The Numbers Don’t Lie
After a brutal 2024 that saw door plugs flying off aircraft, whistleblower testimonies dominating headlines, and production caps strangling output, Boeing desperately needed a win. The 2025 delivery numbers tell the story of a company clawing its way back from the brink.
Through November 2025, Boeing has delivered 537 commercial aircraft – a staggering 69% increase over the same period in 2024, when just 318 aircraft left the factories. It’s not just better than last year; it’s 16% above 2023 levels.
Is Boeing back? The answer is more complicated than a single number, but the trajectory is undeniably positive.
What Changed Since the Door Plug Disaster
January 5, 2024, remains seared into Boeing’s corporate memory. An Alaska Airlines 737-9 MAX lost a door plug at 16,000 feet, exposing missing bolts and a quality control culture in crisis. The FAA responded by capping 737 MAX production at 38 aircraft per month and launching investigations that kept Boeing executives in Washington for months.
The company’s response has been extensive:
- Leadership changes, including a new CEO focused on engineering excellence
- Increased factory inspections and quality control measures
- Boeing and Airbus completing the acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems, bringing critical fuselage production in-house
- Gradual restoration of FAA certification authority
The FAA recently approved an increase in 737 MAX monthly production from 38 to 42 aircraft – a sign that regulators believe Boeing’s quality improvements are taking hold.
The 737 MAX Leads the Way
Boeing’s order book tells an interesting story. Through November 2025, the company recorded over 1,000 gross orders, with the 737 MAX and NG family leading at 461 aircraft. The 787 Dreamliner followed with 351 orders.
Airlines are betting on Boeing despite the 2024 crisis. Whether that’s because they have no alternative (Airbus backlogs stretch years into the future) or because they genuinely believe in Boeing’s turnaround remains debated. But the orders are real.
The Spirit AeroSystems Factor
One of the most significant developments of 2025 was the resolution of Spirit AeroSystems. The fuselage supplier at the center of the door plug quality failures has been split between Boeing and Airbus, with each manufacturer taking control of the facilities that serve their aircraft programs.
Boeing now owns Spirit’s operations in Wichita and Tulsa, bringing 737 and 787 fuselage production under direct Boeing control. The move eliminates a critical weak link in the supply chain that contributed to quality lapses.
The Dreamliner Renaissance
While the 737 MAX grabbed headlines for its crisis, the 787 Dreamliner quietly became Boeing’s most successful program. The widebody jet has seen strong orders from airlines worldwide, with particular interest in the 787-10 variant for high-density routes.
Production rates for the 787 have increased throughout 2025, with Boeing targeting further increases in 2026. The program represents the kind of stable, profitable manufacturing that Boeing needs more of.
Challenges Remain
Despite the encouraging delivery numbers, Boeing faces ongoing headwinds:
- Production constraints: The 42-aircraft monthly cap on MAX production still limits output below pre-crisis levels
- 777X delays: The next-generation widebody remains years behind schedule
- Workforce issues: A seven-week strike earlier in 2025 disrupted manufacturing momentum
- Financial pressure: Years of crisis have strained Boeing’s balance sheet
The Competition Isn’t Waiting
While Boeing rebuilds, Airbus continues to dominate the narrow-body market. The European manufacturer is on track to deliver over 700 aircraft in 2025, maintaining its position as the world’s largest commercial airplane maker.
Boeing’s market share erosion during the MAX groundings and subsequent crises has been significant. Rebuilding airline confidence and order momentum will take years of consistent execution.
The Bottom Line
The 69% delivery increase proves Boeing can manufacture airplanes when the systems work properly. Quality improvements, the Spirit AeroSystems acquisition, and restored FAA confidence have combined to create a credible recovery narrative.
But “recovered” isn’t the same as “restored.” Boeing in 2025 is smaller, more constrained, and more carefully watched than the Boeing of 2019. The path back to dominance – if it exists – will be measured in years, not months.
For now, the numbers are moving in the right direction. That’s more than Boeing could say a year ago.
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