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Delivery volume for the mainline commercial aircraft types in 2024 was down over 10% year-on-year, amid production issues that blighted Boeing from early January. A deeper dive into the 2024 numbers in context with recent years highlights how OEM market share was impacted. It is also interesting to scrutinise how the geographical distribution of shipments compared last year, and how engine OEM delivery share has been evolving on the A320 family.

Cirium data shows that a total of 1,094 Airbus and Boeing commercial passenger and freighter aircraft were delivered in 2024 (to airline and financial customers), compared with 1,233 in 2023. At the start of last year, our expectations were that the two OEMs’ combined shipment volume could be up 20% above 2023 (i.e. ~1,500 aircraft). Airbus had originally intended to deliver 800 aircraft but in June reduced its forecast to 770 amid ongoing supply-chain snags. Toulouse ultimately achieved a total of 766 deliveries (761 if non-commercial variants and customers are excluded).

Boeing refrained from providing any delivery guidance throughout 2024 as it grappled first with the repercussions on its production rate of the Alaska 737 Max accident and subsequently the machinists’ strike. In the end, Boeing shipped 333 commercial aircraft, a third less than 2023.  As the chart below shows, Boeing’s share of deliveries versus Airbus plummeted last year to only 30% – its lowest since the 2019-2020 period when Max deliveries were suspended.

Ahead of any OEM guidance for 2025, Cirium is projecting deliveries will reach the 1,500-mark originally expected in 2024. Airbus could see its deliveries rise by up to 15% or more, while Boeing is expected to recover its shipments volume and move back towards a share of around 40%. But much will depend on supply-chain and regulatory progress this year.

Airbus/Boeing commercial aircraft deliveries and market share – 2018-2025*

Source: Cirium Core; note: passenger/freighter deliveries to commercial operators/financial institutions; *2025F is Cirium estimate prior to any OEM guidance

From a geographical perspective, airlines across the entire Asia-Pacific region took the largest number of deliveries in 2024 (384 aircraft), although with China split out, Europe is elevated to the top slot with 317 shipments.

The chart below illustrates the total 2024 volumes by region and the share they accounted for of each OEM’s deliveries. European airlines took the largest chunk of Airbus’s deliveries, while North America was the biggest market for Boeing (29% of its shipments).  The revival of 737 Max deliveries to China in 2024 after an almost five-year hiatus ensured Boeing’s volumes to this crucial market made a solid return. The 737 accounted for 47 of the US OEM’s 53 shipments to China last year, with the total representing a fifth of all Boeing’s 2024 deliveries.

Airbus/Boeing 2024 delivery volume and share by region

Source: Cirium Core; note: passenger/freighter deliveries to airline operators only

Pratt & Whitney has been under intense pressure as it sought to tackle the well-documented GTF issues. CFM has also had to address issues which have impacted production. So it is interesting to assess how the two rivals’ share of the A320 market has been evolving since before Covid when deliveries of the GTF/A320neo were still in their early days.

A320 family deliveries by engine OEM and market share – 2018-2024

Source: Cirium Core; note: deliveries to commercial operators/financial institutions

Although A320neo family deliveries increased 5% last year last year, the number powered by the PW1100G actually reduced slightly, while CFM’s share rose significantly. As shown in the chart, engine OEM delivery share shifted from parity in 2023 to CFM taking a 54% last year. 2023 marked the high-/water mark for P&W’s share of A320 deliveries in recent times.

In overall terms, P&W’s share versus CFM of single-aisle aircraft deliveries rose in 2024 to 37%, from 34% in 2023, as CFM volumes were affected by declining 737 Max shipments and P&W saw more A220 deliveries. P&W also powered an additional 47 commercial deliveries in the regional jet sector last year – the PW1900G-powered E-Jet E2.