Commercial aircraft orders rose by 9% during the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year, with Airbus, Boeing and Comac reaching 569 orders and marking the highest order number for any first quarter since 2013. This surge was largely driven by a 25% increase in single-aisle aircraft orders across the quarter, indicating that demand for short-haul travel continues to grow.
Our data further finds that 261 aircraft were delivered in the first quarter of 2026, representing a 4% decline in aircraft deliveries compared to the first quarter of 2025. Despite the overall decline, deliveries of wide-body aircraft saw a 13% year-on-year increase and represent the highest first‑quarter delivery figure since 2020, pointing to improvements in the wide-body delivery pipeline.
The global aircraft order backlog for Airbus and Boeing aircraft now stands at 16,656 aircraft, which is the largest backlog figure since records began. At current production rates, ADS estimates that this could generate over £385 billion for the UK economy.
The figures from the first quarter of 2026 show that confidence across the aerospace sector has remained resilient, despite an increasingly challenging geopolitical and macroeconomic backdrop. Aircraft orders have continued to rise, reflecting sustained demand in the market.
However, given ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, it is still too early to say whether this momentum will be sustained through the year or whether growth may begin to slow. 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.
