FIA 2026 Closes as Largest-Ever Edition with 141,580 Visitors and $84.7 Billion in Commercial Deals

The Farnborough International Airshow closed on July 24, 2026 as the largest edition in its 78-year history, drawing 141,580 trade and public visitors across five days from 136 countries — a 41 per cent increase on 2024 and nearly double 2022 attendance. Around 1,600 exhibitors, about 64 per cent from outside the UK, filled 28 national pavilions; the show sold out twice more than a year before opening, prompting a sixth exhibition hall adding roughly 5,000 square metres, though more than 50 companies remained on a waiting list. The event ran July 20-24 as a trade show with a public day, "Pioneers of Tomorrow," on July 24 offering free entry to visitors under 21, and featured a dedicated UK Government Hub described as the government's largest-ever airshow presence, attended by ministers Wes Streeting, Kanishka Narayan and Jonathan Reynolds. About 22 per cent of exhibitors were first-timers, concentrated in AI, aviation finance and supply-chain logistics, including New Zealand's Aviation Composites New Zealand with its AC-2 AveniQ feeder cargo aircraft and Toronto-based PULSHN promoting eVTOL technology.

Commercial deal activity totalled more than $84.7 billion, with 353 firm aircraft orders and 904 firm engine orders confirmed over the week, including $48.8 billion announced on day one alone. The ADS Group said value flowing to UK aerospace companies rose 13 per cent year-on-year to an estimated £7.7 billion, reflecting 234 firm aircraft orders and 466 firm engine orders on opening day. Boeing outsold Airbus, recording 186 firm orders against Airbus's 157. The largest single transaction came from SMBC Aviation Capital, which ordered 200 narrowbody aircraft split evenly between Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo-family jets, accounting by some counts for more than 60 per cent of firm orders across the show's three official trading days.

Embraer added 50 to 60 aircraft to the tally, including about 20 passenger-to-freighter E-Jet conversions, with Abra Group placing the largest Embraer deal covering roughly 45 E195-E2s across firm orders, options and purchase rights. Other transactions included Riyadh Air converting 28 options into firm Boeing 787 orders, AerCap ordering 15 Boeing 787-9s, Philippine Airlines adding Airbus A350-1000 commitments, Uganda Airlines placing its first-ever direct Boeing order, Luxair converting options into firm 737-10 orders, and MSC Air Cargo confirmed as the customer for five Boeing 777-8 Freighters. With the global commercial aircraft backlog estimated at more than 17,000 units and engine-supply bottlenecks constraining deliveries, much of the week's discussion among OEM executives centred on ramping up production rather than booking new orders.

The airshow also hosted an expanded conference programme, headlined by the new Aerospace Global Forum: Finance Summit, its first dedicated finance and investment event, alongside conference theatres on advanced air mobility, artificial intelligence, propulsion and supply chains, and the Enterprise Gateway programme running July 21-23.