ADS reveals surge in April aircraft orders

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ADS’ data shows that a total of 164 aircraft orders were placed during the month, almost eight times higher than April 2025. The sharp increase was driven in part by a resurgence in widebody demand, with 94 orders recorded, representing an 840% rise on the same month last year.

Aircraft deliveries also showed continued progress, with 115 aircraft delivered in April, up 13% year-on-year and the highest April delivery figure since 2015. This growth was led by single-aisle programmes, with 95 aircraft delivered during the month, reflecting ongoing efforts by manufacturers to increase narrowbody production rates.

The data also highlights the sector’s resilience, with 733 aircraft orders placed in the first four months of 2026, more than one third higher than the same period last year. 

The global aircraft backlog reached a new all-time high of 16,683 aircraft at the end of April, up 5% year-on-year. At current production rates, this represents approximately 12 years of work for the global aerospace industry and is estimated to be worth around £335 billion to £385 billion to the UK economy. 

Yet despite this positive momentum, ADS continues not to issue a formal forecast for aircraft deliveries in 2026, reflecting ongoing geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty facing the global aerospace sector. ADS stressed that if the industry is to continue building on this progress, global policy coordination, alongside continued support from governments and the business community, will remain crucial.

ADS is the UK trade association for the aerospace, defence, security and space sectors, with around 1,800 member businesses, of which more than 90% are SMEs. 

For the full ADS economics briefing: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kvdLzHyrY1fxPY3yFLF6hea1dgqHHGz8/view