Boeing: 2026 TIME100 Most Influential Companies

In 2025, aerospace giant Boeing outpaced arch-rival Airbus in orders for the first time in seven years. America’s top exporter by value, Boeing delivered roughly 600 jets and secured commitments from Air India, Air Cambodia, and Delta. The company had stumbled over years of deadly crashes, factory strikes, and a mid-air panel blowout, but recently staged a fundamental operational overhaul, with new leadership launching a “war on defects,” while restructuring manufacturing protocols, safety inspections, and worker training. By October 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration had seen enough progress to raise production caps imposed after the panel blowout, reducing a major regulatory barrier to Boeing’s recovery. With a massive backlog of over 5,900 aircraft waiting to be built and delivered, Boeing returned to profitability in 2025 for the first time in seven years.