flydubai doubles down on Boeing 737 MAXs with new $13 billion deal at Dubai Airshow 2025

Dubai: Dubai carrier flydubai has signed an MoU with Boeing for 75 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, with options for an additional 75 planes. The $13 billion deal was announced at the Dubai Airshow 2025.

The move reaffirms the carrier’s faith in Boeing as a long-term partner amid expanding air travel demand in the UAE and region.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of flydubai signed the agreement with Stephanie Pope, Boeing’s President and CEO of Commercial Airplanes.

The fresh order builds on flydubai’s strong relationship with Boeing, which has seen multiple past aircraft purchases since 2008.

The announcement comes after flydubai signed a mega deal for 150 Airbus A321neos on Tuesday. In response, Sheikh Ahmed highlighted the importance of proactive fleet planning.

“We are pleased to announce a new agreement with Boeing. Looking ahead, proactive fleet planning is essential to ensuring we are well-placed to meet the rising demand for travel, a demand we are confident will continue to grow,” he said.

The deal will help flydubai enhance capacity by adding new aircraft and replacing older ones, positioning the airline for future growth linked to Dubai World Central’s expansion plans.

Stephanie Pope, Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO, said, “flydubai is one of the world’s first 737 MAX operators and their plan to place yet another order reflects the 737 MAX’s market-leading value and versatility."

Currently, flydubai operates a fleet of 96 Boeing 737 aircraft including 27 Next-Generation 737-800, 66 737 MAX 8, and 3 737 MAX 9 models.

The new agreement allows flydubai to benefit from the 737 MAX family’s flexibility across the 737-8, 737-9, and 737-10 variants.

This latest order marks flydubai's fourth significant Boeing deal, following previous orders in 2008, 2013, and 2017 that positioned it as a major 737 MAX customer in the Middle East.

The carrier also placed an order for 30 Boeing 787 Dreamliners during the 2023 Airshow, signaling plans for massive growth and network expansion. In a separate interview with Gulf News, airline CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith revealed that the 787 wide-bodies will have three class cabins, including Premium Economy seats.