Airbus needs about 250 deliveries in two months to reach 870 target

Airbus declined to confirm the figure to Reuters. Airbus said it does not comment before publication of official orders and deliveries data, which it plans to release on Friday. The reported October total compares with 72 deliveries in September and would lift the 2026 total to about 621 aircraft.

Record fourth quarter needed

Airbus had delivered 547 commercial aircraft through September, or 62.9% of its target of around 870, Aerospace Global News reported. That left 323 aircraft to hand over in the fourth quarter. The reported 74 in October leaves about 250 for November and December, or roughly 125 a month, about double the 61-a-month average in the first nine months.

The 323 fourth-quarter deliveries would be 37 more than in the same period of 2025, when Airbus handed over 286 aircraft, including 136 in December, Aerospace Global News reported. Reaching 870 would be almost 10% above 2025's 793 deliveries, which fell short of an original target of 820.

Briefs.co reported that Airbus has not achieved that pace before, according to Rob Morris, who previously led Ascend by Cirium. September's 72 was the third-highest monthly total of 2026, behind June's 89 and May's 81, Air Data News reported. The year began with 54 deliveries across January and February, AeroTime reported. Airbus lifted output in the second half, Briefs.co reported.

Why the pace matters

Deliveries determine when Airbus books revenue and cash. Airbus had €51 billion tied up in aircraft being built, components and materials at the end of September, about €10 billion more than at the start of the year, Air Data News reported. Airbus reported free cash flow before customer financing of negative €1.27 billion through September, against negative €914 million a year earlier.

Air Data News reported that Chief Executive Guillaume Faury said Airbus was "reasonably comfortable" with delivering around 870 aircraft this year. "We have a high level of inventory," he told reporters after third-quarter results, according to Reuters. Faury said supply conditions had improved, but engines remained the main limitation for A320 Family production, particularly those from Pratt & Whitney, Air Data News reported. Quality issues with A321neo components have added pressure, Aerospace Global News reported.

What happens next

Airbus has kept its 2026 delivery target unchanged. Guidance allows about 20 aircraft either side of 870, or roughly 850 to 890, Air Data News reported. Airbus cut its 2025 delivery guidance from around 820 to around 790 as supply chain bottlenecks persisted, Aerospace Global News reported.