Boeing deliveries fall 17% in November, trail Airbus

Boeing delivered 44 new jets in November, down from 53 the prior month, the company said on Tuesday, lagging behind European rival Airbus which delivered 72 planes.

Boeing said it delivered 32 of its popular single-aisle 737 MAX jets in November, including five to Southwest Airlines .

Other deliveries included six 787s, including two 787-10s, to TAAG Angola Airlines, a key part of the flag carrier’s expansion plans.

The U.S. planemaker also delivered two 777 freighters – one to Turkish Airlines and one to Moldova-based Aerotranscargo – and four 767s.

The company received 164 new orders, with 38 cancellations, for 126 net new orders in November.

Boeing received 74 orders for its long-delayed 777X wide-body, which is slated to enter service in 2027, seven years behind schedule.

Launch customer Emirates ordered another 65 of the large twin-engine jetliners during the Dubai Airshow. The purchase brings Emirates’ orders for the 777X family to 270 jets.

Taiwan’s China Airlines also ordered nine 777X planes, following on from its order for 14 777X jets earlier this year.

Boeing received 30 787 orders, including 15 from Bahrain-based Gulf Air, eight from Uzbekistan Airways, six from Etihad Airways and one from an unidentified buyer.

The U.S. planemaker received 43 orders for 737 MAX jets, all from unidentified buyers. It also received orders for 15 KC-46 tankers from the U.S. Air Force and for two 777 freighters.

Etihad canceled 15 777X orders. The Gulf carrier was one of the wide-body’s first customers and still has 10 777X orders. Air Canada canceled four 787 orders and South Africa’s Comair canceled five 737 MAX orders.

While Airbus delivered more planes in November than Boeing, the European planemaker this month cut its full-year delivery target by 4% to 790 jets following an industrial quality issue.

Through November 30, Boeing delivered 537 jets, including 396 737 MAXs, 74 787s, 33 777s and 28 767s, and booked 1,000 new orders, or a net 908 after cancellations and conversions. Its order backlog was 6,019 at the end of the month.

Boeing Chief Financial Officer Jay Malave said last week that the company expects positive cash flow in 2026 due to higher jet deliveries.