Boeing vs Airbus: US airliner finishes far behind European rival in 2021 despite doubling sales

Boeing delivered 38 commercial planes in December 2021 and a total of 340 planes in 2021, nearly double the total in 2020.

Boeing finished 2021 far behind European rival Airbus in deliveries of new aircraft. However, sales bounced back after two dismal years caused by the 737 Max crashes and the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Airbus reported that it made 611 deliveries in 2021, topping Boeing for a third straight year. As per sources, Boeing was hindered by production flaws that prevented shipments of its 787 Dreamliner for most of 2021.

Deliveries are bigger than bragging rights. They are an important source of cash for the companies because airlines typically pay a large portion of the purchase price when they take possession of a new plane.