flydubai orders up to 150 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft
Following today's Boeing 737 MAX order, flydubai's Dubai Airshow total potential orders number up to 400 aircraft, including the Airbus A321neo.
flydubai has announced its second order at the Dubai Airshow 2025, with the airline, based in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), now signing a preliminary agreement with Boeing for up to 150 737 MAX aircraft.
On November 19, 2025, on the third day of the industry event, flydubai announced that it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Boeing for up to 150 737 MAX aircraft, split evenly between potential 75 firm and 75 optional orders.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the Chairman of flydubai, said that “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,” especially as Dubai looks to eventually move commercial air traffic to Dubai World Central (DWC).
The airport is also known as Al Maktoum International Airport.
“We are proud to place another 737 MAX order with Boeing, a trusted partner that has played a key role in growing our network to its current scale,” Al Maktoum added, highighting that aircraft availability “and timely deliveries are vital to the ongoing growth of our industry, and this agreement ensures we remain well-positioned for future growth, adding to the fleet as well as replacing current aircraft.”
While flydubai did not specifically indicate the order’s composition, and whether it had signed an agreement for only the 737 MAX 8, 737 MAX 9, or 737 MAX 10, or a combination of all three, it noted that the MoU allows it to “take advantage of the 737 MAX family’s flexibility and commonality” to leverage the unique size and range of all three models to suit its “growing network.”
In July 2024, flydubai issued a public statement that it had to evaluate its route development plans and potential frequency changes across its network “due to a lack of new aircraft deliveries over the next few months.”
“flydubai urges Boeing to honour and renew its commitment to meet its delivery obligations,” it stated at the time, pointing out that the current “unpredictability of the aircraft delivery schedules from Boeing over the past few years has put significant pressure on the carrier and its ability to firmly plan for its projected growth […].”
flydubai currently has 96 737 aircraft in its fleet, including 26 737-800, 68 737 MAX 8, and three 737 MAX 9. However, planespotters.net indicated that after taking delivery of four 737 MAX 8s in 2024, Boeing’s deliveries to the airline only resumed in April 2025.
After that point, including the 737 MAX 8, registered as A6-FQE, which was delivered on April 4, flydubai welcomed 12 737 MAX 8s, including its newest member of the fleet, A6-FPI. That 737 MAX 8 is currently on its way to Dubai International Airport (DXB), as it had stopped for fuel at Shannon Airport (SNN) in Ireland after it began its journey at King County International Airport (BFI) on November 18.
flydubai previously announced an MoU for up to 250 Airbus A321neo aircraft at the event, diversifying its all-Boeing fleet. The potential order includes 150 firm and 100 optional deliveries, it said on November 18.
As such, the airline could potentially be the biggest buyer at this year’s Dubai Airshow, with potential orders for up to 400 aircraft, including the A321neo and 737 MAX. The MoUs, counting both types, cover 225 firm orders and 175 options.
Much like its close partner Emirates, flydubai also announced that it would roll out Starlink’s WiFi service across its fleet starting in 2026 at the event. (Emirates’ first 777-300ER, equipped with Starlink, should make its commercial debut on November 23.)
Rytis Beresnevicius
Comments ()