Boeing delivered 49 aircraft in October, down from 57 in September, and will cut about 5% of jobs at its commercial jet unit. Airbus must deliver 249 jets in two months to reach about 870.
Cover image: Boeing's Renton factory in Washington state, where the 737 MAX is assembled (2019 file photo) — photo by SounderBruce, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Boeing's October 2026 deliveries fell to 49 aircraft, from 57 in September and 53 a year earlier, figures published on 10 November show. A day earlier the company told staff it would cut about 5 per cent of jobs in its commercial division. For airlines and lessors holding 2027 delivery slots, both point the same way: output will rise more slowly than planned.
Airbus has the opposite problem. It delivered 74 aircraft in October and 621 in ten months, the company's own figures show, which leaves 249 to hand over in November and December to reach its target of about 870.
How many aircraft did Boeing deliver in October 2026?
The October total was 32 737 MAX jets, 11 787s, two 777 freighters, two 767-300F freighters and two military derivatives (a 737-800A and a 767-2C), according to Air Data News, citing Boeing's data. That is 14 per cent below September.
Not every tally agrees. Forecast International counted 48 deliveries, with 31 MAX jets and the 737-800A making up 32 737s. Boeing's own published totals point to 49: its third-quarter release gave 475 deliveries for the first nine months, and the order book data on its website, which we downloaded on 13 November, shows 524 for the year to the end of October.
The same data puts 737 deliveries at 400 for the year, including five military 737-800As. Boeing has already said it will miss its target of 500, as we reported in our coverage of both planemakers' third-quarter results. Reaching it would have taken 100 more 737s in two months, by our arithmetic.
Why is Boeing cutting 5% of Commercial Airplanes jobs?
Stephanie Pope, who runs Boeing Commercial Airplanes, told employees on 9 November that the division would shrink by about 5 per cent through attrition and involuntary layoffs, with notices going out in December at the earliest, according to Reuters, which reviewed the memo. "Adjusting our production schedules and reducing aircraft output puts us in an overstaffed position," she wrote in the memo.
Boeing has not given a headcount. The division had 50,494 employees as of December 2025, Reuters reported, citing Boeing's website, so 5 per cent would be about 2,500 positions, by our arithmetic.
On the 27 October earnings call, chief executive Kelly Ortberg said Boeing would not sustain 47 737s a month until 2027. Wing production is the main bottleneck, Aerospace Global News reported. The step to 52 a month is still planned for the second half of 2027.
How do the October orders and deliveries compare?
| Measure | Boeing | Airbus |
|---|---|---|
| October 2026 deliveries | 49 | 74 |
| October 2025 deliveries | 53 | 78 |
| Deliveries, January to October 2026 | 524 | 621 |
| Deliveries, January to October 2025 | 493 | 585 |
| October 2026 gross orders | 165 | 202 |
| Gross orders, January to October 2026 | 828 | 1,376 |
| 2026 delivery target | 500 737s (will be missed) | About 870 aircraft |
Orders were strong for both. Boeing booked 165 with no cancellations, but 140 of them were one deal: Avolon's 737-10 order, finalised on 4 November. The other 25 were six 737 MAX jets for Allegiant Air, four for unidentified customers and 15 787-10s. The 737-10 only won FAA certification in October.
Airbus recorded 202 gross orders and two cancellations, with Avolon and Aviation Capital Group each adding 75 A320neo-family aircraft, Air Data News reported. The 2025 figures in the table are also from Air Data News.
Can Airbus deliver 249 aircraft in two months?
Airbus delivered 72 aircraft in November 2025 and 136 in December, a total of 208, according to Air Data News. It needs 41 more than that, an increase of nearly 20 per cent.
Chief executive Guillaume Faury said in late October he was "reasonably comfortable" with the target. Forecast International was more cautious, calling the required pace "an aggressive push that may not materialize".
Airbus leads Boeing by 97 deliveries this year. Our 2026 aircraft orders and deliveries tracker follows both manufacturers.
Frequently asked questions
How many aircraft did Boeing deliver in October 2026?
Boeing delivered 49 aircraft in October 2026, down from 57 in September and 53 in October 2025. Boeing's own data shows 524 deliveries for the first ten months, against 475 at the end of September.
Why do some reports say Boeing delivered 48 aircraft in October?
Forecast International counted 48, with 31 737 MAX jets plus one military 737-800A. Air Data News counted 32 MAX jets plus the 737-800A, making 49. Boeing's published totals support 49: it reported 475 deliveries to the end of September and its order book data shows 524 to the end of October.
How many jobs is Boeing cutting at Commercial Airplanes?
Boeing has given a percentage only: about 5 per cent of the Commercial Airplanes workforce, through attrition and involuntary layoffs, with notices starting in December 2026. The division had 50,494 employees as of December 2025, according to Reuters, citing Boeing's website, so 5 per cent would be about 2,500 positions by our arithmetic. Boeing has not said how many will be layoffs.
How many aircraft does Airbus need to deliver to hit its 2026 target?
Airbus had delivered 621 aircraft by the end of October 2026 and targets about 870 for the year, so it needs 249 in November and December. It delivered 208 in the same two months of 2025, according to Air Data News. Chief executive Guillaume Faury said in late October he was "reasonably comfortable" with the target.
Sources
- Boeing, commercial orders and deliveries data (to end-October 2026)
- Boeing, third-quarter 2026 deliveries release
- Airbus, orders and deliveries summary (end of October 2026)
- Air Data News, Boeing delivers 49 aircraft in October as orders reach 165
- Air Data News, Airbus delivers 74 aircraft in October, needs 249 more
- Reuters via The Standard, Boeing to cut 5% of commercial jet workforce amid production struggles
- Aerospace Global News, Boeing to cut 5% of commercial aircraft jobs as 737 ramp slows
- Forecast International, Airbus and Boeing report October 2026 orders and deliveries
