Air TransportAirbus A320 reported to surpass Boeing 737 as world’s best-selling airliner
The Airbus A320 family has reportedly overtaken the Boeing 737 to become the world’s best-selling commercial jet, according to Le Monde.
The French newspaper said the European manufacturer’s single-aisle aircraft family has now outsold Boeing’s long-dominant model after 37 years on the market — though Airbus has not yet confirmed the figures.
Citing industry data, Le Monde reported that by the end of August Airbus had delivered 12,198 aircraft from the A320 family — which includes the A319, A320 and A321 variants. Boeing, by comparison, had delivered 12,214 units of its 737 series, a program that began in 1967.
A month later, Airbus achieved the expected victory. The European aircraft manufacturer delivered around sixty A320s in September, while Boeing only managed to ship 38 planes. In theory, the European aircraft would have delivered 12,258 units, compared to 12,252 for the 737.
If confirmed, the shift would mark a symbolic turning point in the decades-long rivalry between the two aerospace giants. Airbus began deliveries of the A320 in 1988, initially to Air France, and has steadily closed the gap with Boeing through a combination of consistent output and demand for its newer A321neo model.
Production dynamics have played a key role in the changing balance. The U.S. manufacturer has faced ongoing production and regulatory challenges since 2022, following quality-control restrictions imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Those difficulties followed two fatal accidents involving the 737 MAX in 2018 and 2019, which killed 346 people and led to a global grounding of the model. The episode continues to affect Boeing’s production rate and delivery confidence.
It has taken Airbus 37 years to reportedly surpass the total sales Boeing accumulated over 58 years of 737 production. While the margin remains narrow, the trend highlights shifting market forces in the single-aisle jet segment — the industry’s most competitive category.
The A320 family remains a mainstay of short- and medium-haul fleets worldwide and is widely regarded as the benchmark in its class. Whether or not the figures are officially confirmed, the report underscores Airbus’s growing momentum — and Boeing’s continuing struggle to regain altitude.
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Ricardo Meier
Creator of the website that started in 1996 as a magazine. He also writes on Brazilian websites AUTOO, MOTOO and MetrôCPTM.
