Commercial aircraft deliveries achieved their highest first-half volume in eight years during the initial six months of 2026. Concurrently, airlines maintained a robust pace of order placements, driving the industry’s backlog to an unprecedented level, as indicated by recent data from ADS.
The UK aerospace trade association ADS stated that manufacturers supplied 673 commercial aircraft from January through June 2026. This figure represents a 13% rise over the corresponding period in 2025 and marks the strongest first-half output since 2018. The majority of these deliveries originated from Airbus and Boeing. Chinese aircraft manufacturer COMAC has, to date in 2026, delivered eight aircraft.
Aircraft manufacturers delivered 155 planes in June, a 25% rise compared to June 2025. However, monthly orders saw a decrease, falling to 192 aircraft, which is a 40% reduction from the previous year.
The industry’s record order backlog now extends to nearly 17,000 aircraft.
Airlines submitted 1,331 gross aircraft orders during the first half of the year, marking a 15% increase year-on-year and contributing to long-term global fleet growth.
ADS calculates that this backlog is equivalent to approximately 12 years of production based on current manufacturing output.
Demand for single-aisle aircraft remains predominant.
A significant portion of the market’s impetus stemmed from narrowbody aircraft, which continue to form the core of airline fleet modernization initiatives.
Single-aisle aircraft comprised 1,074 orders, setting a new record for the first half of a year and showing a 59% increase over H1 2025. These types of aircraft constituted 81% of all commercial aircraft orders, a rise from 58% in the corresponding period last year.
Overall, 102 aircraft cancellations occurred in the first half of 2026, with the majority being single-aisle models. Widebody jets were responsible for just 17 of these cancellations.
The reported gross orders and backlog figures pertain to commercial aircraft from Airbus and Boeing; COMAC is excluded from these calculations.
ADS observed that ordering activity is anticipated to intensify during the Farnborough International Airshow, recognized as one of the industry’s premier platforms for announcing aircraft acquisitions.
Deliveries are maintaining a steady recovery trajectory amidst strong demand.
Airlines’ demand for advanced aircraft models persists robustly, even with the supply-chain difficulties encountered by manufacturers.
The delivery statistics from ADS indicate an ongoing recovery from disruptions experienced during the pandemic era. Although aircraft deliveries have not yet reached the peak levels seen prior to COVID-19, the rise in production is expected to assist the industry in addressing its unprecedented order backlog.
Aimie Stone, Chief Economist at ADS, stated: “As the industry prepares for what is set to be the largest Farnborough International Airshow on record, global aircraft orders and deliveries have continued to gather momentum throughout the first half of the year. With deliveries at their strongest level since 2018, the sector is entering the Airshow from a position of real strength, and we look forward to seeing further commercial activity over the week ahead.”
