Dubai Airshow 2025

Visualized: Airbus and Boeing orders at the Dubai Airshow

ATR, De Havilland Canada, and Embraer also announced deals at the event.

Photo: Dubai Airshow

As the Dubai Airshow has concluded today, both Airbus and Boeing, as well as Embraer and even ATR and De Havilland Canada, have secured a number of orders or deals from a variety of customers. Among them, flydubai was undoubtedly the numerical leader, with the Emirati airline signing agreements for up to 400 new single-aisle aircraft.

During the Dubai Airshow 2025, which began on November 17 and ended on November 21, Airbus and Boeing had secured almost 600 orders, while Embraer and De Havilland Canada added another two and one deals during the event, respectively, and ATR signed a lease agreement with Ethiopian Airlines.

Day one was all about Boeing – and to a lesser extent, Embraer – as the planemaker secured orders from Emirates, which ordered 65 777-9 aircraft, which includes options to convert these orders into either the 777-8 or the 777-10, Ethiopian Airlines, which ordered 11 737 MAX 8s, and Air Senegal, which committed to order nine 737 MAX 8 aircraft.

For the latter, if confirmed, this would be its first purchase from Boeing since 2004, the manufacturer highlighted.

Then, the Brazilian planemaker unveiled two consecutive orders. First was Switzerland-based Helvetic Airways, which added another three E195-E2 aircraft, with five additional options, to its order book.

Air Côte d’Ivoire, meanwhile, signed a deal for four firm orders and eight purchase rights for the E175.

But day two was underpinned by Airbus announcing large orders, starting with Etihad Airways bolstering its widebody fleet with a new aircraft type, the A330-900. In addition to the six A330-900s, the airline added a further seven A350-1000 and three A350F aircraft to its backlog.

Etihad Airways also signed a lease agreement with Avolon for nine A330-900 and four A320neo family aircraft. Deliveries from Avolon’s backlog are due between 2027 and 2028.

Then came the ground-breaking news that flydubai, an all-Boeing operator throughout its history, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for up to 250 A321neo aircraft: 150 firm and 150 options.

Amid Airbus’ dominance on day two, Gulf Air sneaked an announcement that it had firmed an order for 15 787s, and added another three options for the type.

The ball was back in the European planemaker’s court, and it replied with a one-two: Air Europa’s MoU for up to 40 A350-900 and Ethiopian Airlines’ order for six A350-900 aircraft.

Day two was also about turboprops. De Havilland Canada unveiled a Letter of Intent (LoI) with IndiaOne, which could acquire up to 10 DHC-6 Twin Otter 300-G turboprops, with ATR, another turboprop manufacturer, announcing that Ethiopian Airlines will lease two ATR 72-600 for Air Congo, an airline that it owns 49% of.

In terms of orders, day three was the last with any kind of order action.

It was still impressive, with flydubai, which had diversified its fleet with A321neos, going back to Boeing for an MoU for a further 150 737 MAX aircraft, evenly split between 75 firm and 75 options for either the 737 MAX 8, 737 MAX 9, or 737 MAX 10.

The airline pointed out that the agreement enabled it to take advantage of the 737 MAX aircraft family’s flexibility and commonality, “while leveraging the unique size and range of the 737-8, 737-9, and 737-10 models to suit our growing network.”

That was Boeing’s last order during this year’s Dubai Airshow. However, Airbus was not done, and on the third day of the event, it secured two orders for the A350 aircraft family.

Silk Way West Airlines doubled its A350F backlog with an order for two A350Fs, while Emirates, the same airline that just a few days ago had bought 65 777-9s, added another eight A350-900 aircraft to its order book.

Airbus’ last order of the show came from Buraq Air, a privately owned airline based in Libya. The airline signed an MoU for 10 A320neo family aircraft, which would be its first direct purchase from Airbus. Buraq Air had taken delivery of two new 737-800 aircraft in 2006.

While it was unlikely that it was related to the Dubai Airshow, Air Astana also unveiled an MoU for up to 50 A320neo family aircraft on November 21, with the press release’s location being indicated as Astana, Kazakhstan.