Farnborough International Airshow 2026 opens on 20 July with more than 1,400 exhibitors and 100,000 visitors expected. Here is what to watch: the Airbus-Boeing order contest, engine bottlenecks and a widebody revival.
Cover image: the RAF Red Arrows performing at the Farnborough International Airshow — photo by Nathan O'Nions, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The Farnborough International Airshow 2026 opens in two weeks, running 20-24 July at the Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre in Hampshire, UK. Organisers expect more than 1,400 exhibitors from 41 countries and well over 100,000 visitors across the week, with the first three days trade-only and the final two open to the public. Exhibition space has "sold out twice over", according to Gareth Rogers, chief executive of Farnborough International Limited, prompting the addition of a sixth hall with 5,000 square metres of extra space. The biennial show arrives at a pivotal moment for commercial aerospace: Airbus has just posted its strongest first half since 2019, delivering 351 aircraft in the six months to June, while Boeing trailed by roughly a dozen jets through May as it ramps up 737 MAX output. With the industry's combined order backlog stretching past 17,000 aircraft and engine shortages still grounding jets, expect the 2026 edition to be defined less by headline order totals and more by hard questions about whether manufacturers can actually build what they sell.
How big will the Farnborough Airshow 2026 be?
By the organisers' own measures, this will be the largest Farnborough in years. Aerospace Global News reports that 22% of exhibitors are attending for the first time, 64% come from outside the UK, and 28 international pavilions are confirmed. The traditional 60/40 commercial-to-defence split is shifting towards 50/50, reflecting Europe's rearmament cycle and a wave of new exhibitors in AI, aviation finance and supply-chain logistics.
The final day, Friday 24 July, is a dedicated family and STEM day with an enhanced flying display; organisers expect around 45,000 visitors on that day alone, up from 30,000 at the equivalent day in 2024. Russian and Iranian firms remain excluded under UK restrictions.
Who is winning the Airbus-Boeing order race going into the show?
The delivery and order scoreboard frames every Farnborough, and 2026 is no exception. Airbus handed over 89 aircraft in June, its best month of the year, capping a first half of 351 deliveries, about 15% ahead of the same period in 2025, according to figures reported by Bloomberg and Air Data News. Reuters has reported that Airbus is internally targeting more than 900 deliveries in 2026, above its official guidance of around 870.
Boeing had delivered 250 aircraft through May, per Forecast International's monthly tracker, after leading the race in the first four months of the year, and it opened a second 737 MAX assembly line in Everett on 6 July to push output higher. On orders the gap is wider: Airbus had booked 368 gross orders through May against Boeing's 324 gross and just 140 net. The full state of play is covered in our analysis of the 2026 Airbus-Boeing delivery race.
| Metric (2026 year to date) | Airbus | Boeing |
|---|---|---|
| Deliveries | 351 (through June) | 250 (through May) |
| Gross orders (through May) | 368 | 324 |
| Full-year delivery target | ~870 guided; 900+ internal goal | No public target; second MAX line opened July |
For context on what the show has to beat: Farnborough 2024 closed its first four days with roughly $105 billion (£81.5 billion) in announced orders, by Simple Flying's tally. Few analysts expect a repeat splurge, not because demand is soft, but because delivery slots before the 2030s are scarce.
Why will engines and the supply chain dominate Farnborough 2026?
The unglamorous story of the show will be propulsion. IATA, the airline trade body, warned on 24 June in a joint study with consultancy Emerton that engine maintenance bottlenecks are "disrupting airline operations", noting that groundings of Pratt & Whitney GTF-powered aircraft peaked at 648 jets in March 2025, some 28% of the GTF fleet. The study projects annual shop visits for CFM International LEAP engines to surge from 600-800 in 2025 to more than 5,000 by 2040, a wave the aftermarket is not yet sized for.
Those constraints ripple straight into the order books. Airbus's slow start to 2026, just 19 deliveries in January, was driven largely by late GTF engine arrivals, and reports suggest the long-awaited stretched A220-500 launch has been paused amid production pressures. Expect Rolls-Royce, GE Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney and CFM to face pointed questions at their Farnborough briefings. Our deep dive into aviation's supply-chain squeeze and the 18,000-jet backlog explains why airlines are flying the oldest fleet on record while they wait.
Is widebody demand back for 2026?
Yes, and it is one of the clearest shifts since the last Farnborough. Boeing's April order update alone included 57 widebody commitments across the 777X and 787 programmes, a ramp-up that suppliers read as a sign of sustained long-haul confidence rather than a short-term bounce. Watch for Gulf and Asian carriers to headline any widebody announcements: Emirates expects its first 777X around mid-2027, while Japan's ANA has pencilled in 777-9 deliveries from 2027 with contingency plans if slips continue.
The widebody revival dovetails with cautious airline finances. As we reported in our coverage of IATA's 2026 airline profitability outlook, carriers are profitable but on wafer-thin margins, which makes fuel-efficient replacement aircraft the priority over speculative growth orders.
What aircraft will fly at Farnborough 2026?
The confirmed flying display mixes frontline hardware with heritage and next-generation types. Around 27 aircraft were confirmed by early July, with Boeing typically confirming late. Highlights announced so far include:
- Airbus A350-1000 widebody in the daily flying display
- Lockheed Martin F-35 and other fast-jet demonstrations
- Bombardier Global 8000, the fastest purpose-built business jet
- Heritage displays from a Supermarine Spitfire and P-51D Mustang
- Advanced air mobility debuts from Beta Technologies' CX300 and Vertical Aerospace's VX4, the latter pending regulatory approval
Frequently asked questions
When is the Farnborough Airshow 2026 and can the public attend?
The show runs Monday 20 July to Friday 24 July 2026. The first three days are trade-only; Thursday and Friday are open to the public, with Friday designated a family and STEM day featuring an enhanced flying display.
Will Farnborough 2026 disrupt flights or travel in the London area?
Farnborough Airport restricts general aviation slots during show week and nearby roads get heavily congested, but scheduled airline services at Heathrow and Gatwick are unaffected. Trade visitors are advised to book accommodation and rail travel early, as the show expects more than 100,000 attendees.
How many aircraft orders are expected at Farnborough 2026?
No official forecast exists, and analysts caution against expecting a repeat of 2024's roughly $105 billion haul because delivery slots are sold out well into the 2030s. Widebody deals for the 787, 777X and A350 are considered the most likely headline announcements.
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