft. For the full year, the manufacturer expects 870 deliveries.

Boeing has also increased production. It delivered 314 commercial aircraft in the first half of 2026 and said in July it would transition to a 47 aircraft per month production rate for its 737 programme.

How many aircraft could be delivered in 2026?

ADS has created three scenarios for global aircraft deliveries.

In the modest growth scenario, ADS forecasts 1,490 aircraft in 2025, an increase of 6%.

The medium scenario projects 1,560 deliveries, representing growth of just over 10%.

The high-growth scenario foresees 1,630 aircraft, around 16% more than last year.

To reach the highest forecast, manufacturers would need to deliver another 727 aircraft between September and December—an average of almost 182 aircraft per month.

To achieve these numbers, manufacturers would need to significantly accelerate production from the 109 aircraft delivered in August, although deliveries typically increase near the end of the year.

Aircraft backlog remains above 17,000

During August, manufacturers received orders for another 82 commercial aircraft. Despite being 34% lower than August 2025, 1,655 aircraft were ordered this year, 25% more than in the first eight months of 2025.

Airbus and Boeing have a combined backlog of 17,010 aircraft. According to ADS, this represents more than 12 years of production at current rates, and is worth £391 billion to the UK economy.

• Around 80% of current aircraft demand is for narrowbody aircraft
• 20% of demand is for widebodies 

Supply chain challenges remain

The growing backlog puts pressure on manufacturers and their suppliers to increase output, despite ongoing challenges.

ADS Chief Economist Aimie Stone cautioned that the latest figures do not mean the industry’s production constraints have been resolved.

“Stability in production levels is welcome, but it is too soon to assume we are on a totally positive footing for the year’s end,” Stone said.

“Manufacturers are still facing supply chain and industrial challenges, but the strongest year-to-date delivery performance since 2018 shows the sector is moving in the right direction. The focus now must be on maintaining that momentum by addressing workforce shortages and unnecessary regulatory barriers that continue to constrain our industry’s ability to grow.”