Skip to content Skip to Search
Skip navigation

Flydubai announces $11bn wide-body Dreamliner deal

By Gavin Gibbon
An engine for a Boeing 787 is pictured at Boeing's production facility in Everett, Washington, U.S. Reuters/Jason Redmond
An engine for a 787 ready for installation at Boeing's plant in the US. Flydubai has ordered 30 of the aircraft
  • Boeing order ‘signals new chapter’
  • Emirates also places $52bn order
  • Fleet of 205 777X aircraft planned

Low-cost carrier Flydubai has announced the biggest change in its 15-year existence, with an order for 30 wide-body Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.

Flydubai’s chairman, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, said on Monday that the $11 billion order “signals a new chapter for the airline”.

The airline is best known for its fleet of narrow-body Boeing 737s, which serve 120 destinations in Europe, Africa and Asia. 

Delivery of the order, announced on the opening day of the Dubai Airshow, is scheduled from 2026.

Flydubai has taken delivery of seven new aircraft since the start of 2023, growing its fleet of Boeing 737s to 79, an increase of 23 percent year-on-year.

The budget airline reported profits of AED1.2 billion ($327 million) for 2022, an increase of 43 percent compared to the previous year. Annual revenue reached $2.5 billion, up from $1.4 billion. Flydubai carried 10.6 million passengers, up 89 percent.

Also on Monday, Dubai flag carrier Emirates announced a $52 billion order with Boeing for 55 777-9 aircraft, with seating for 426 passengers and a range of almost 13,492km.

In addition it ordered 35 777-8 aircraft, which can carry 384 passengers and have a range of just under 16,200km.

This takes the total number of 777X aircraft currently on order from Emirates to 205.

Emirates has also increased its Dreamliner order from 30 to 35, made up of 15 787-10 aircraft and 20 787-8s.

Boeing’s latest commercial market outlook report predicts delivery of 3,025 new planes in total to the Middle East by 2042, which includes 1,350 wide-body jets. 

Wide-body jets make up 45 percent of predicted deliveries to Middle East airlines over the next 20 years. This is the highest percentage among the 10 global regions featured in the report.

Emirates has also signed a deal with General Electric for 202 GE9X engines, described as the “most powerful commercial aircraft engines in the world” by GE’s chairman and CEO, Larry Culp. It brings the total order for GE9X engines to 460 units.

Latest articles

Saudi Arabia's Minister of Energy, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman. The country has long expressed an interest in developing a nuclear power sector

Sale of enriched uranium announced by Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia intends to export enriched uranium, the country’s energy minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, said on Monday. The announcement is the latest indication of Saudi nuclear ambitions.  Saudi Arabia has long expressed an interest in developing a nuclear power sector and has engaged in talks with the United States over nuclear cooperation, which were […]

Blair Kinghorn of Scotland scores a try against Australia at Murrayfield. The sides will compete in rugby's new Nations Championship, to be sponsored by Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways signs $97m deal to sponsor new rugby tournament

Qatar Airways has agreed a $97 million deal to sponsor the new World Rugby Nations Championship. The eight-year deal will cover the qualifying matches and finals for the first four editions of the rugby union tournament from 2026 to 2034. The agreement is the biggest title sponsorship in international rugby, according to The Guardian. The […]

Oman's latest grant to citizens includes support for those on pensions of less than OR350 a month

Oman issues $460m in grants to support citizens

Oman has provided funding of OR178 million ($460 million) to support more than 100,000 citizens in housing and businesses.  Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, in a royal decree marking the fifth anniversary of his accession to the throne, increased the allocation for this year’s housing assistance programme, which provides housing to lower income families.  The grants […]

The private sector employs 2.4m Saudis but the government would like that figure to increase

Saudi Arabia plans cash pay-offs to cut public sector jobs

Saudi Arabia is to offer cash incentives to encourage unproductive employees in the public sector to resign in a bid to tackle inefficiency. Saudi newspapers have reported that the government has earmarked nearly 12.7 billion riyals ($3.38 billion) for the three-year plan, which it dubs the ‘Golden Handshake’. While Riyadh has not clarified why it […]