Boeing tops Europe's Airbus in airliner deliveries Boeing narrowly beats Airbus in airliner deliveries to remain world's biggest seller of commercial aircraft

Boeing is keeping its title as the world's leading maker of airliners, a nose ahead of Airbus.

Europe-based Airbus, which assembles some planes in the U.S., said Wednesday it delivered 800 commercial aircraft in 2018.

That's six less than Boeing's record year, announced earlier this week. The Chicago company has major manufacturing sites in Washington state and South Carolina.

Both companies are riding strong demand from airlines reporting strong travel demand.

Boeing says it received a net of 893 new orders last year, and Airbus got 747 orders.

A Cowen analyst says Boeing deliveries were "a tad light" but deliveries of its new 737 MAX — the plane involved in a deadly October crash in Indonesia — beat expectations.