The 2026 Farnborough International Airshow gave a steady stream of commercial aircraft orders, fleet expansions and engine agreements. Despite a strong long-term demand, ongoing supply chain constraints remain.
Boeing Leads Airbus in Farnborough Order Race
The commercial order tally for 2026 reflects the production limitations rather than the ongoing issue with weakening demand. Aircraft manufacturers, airlines and leasing companies announced that more than 357 commercial aircraft orders and commitments went through during the UK airshow. Boeing spearheading most of these deals, edging ahead of Airbus in securing new business.
The total is broadly in line with the number of deals announced at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow. Industry analysts had expected significantly more activity, with pre-show forecasts estimating 800 to 875 aircraft orders and commitments.
However, this dealmaking ultimately fell short of those expectations, as both Airbus and Boeing continued to grapple with supply chain disruptions.
Commercial Orders for aircraft lower than expectations
Boeing dominated with new orders across its 737 MAX, 787 Dreamliner and 777X families. Embraer also secured significant regional jet orders, while Airbus did well with the A320neo and A350 sales. The largest commercial deals came from SMBC Aviation Capital, which split an order for 200 aircraft evenly between 100 Boeing 737 MAX and 100 Airbus A320neo-family jets.
Riyadh Air had the second largest commercial deal, ordering 28 Boeing 787 Dreamliners as well as six Airbus A350-1000s. Philippine Airlines ordered 15 Boeing 787-10s, with options for five more, and nine Airbus A350-1000s. On the engine side, British Airways made the biggest noise at the airshow, selecting Pratt & Whitney GTF engines for 63 Airbus A320neo-family aircraft. IndiGo also committed to purchasing more than 1,000 CFM LEAP-1A engines, one of the largest commercial engine orders ever announced. BOC Aviation also selected CFM LEAP engines for its A320neo-family fleet.
BOC Aviation selected CFM LEAP engines for its A320neo-family fleet. Overall, the 2026 airshow did not produce record-breaking sales but it reinforced the industry’s shift toward next-generation widebodies and advanced propulsion systems.
Interested in Farnborough annual airshow? Follow us on Travel Radar for more aviation news.
