Your airline stock is still waiting on jets, but Embraer just hit a record $35.7 billion backlog

If you own shares in major U.S. or international airlines, you are likely all too familiar with the industry's persistent headache: waiting for new planes to actually arrive. Global supply chain bottlenecks and manufacturing delays have left carriers struggling to modernize their fleets and expand routes. Yet, while commercial airlines wait in line, one of the world's primary aircraft manufacturers is quietly stacking up orders at an unprecedented pace.

Brazilian aerospace giant Embraer announced on October 23, 2026, that its firm order backlog reached a historic record of $35.7 billion at the end of the third quarter of 2026. This massive order book represents a 3% increase from the previous quarter’s record of $34.5 billion and a 14% jump year-over-year from the $31.3 billion reported in the third quarter of 2025. While the company's commercial aviation division remains its largest business segment at $15.8 billion, the real surprise came from its defense division.

The Defense & Security backlog surged 56% year-over-year to reach $6.1 billion at the end of September 2026, up from approximately $3.9 billion a year earlier. This rapid expansion was heavily driven by international sales of the KC-390 Millennium, Embraer's multi-mission military transport aircraft. During the third quarter, the Colombian Aerospace Force signed a contract to acquire two KC-390 units, expanding the jet's footprint in South America alongside existing orders from European and Middle Eastern nations.

Meanwhile, the commercial aviation segment booked 36 firm orders and 30 purchase options for its fuel-efficient E2 regional jet family during the quarter. The most notable commercial deal was signed with Abra Group—the holding company behind Latin American airlines Avianca and Gol—for 20 firm E195-E2 jets, with options and rights that could expand the total order to 45 aircraft.

For global investors, the record backlog highlights robust demand but puts intense pressure on Embraer's delivery cadence. The manufacturer delivered 66 aircraft in the third quarter of 2026, which it noted was its best third-quarter delivery performance. However, actually converting this multi-billion-dollar backlog into physical deliveries remains the ultimate test as global supply chains continue to constrain aerospace production.

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Embraer is listed in New York under the ticker ERJ, and its local shares trade on the Brazilian B3 exchange. Investors seeking broad exposure to the global aerospace and defense sector, including regional jet manufacturing, can also find the company held within specialized exchange-traded funds such as the iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF.