Why US-Made Airbus A320 Family Aircraft Production Is About To Get Faster

Airbus is one of the largest commercial aircraft manufacturers in the world. The company has always been heavily involved in the aviation industry, leading the world in the production of helicopters for years. However, in the late 2010s, Airbus surpassed its rival Boeing as the world’s biggest manufacturer of commercial airliners. Since the company was founded in 1970, Airbus has introduced a wide variety of aircraft that encompass the entirety of commercial aircraft offerings.

One of the company’s most prominent aircraft is its narrowbody family, the Airbus A320 series. This aircraft was first launched into commercial service in April 1988 with Air France. Since then, the company has delivered over 12,000 different A320 aircraft, with its latest variants still in production. This family of aircraft has become popular around the world, leading Airbus to open up several production lines, including one in the United States. Recently, Airbus announced it would open a second assembly line for the A320 at that facility, which is located in Mobile, Alabama. Let’s take a closer look at how Airbus looks to ramp up production of its most popular commercial aircraft offering.

Airbus Will Open A Second A320 Final Assembly Line In Mobile, Alabama

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In recent months, Airbus revealed its plans to open a second final assembly line (FAL) for the Airbus A320 at its Mobile, Alabama-based production facility. Beginning in October 2025, Airbus will utilize the second assembly line at its Brookley Aeroplex. The goal of this move is to boost the output of the Airbus A320neo family of jets to meet growing demand.

With the second Airbus A320 production line, Airbus looks to target a substantial increase in its overall production capacity. The company has set a goal of delivering 75 A320‑family aircraft per month by 2027, which will require expanding its production footprint and workforce. In the Mobile, Alabama, area, the expansion is expected to create roughly 1,000 new jobs, mostly focused on skilled manufacturing roles.

This expansion will double the plant’s capacity for the Airbus A320 family. This is integral to Airbus’s aim of ramping up its delivery rates across its network. The buildout for the second A320 line includes adding over a million square feet of production space and new supporting structures. Having more FALs means that Airbus can spread production across different sites, which helps absorb disruptions. It also allows local supply chains to play a bigger role, particularly in the US, potentially reducing the time and cost of shipping fuselage sections and other large components.

About The Mobile Aeroplex At Brookley

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Airbus’s main manufacturing facility in the United States is located at the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley. The facility is a major facility for Airbus’s single-aisle commercial aircraft. This includes the final assembly for aircraft from the A320 family, including the A319, A320, and A321, as well as the Airbus A220 family. Airbus opened this facility for the A320 family in 2015.

In recent years, Airbus opened a dedicated A220 final assembly line at this facility. This handles the production of both the A220-100 and the A220-300 variants. Besides the main assembly lines, the production site has expanded its infrastructure to include delivery centers, hangars, flight line facilities, tooling and support buildings.

Beyond the recent final assembly line for the A220, Airbus has expanded the facility significantly. When it began, there were a few hundred employees, but by the mid-2020s, the count had grown to over 2,000 employees. Airbus also grew the facility from 116 acres to approximately 190 acres. Airbus also operates an Engineering Center at its Mobile facility, which was opened well before the final assembly operations, and focuses on cabin design, support engineering, and work on various Airbus programs.

Why Airbus Is Increasing US Production Of The Airbus A320

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Airbus recently announced its plans to significantly increase production of the A320 family. Specifically, in the United States, Airbus is increasing its A320 production as part of a strategic effort to meet soaring global demand for single-aisle aircraft, particularly in the growing North American market.

Currently, the Airbus A320 is the world’s best-selling commercial airliner. Additionally, airlines continue to place strong orders for the latest series, the NEO (new engine option) variants, due to their improved fuel efficiency and lower operating costs. By expanding its production capacity in Mobile, Alabama, Airbus aims to accelerate delivery timelines and better serve its American customers with aircraft assembled closer to home.

Another key reason for boosting US production is to diversify Airbus’s global manufacturing footprint. Traditionally, Airbus’s primary A320 final assembly lines have been in Europe, specifically in Toulouse, France, and Hamburg, Germany. Expanding its presence in the US mitigates risks linked to supply chain disruptions, trade uncertainties, or geopolitical issues.

A History Of The Airbus A320

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Airbus first entered the commercial aircraft industry in the early 1970s with the introduction of the A300. However, even at this time, Airbus envisioned producing a broad family of airliners to directly compete with Boeing and Douglas Aircraft Company. In the early 1970s, Airbus began working on derivatives of the A300 aircraft. This included the development of the A310, a widebody airliner.

However, Airbus also began to focus efforts on designing a new narrowbody aircraft, as the market was previously dominated by the Boeing 737 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-9. In June 1977, a Joint European Transport (JET) program was established to design this aircraft, including collaboration with British Aerospace (BAe), Aerospatiale, Dornier, and Fokker. The program was later transferred to Airbus, and in 1981, the program was designated the A320.

However, the program was officially launched in March 1984. At the time of the project’s launch, Airbus had nearly 100 orders for the aircraft. The first A320 was rolled out of the final assembly line in Toulouse in February 1987, and it conducted its maiden flight the same month. After an extensive flight testing program that took 1,200 flight hours, the European Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) certified the aircraft in February 1988. Air France officially introduced the aircraft into commercial service on April 19, 1988, flying from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) in France to Geneva International Airport (GVA) in Switzerland.

The Design Features And Performance Specifications Of The Airbus A320

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The Airbus A320 series is built as a conventional airliner with a low-wing and conventional empennage. The aircraft has a wing sweep of approximately 25 degrees, which helps reduce drag in flight. The airframe of the aircraft is made from composite materials and aluminum alloys to reduce the overall weight of the aircraft.

Like many other airliners, the A320 family has several different engine options. The original engine options for the A320 include the CFM International CFM56, the International Aero Engines V2500, and the Pratt & Whitney PW6000. However, newer engine options include the CFM International LEAP-1A and the Pratt & Whitney PW1000G. Overall, these newer options provide the aircraft with over 27,000 pounds of thrust. According to Airbus, the A320neo has the following performance specifications:

There are several different variants in the A320 family, which includes seating capacities from 136 passengers to 236 passengers. However, the A320 seats 150 passengers in a two-class configuration. Inside the cockpit, the A320 flight deck features a full glass cockpit powered by sidestick controllers.

Which Airlines Fly The Legendary Airbus A320

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The Airbus A320 family is one of the most widely used aircraft types in commercial aviation. Since its introduction, over 12,000 aircraft have been delivered to airlines around the world. The A320’s versatility, fuel efficiency, and relatively low operating costs make it a popular choice for both low-cost carriers and full-service airlines.

Major full-service airlines also use the A320 family extensively, often in conjunction with larger widebody aircraft for longer routes. Air France, the launch customer of the Airbus A320, operates a large fleet of aircraft in the A320 family, flying nearly 90 total aircraft. Other European airlines, such as Lufthansa, Wizz Air, Iberia, and British Airways, operate large fleets of the A320. According to ch-aviation, the largest operators of aircraft that fall into the A320 family, including the A318, A319, A320, and A321, include:

Airbus has seen success with its A320 family around the world, including in the United States, directly rivaling the US-built Boeing 737. American Airlines is the largest US operator of the A320 series, using a mix of A319, A320, and A321 aircraft to serve a wide network of domestic destinations. JetBlue also operates a sizable fleet of A320 and A321 models. Additionally, Spirit Airlines, an ultra-low-cost carrier, also flies the A320 for its domestic flight network.