Farnborough 2026: 343 Firm Orders Tallied
Farnborough 2026 closed with $84.7bn in deals, 353 firm aircraft orders, and 904 engine orders. Boeing led Airbus by 29 aircraft in firm orders.
Organizational byline
Updated August 12, 2026
7 min read
The 2026 Farnborough International Airshow concluded on 24 July with 343 firm commercial aircraft orders recorded across the week — a figure that fell well short of the optimistic pre-show forecasts of 800 aircraft. Boeing secured 186 firm orders to Airbus's 157, giving the American manufacturer a narrow margin of victory in an airshow defined less by deal-making than by the industry's production constraints.
The headline numbers
| Manufacturer | Firm narrowbody | Firm widebody | Total firm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing | 134 | 52 | 186 |
| Airbus | 127 | 30 | 157 |
| Combined | 261 | 82 | 343 |
Beyond firm orders, the show produced 57 preliminary deals, options, and purchase rights, plus 30 passenger-to-freighter conversion commitments. Embraer added 60 aircraft to its order tally, led by Abra Group's 45 E195-E2 commitments split across firm orders, options, and purchase rights. ATR recorded no orders.
The deal flow
The largest single announcement came from SMBC Aviation Capital, which ordered 200 narrowbody aircraft evenly split between manufacturers: 100 Boeing 737 MAX (40 MAX 8s and 60 MAX 10s) and 100 Airbus A320neo Family jets (65 A321neos and 35 A320neos). The lessor's balanced approach reflects a broader industry strategy of maintaining portfolio diversity rather than concentrating exposure with a single manufacturer.
Riyadh Air exercised options on 28 additional Boeing 787 Dreamliners, most converted to the larger 787-10 variant, alongside six additional Airbus A350-1000s. The Saudi startup's continued fleet build-out reinforces the kingdom's ambition to develop Riyadh as a global aviation hub. For more on Riyadh Air's broader strategy, see our earlier Farnborough 2026 coverage.
AerCap ordered 15 Boeing 787-9s with rights to switch to the larger -10 variant. Uganda Airlines placed its first Boeing order: four 737 MAX 8s and four 787-9s. MSC Air Cargo was identified as the previously undisclosed customer behind Boeing's five 777-8 Freighter order — the cargo operator's first commitment to the variant, adding to its existing fleet of 777-200Fs. Philippine Airlines signed a letter of intent for 15 Boeing 787-10s with five options, plus a memorandum of understanding for nine Airbus A350-1000s.
On the Airbus side, flynas ordered 20 A321neos and five A330neos. BermudAir committed to 10 A220-300s. Tajikistan-based Shohin Airlines firmed its plan for four A320neo Family jets. Luxair exercised two 737-10 options and converted three E190-E2 purchase rights to firm orders.
Why the numbers were lower than expected
Several pre-show analyses suggested the 2026 edition could approach 800 aircraft in total commitments. The actual outcome of 343 firm orders made it one of the quieter Farnborough editions in recent years. IBA, the aviation advisory firm, attributed the gap to the fact that many discussions are still ongoing but have not yet reached commitment stage. Conversations at the show indicated that further activity is expected later in 2026 and early 2027 from carriers including Cathay, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Etihad, Saudia, Emirates, Ethiopian, Royal Air Maroc, Turkish Airlines, and American Airlines.
The core constraint is not customer appetite. Rising fleet ages, slow OEM production ramp-ups, higher fuel costs, and dwindling delivery slots have created a market where demand far exceeds near-term supply. IBA noted that the historical connection between fuel price and new order activity is typically staggered, meaning more orders should follow this year and next if the pattern holds.
Boeing's 737 MAX production programme, which is working toward a rate of 47 aircraft per month under FAA oversight, remains the bottleneck for the narrowbody side. Airbus faces its own supply chain pressures, particularly on the A321neo line where engine availability has constrained delivery slots. For context on the production rate trajectory, see our rate 47 analysis.
Widebody dynamics
The widebody segment told a different story. Boeing's 52 widebody orders comfortably outpaced Airbus's 30, driven primarily by 787 commitments from AerCap, Uganda Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and Riyadh Air. The 777-8F freighter also gained a visible new customer in MSC Air Cargo, providing the programme with additional market validation as Boeing's newest cargo aircraft enters service.
Airbus's widebody business at the show centred on Riyadh Air's six A350-1000s and Philippine Airlines's nine-aircraft MOU. The A330neo picked up five orders from flynas, maintaining a slow but steady order pace for the programme.
The combined widebody total of 82 aircraft indicates continued demand for long-haul capacity, particularly from Middle Eastern carriers and airlines modernising ageing twin-aisle fleets. The aircraft backlog across both manufacturers remains at historically high levels, and the Farnborough orders will add further pressure on delivery timelines.
Engine decisions
Engine selections were a notable subplot. IndiGo selected the LEAP-1A for its backlog of over 1,000 engines. BOC Aviation committed to 200 LEAP engines and 220 GTF engines for its A320 Family backlog. On the widebody side, Rolls-Royce announced four Trent 1000 XE engines for a prior Somon Air 787 order, and GE secured the GEnx-1B selection for Philippine Airlines and AerCap's 30 787s.
These engine decisions matter because they lock in the aftermarket and maintenance economics for operators over a 15-20 year service life. For the MRO sector, the cumulative engine service volume implied by these selections is substantial. Our analysis of the MRO super cycle examines how the current order backlog is translating into sustained maintenance demand.
What the show revealed about the industry
Farnborough 2026 was less about who sold the most aeroplanes and more about the industry's structural reality. Demand is stronger than ever, yet production capacity — not customer appetite — has become the defining challenge. For Boeing, the week's order tally provided evidence that its commercial recovery is gathering momentum, particularly in the widebody segment where the 787 and 777-8F both attracted new commitments. For Airbus, the show reinforced the resilience of its narrowbody portfolio and the A220's growing traction among carriers seeking efficient aircraft for thinner routes.
The SMBC Aviation Capital order encapsulated the lessor perspective: by splitting 200 aircraft between manufacturers, the lessor reduces exposure to production delays affecting a single manufacturer. That hedging strategy is becoming more common and reflects genuine concern about delivery timelines.
Embraer's 60-aircraft tally, while modest compared to the duopoly, confirmed the E195-E2's position as the aircraft of choice for regional and low-cost operators seeking right-sized capacity. Abra Group's commitment, spanning firm orders, options, and purchase rights across its subsidiary carriers (Gol, Avianca, and Wamos Air), signals confidence in the E-Jet E2 family's role within larger fleet portfolios.
What to watch
- Firm-up timeline for MOUs and LOIs: The 57 preliminary deals, options, and purchase rights announced at Farnborough will convert to firm orders over coming months. Philippine Airlines's A350-1000 MOU and several undisclosed commitments are the most likely candidates.
- Boeing-China discussions: IBA flagged this as a potential source of significant order activity later in 2026 or early 2027.
- 777-8F programme momentum: MSC Air Cargo's order and the 30 freighter conversion commitments from Azorra provide the programme with a growing customer base. Watch for additional cargo operator commitments as the aircraft approaches service entry.
- Delivery slot availability: The gap between orders and deliveries is widening. How both manufacturers manage their production ramps will determine whether the backlog becomes a competitive liability or a stable revenue base.
Farnborough 2026 confirmed that the commercial aircraft market is in a period where the order book is not the problem — the factory is. The airlines and lessors placing orders at the show are buying production slots as much as they are buying aeroplanes, and their patience will be tested by how quickly those slots can be filled.
