Boeing airplane orders rise to highest level since late 2023 ahead of Paris Air Show

Boeing‘s gross orders for new airplanes hit 303 last month, the most since December 2023, as the company makes strides against its rival Airbus and works to stabilize production of its bestselling jets near the Federal Aviation Administration limit.

The manufacturer handed over 45 aircraft in May, in line with the month before but higher than the 24 it delivered a year earlier.

This year through May, Boeing delivered 220 airplanes to customers, while Airbus delivered 243 planes. Deliveries are key to Boeing and Airbus generating cash since the bulk of an airplane’s price is paid when the jet is handed over.

Net of cancellations and conversions, Boeing has logged orders for 512 planes this year, compared with 215 for Airbus. More orders could be signed next week at the Paris Air Show —  a trade event where companies get a chance to showcase new technology and aircraft, and strike deals.

The FAA capped Boeing’s 737 Max production at 38 a month last year after a door plug blew out of a nearly new Max 9 as it climbed out of Portland, Oregon. While no one was seriously injured in the accident, the new safety crisis hit Boeing’s output.

Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said the company is planning to stabilize its production line at the current rate around 38 a month and then could seek permission from the FAA to raise that rate.

Net of cancellations, Boeing logged 345 orders last month, 146 of them for 737 Maxes and 157 for 787 Dreamliners and yet-to-be-certified 777X planes in a massive wide-body order from Qatar Airways. The deal was signed during President Donald Trump’s visit to Doha, Qatar, last month.

Ortberg said late last month that Boeing expects to resume deliveries of planes to Chinese airlines this month after a pause during the trade war between the Trump administration and Beijing.

Including accounting adjustments, Boeing has received 606 net orders this year, and its backlog was 5,943 at the end of May.