Boeing deliveries jump 33%, 737 MAX output recovery gains pace
Boeing’s May deliveries rose to 60 aircraft, but the real test is whether 51 737 MAX handovers and a planned rate increase to 47 a month signal lasting stability.
Boeing’s bigger May delivery tally was less a victory lap than a trust test. The planemaker handed over 60 aircraft, up 33% from a year earlier, but investors, airlines and regulators are still watching to see whether higher output reflects a healthier production system or another short-lived push to prove Boeing can scale without revisiting the quality failures that damaged its credibility.
The month was driven by the 737 MAX, where Boeing delivered 51 jets, its highest monthly total since production restarted in December 2024 after a strike. That helped push Boeing’s year-to-date deliveries to 250 aircraft through May, but it still trailed Airbus, which reported 262 deliveries over the same period and 81 in May alone. Boeing’s tally also came as the company worked through a wiring issue that had delayed some MAX handovers earlier in the year.
Orders were positive but uneven. Boeing booked 27 gross orders in May, including 14 737s that will be converted into military aircraft for an unidentified customer and 10 787-9 Dreamliners for Lufthansa Group. Those gains were partly offset by 16 cancellations of 737 MAX orders, leaving 11 net new orders for the month. Through May, Boeing had booked 324 gross orders and 295 net new orders after 29 cancellations and conversions. Its backlog stood at 6,178 aircraft at the end of the month, underscoring that demand remains deep even as production problems continue to shape the recovery.
The company’s next credibility test is rate 47. Boeing said it plans to lift 737 MAX production from 42 jets a month to 47 this summer, and CEO Kelly Ortberg said on May 27 that Boeing had met Federal Aviation Administration requirements for the increase. He said the company was “off and rolling” at that rate and expected to reach it within the next couple of months. Boeing said its three 737 production lines in Renton, Washington, are moving toward that target, with a new North Line intended to support later rate increases beyond 47.
The rest of Boeing’s portfolio showed more friction. The company delivered just six 787s in May, and said those aircraft remain affected by certification delays involving premium seats. It also handed over one 777 freighter and one 767 freighter. With 198 737 MAX deliveries through May, Boeing’s recovery remains heavily dependent on one program, making every monthly delivery report a measure of whether the company is truly stabilizing or still repairing its industrial reputation.
This article was produced by Prism’s automated news system from verified source data, official records, and press releases, then run through automated quality and moderation checks before publishing. The system is built and supervised by the people who set the standards it runs under. Read our full AI policy.
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