AerCap Expands A320neo Fleet Amid Airbus Competition

AerCap, a Dublin-based leasing company, placed a firm order for up to 100 A320neo family aircraft, including 23 A320neos and 77 A321neos, with Airbus. This is AerCap’s largest single direct order for this type of aircraft and reflects the lessor’s confidence in the A320neo family’s long-term demand. AerCap CEO Aengus Kelly stated that the order will help meet customer demand for growth and replacement needs. The financial terms and delivery schedule were not disclosed. This deal comes as Airbus faces renewed competition from Boeing, which regained the annual new order lead in 2025. AerCap manages 1,825 aircraft as of March 2026, with 1,760 owned outright. The order is AerCap’s first direct A320-family aircraft order in eight years, following a previous order in December 2017. AerCap also secured delivery slots from Airbus as part of the restructuring of Spirit Airlines’ order book in October 2025. AerCap’s billion-dollar comeback: from Russia losses to record profits