Airbus Mobile Final Assembly Line

The Airbus U.S. manufacturing facility is in Mobile, Alabama, on a 53-acre site beside Mobile Bay and near the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley, a former military facility [1]. Airbus announced the site in July 2012, construction began in mid-2013 and production started in July 2015. See also Airbus.

Incentives and investment

Airbus committed $600 million of its own capital. The incentive package was worth $158 million, including $82 million in cash for buildings and nearly $52 million for the Alabama Industrial Development and Training facility. Clawback terms required a minimum of 600 employees for three of the first six years [1].

Production

A grand opening ceremony was held in September 2015, and production was planned at 40 to 50 planes a year, ramping up to full capacity in 2018. A state-sponsored study estimated an annual economic impact of $409 million, including nearly $62 million in payroll, though critics argued the estimates were too optimistic [1]. See Economy of Alabama.

Opening and products

The Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile began producing jet aircraft in July 2015, and its first plane flew on March 21, 2016. It mainly builds the A320, A319 and A321. Hamburg makes tail and wing sections that are joined to fuselages in Mobile and finished to customer specifications.[2]

Investment and incentives

Airbus committed 0 million of its own capital. State and local officials approved a 8 million package, including million in cash for buildings and nearly million for a training facility, with a clawback requiring at least 600 employees for three of the first six years.[2]

Site, workforce and partnerships

The facility covers 53 acres beside Mobile Bay and was expected to employ close to 1,000 people and build 40 to 50 planes a year, reaching full capacity in 2018. Airbus partners with the University of South Alabama on research, internships and scholarships. Critics said a state-sponsored study overstated the economic impact, estimated at 9 million annually.[2]

A decade of production

Airbus marked ten years of commercial aircraft production at Mobile in 2025. Operations began in 2015 with a team of around 300 and the site now employs more than 2,000 people. It produces A320 and A220 family aircraft, and its first delivery was JetBlue A321 BluesMobile in 2016; hundreds of aircraft have been delivered, including the 100th Alabama-produced A220 in late July 2025.[3]

Expansion

The site grew from 116 to 190 acres and has three assembly lines, with a second A320 final assembly line set to be inaugurated in October 2025.[3]

FAQs

When did it open? Production began in July 2015.

What does it build? A320-family jets.

Sources

1. Encyclopedia of Alabama: Airbus
2. Encyclopedia of Alabama: Airbus
3. Made in Alabama: Airbus celebrates 10 years of aircraft production in Mobile

Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 10, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue