At the start of 2007, industry observers figured there was little chance airlines would treat Boeing and Airbus to the same order frenzy the jet makers had enjoyed the previous two years.
But both companies have proved the doubters wrong.
Each has won orders for more than 1,200 planes this year, with most coming from carriers in Asia, the Middle East and Europe, which have been expanding and upgrading their fleets.
Scott Hamilton, managing director of the Seattle-area aerospace consultancy Leeham Companies, said: "Nobody, I think, remotely thought you'd have this volume of orders."
In the final run-up to Christmas, Boeing, which had already surpassed a company order record it set last year, added 67 planes to its final order update for 2007, boosting its total to 1,213 in the year to December 18.
Airbus is expected to come out ahead, having logged 1,204 orders as of the end of November, the latest update available and well above its own record of 1,111 orders set two years ago.
It will release its 2007 order total in mid-January.
"It's certainly a peak year, but it's not a bubble. There's genuine demand," said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst for Teal Group.
He noted that the ratio of aircraft in service to aircraft on order is above average, "but not worryingly so".
The biggest driving force in the year's strong sales, Mr Aboulafia said, had been orders from carriers in the oil-rich Middle East.
In November Dubai-based Emirates Airline signed a massive order for 93 Airbus and Boeing jets, including 70 A350s, a plane that's most often billed as Airbus's answer to Boeing's new mid-size, fuel-efficient 787, but is also designed to compete with the larger 777.
Other big orders have come from state-owned Dubai Aerospace Enterprise and Qatar Airways.
Another factor behind the order momentum is new technology.
"The 787 and A350 both look very promising, and people enthusiastically sign on to get their place in line when new products are introduced," said Mr Aboulafia.
Although the 737 remains its bestseller, Boeing has won 314 orders this year for the 787, which will be the first big jetliner made mostly of light, sturdy carbon-fibre composite materials instead of aluminium.
To date, Boeing has sold 790 of its socalled Dreamliner, touted for its fuel efficiency, low maintenance costs and passenger comforts.
That follows an announcement yesterday from Boeing and British Airways that they had sealed a deal worth up to $4.4 billion (£2.23 billion) for the aircraft.
Boeing said BA had finalised an order first announced on September 27 for eight Boeing 787-8s and 16 787-9s. The order value is based on list prices.
Boeing said it would bring the total number of 787s ordered worldwide from 766 to 790.
BA also has options for 18 787s and purchase rights for an additional 10.
Early supply chain and production snags have delayed delivery of the first 787 by at least six months until late 2008.
Analysts say Boeing appears to have got a handle on the problems early enough to make a nearly two-year delay that saddled Airbus' A380 superjumbo unlikely.
The A350, which has gone through a series of costly redesigns, will also be made largely from composites.
Airbus has won 276 orders for its A350, most of them this year.
Analysts, trade groups and executives at Boeing and Airbus have said they expect sales to slow down a little next year, in large part because of high fuel prices and the credit crunch that's dragging on the US economy.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is projecting airlines worldwide will post a $5.6 billion (£2.79 billion) profit in 2007 - their first year in the black since before the September 11 terrorist attacks sparked a global downturn in air travel.
Airlines are expected to do well again next year, but the association recently slashed its 2008 industry profit forecast to $5 billion (£2.49 billion), down from $7.8 billion (£3.88 billion).
IATA spokesman Steve Lott said: "We're concerned that consumer confidence is falling in the face of a drop in housing prices and the credit crunch.
"That affects both consumers who buy leisure travel and businesses and corporations that buy business travel."
Though US carriers have made steady progress in shoring up their balance sheets, IATA estimates they're still saddled with close to $200 billion (£99 billion) in debt.
