Engine Market Share on Airbus Narrow-Body Aircraft

Engine market share on the A320neo family is where we frequently answer questions. In our aviation market intelligence work, we often utilize data from our proprietary data models available to AirInsight subscribers. One of the more interesting models is our production and deliveries model, which uses the first flight's data to estimate the date the aircraft was entirely produced and could fly. We decided to examine the engine choices on the A320neo family of aircraft based on their production date and whether they are powered by the CFM International LEAP or Pratt & Whitney GTF engine. This provides us real-time trending on the supply of engines, an important element for those in the supply chain. It also includes intelligence on the impacts of various events, including the reliability issues with the GTF that are currently being resolved. Powering the A320neo Family Production of the A320neo family of aircraft began with prototypes in 2015 and continued through 2024. The following table shows the number of CFM LEAP-powered aircraft produced since the Neo family's inception. source: AirInsight Similarly, the chart below shows the production of A320neo family aircraft with the Pratt & Whitney GTF geared turbofan. [caption id="attachment_89180" align="alignnone" width="1131"] source: AirInsight[/caption] Overall, since the inception of the neo-narrow bodies, CFM has a 53.8% to 46.2% market share advantage over the Pratt & Whitney GTF. Looking at market share annually, we find that CFM’s lead, apart from the onset of the program, has been a near-steady lead since 2017, ranging from 49.56% to 60.04%. [caption id="attachment_89181" align="aligncenter" width="640"] source: AirInsight[/caption] Looking at the same data on a cumulative basis, which tends to smooth out variations, shows an overall lead for CFM that has remained relatively steady since the program's inception. The trend lines for CFM and PW have been relatively flat since 2017, and production for the aircraft family has ramped up. [caption id="attachment_89182" align="aligncenter" width="640"] source: AirInsight[/caption] On a cumulative basis, the chart shows a more steady lead for CFM over the period, with more than a 50% market share of the aircraft produced since 2017 for the new family. Digging Deeper We can break out the data in more detail in our models and perform the same analysis for the A320neo and A321neo models separately. The advantage for the former remains with CFM, while the latter has Pratt & Whitney with market share leadership. Given that the A321neo has now overtaken the A320neo in sales, that bodes well for the GTF on Airbus single-aisle aircraft over the remainder of the decade, assuming they can ramp up production while providing support for existing engines at the same time. The A320neo shows a significant lead for CFM. The following chart shows the annual market share for the A320neo, excluding the A319neo and A321neo models. The yearly data show that CFM captured a leadership position and, in recent years, has grown its market share to an even higher 72% in 2024. That is partially due to restricted capacity at Pratt & Whitney as it produces components for engine maintenance and new engines and faces supply chain constraints. [caption id="attachment_89183" align="aligncenter" width="640"] source: AirInsight[/caption] If we look at the cumulative share over the program's life, the recent gains continue to drive the average share of the A320neo model in favor of CFM. The following chart illustrates the overall trend for the A320neo model's life: It has reached a 61-39 share in favor of CFM for the entire program. [caption id="attachment_89184" align="aligncenter" width="640"] source: AirInsight[/caption] An Opposite Result for the A321neo The more favored engine choice on the A321neo is the Pratt & Whitney GTF. The GTF had an early advantage with the A321 program, lost some momentum with reliability issues, but has regained its leadership position since 2021. The following chart shows the ups and downs of annual changes in market share, some of which were dictated by the lack of available engines constraining aircraft production. That situation has improved, with the market share in the 60-40 range over the last two years favoring the GTF. Looking at a cumulative view over the program's life, the GTF has maintained a 54-46 ratio over the last few years, with that trend continuing. The following chart provides that view. [caption id="attachment_89190" align="aligncenter" width="640"] source: AirInsight[/caption] The Bottom Line Our production and delivery database is comprehensive and easy to analyze. We select data by aircraft type and detailed model designations. Relying only on delivery data presents an analytical risk for programs with grounding, slowdowns, or parts shortages, as inventories and actual production rates are masked. We can track aircraft to individual models, whether an A321neo, A321LR, or A321XLR, by engine type, which is particularly important to suppliers of components used on particular engine variants. We invite you to explore our data models, which are accessible on our website. You won’t find a better set of planning tools that are as easy to use. For a test drive, please get in touch with Addison Schonland at +1.858.536.9900 or aschonland@airinsight.com.

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