Ramping up A320 Family production

Responding to strong demand from airlines and lessors, Airbus is ramping up all its commercial aircraft programmes. The company's industrial capability is growing fast, around the world - including two new A320 Family final assembly lines, in China and the US. The largest member of that family, the A321neo, is at the heart of this story.

Fun fact: an Airbus A320 Family aircraft takes off or lands somewhere in the world every two seconds. The programme has notched up nearly 20,000 orders. Moreover, in October 2025, it became the most delivered airliner type in history. The widebody market is also in robust shape, stoking demand for the Airbus A330neo and A350 Family. As supply chain delays have begun to ease post-pandemic, Airbus is executing an historic production ramp-up.

The A321neo, a firm favourite

Airbus is increasing production of all its civil aircraft programmes. The ramp-up focuses principally on reaching an output of 75 A320 Family aircraft every month in 2027, while maintaining the on-time, on-quality delivery customers expect.

This 'rate 75' is civil aerospace's highest-ever production level, and it's uniting Airbus, its affiliates and the entire supply chain in a mammoth push to reach it.

Airbus' current backlog includes over 7,000 A320neo Family aircraft. The big story behind rate 75 is the runaway success of the A321neo in its standard, long range (LR) and extra long range (XLR) configurations. The largest member of the A320 Family has rapidly become an industry favourite, accounting for around two-thirds of the Family order book. Its popularity in terms of sales volume and speed is the dominant factor in Airbus' decision to increase narrowbody production.

The sun never sets on A320 Family production

To produce 75 A320 Family aircraft each month, Airbus has strategically grown the programme's global industrial footprint and setup over recent years. The final quarter of 2025 is pivotal to this expansion.

The inauguration in October 2025 of a second final assembly line (FAL) in Mobile, Alabama, USA, doubles A320 Family production capacity in the United States.

Coming just a few days later, the inauguration of the second A320 Family FAL in Tianjin, China, underscores Airbus' commitment to that country's aviation market. It's projected to become the world's largest by the early 2030s.

These new FALs are an indispensable addition to Airbus' industrial setup, adding flexibility and resilience to A320 Family production.

Notable features of the new Tianjin line include a range of advanced manufacturing technologies, as well as solar panels, reclaimed water and geothermal energy. Beyond the second line, for its part Airbus' Mobile facility has undergone a major extension. This includes new double-bay hangars for A320 production, quad-bay hangars for the A220, additional paint shops, a new distribution centre and expanded delivery and welcome centres.

The expansion across continents confirms that making the A320 Family is an endeavour on which the sun never sets. Over 20 Airbus and affiliate sites participate in its production, on top of a total of ten FALs, located in Tianjin (China), Toulouse (France), Mobile (USA), and Hamburg (Germany). This reach, coupled with a committed global supply chain, is central to making rate 75 a reality.

Alongside the FAL boost, Airbus is in the midst of transforming its customer line and delivery centre activities, to bring customers a smoother, more consistent hand-over experience.

Home-nation investment - and bringing work packages in-house

In Europe, investment in Hamburg's four assembly lines, the A320 Family's historical home alongside Toulouse, makes them fully equipped to produce the A321. This includes the LR and XLR's often complex, customised cabins.

A highly-automated assembly hall for the A321XLR's range-extending rear centre fuel tank was inaugurated at Airbus' Augsburg, Germany, facility in September 2025. What's more, a second A320 Family FAL at Toulouse's Lagardère facility - the repurposed former A380 line - is due for completion by mid-2026.

Lastly, Airbus is strengthening its industrial system by acquiring Spirit AeroSystems' operations for the A350, A220 and A320 Families - a core aerostructures activity. The acquisition will welcome over 4,000 skilled, experienced employees to Team Airbus, further increasing the company's aerostructure activities together with subsidiaries Airbus Atlantic and Airbus Aerostructures.

With a total backlog of over 8,600 aircraft, of which the A320neo Family represents the lion's share, Airbus' expanded industrial system is poised to continue leading commercial aviation.