Emirates places $38bn order for 65 Boeing 777-9s at Dubai Air Show

The biennial Dubai Air Show opened Monday with hometown airline Emirates ordering 65 of Boeing’s upcoming 777-9 aircraft, as the carrier looks to increase its fleets off record earnings and unending demand for flights through this East-West travel hub.

Emirates valued the deal with Boeing and GE Engines at $38 billion (€32.75bn) at list prices, although airlines often negotiate lower prices in major orders.

The announcement brings the total of Boeing 777-9s on order for Emirates to 270, making it Boeing’s largest customer for the aircraft, even as the plane has suffered repeated delays in entering service. Emirates relies heavily on the double-decker Airbus A380 and the Boeing 777, and has also started flying the Airbus A350.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates’ chairman and chief executive, described the order as a “long-term commitment” that supports thousands of high-value factory jobs and strengthens the airline’s 40-year partnership with Boeing and GE.

“Emirates is already the world’s largest operator of the 777 – all powered by GE engines – and after today’s order, I expect to remain the biggest 777 operator for years to come,” he said.

Sheikh Ahmed added that Emirates continues to encourage manufacturers to build larger aircraft with greater capacity, as air travel is expected to grow. He smiled and looked towards Boeing when discussing the hoped-for timeline for introducing the 777-9 into service.

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“We look forward to receiving delivery of our first 777-9s from the second quarter of 2027,” he said.

Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, offered no timeline for the aircraft’s entry into service in her brief remarks.

“The 777-9 will further support Emirates’ mission to connect people and places around the globe like never before,” she said.

Officials took no questions from journalists following the announcement.

The air show also features renewed interest in flying taxis, which the sheikhdom has long promised and now hopes to deliver next year. Military sales remain a focus, with Russia again participating despite Western sanctions over its prolonged war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Israeli firms will not be attending amid lingering tensions following the devastating Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.

Emirates, the state-owned flagship airline of Dubai, reported annual profits of $5.2bn (€4.5bn) in the last fiscal year, with passenger numbers reaching record levels at Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international travel. The airline made a $52bn (€44.8bn) purchase of Boeing aircraft at the 2023 Dubai Air Show, held at Al Maktoum International Airport, Dubai World Central.

FlyDubai, Emirates’ lower-cost sister carrier, has also reported record-breaking earnings and is expected to expand its fleet of single-aisle aircraft. The airline currently operates 95 Boeing 737 variants, while Airbus aims to break into the fleet. FlyDubai ordered $11bn (€9.5bn) worth of 30 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners at the last air show, which will become the airline’s first wide-body aircraft upon delivery.

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Al Maktoum Airport is also a priority for Dubai’s government, which plans a $35bn (€30.2bn) expansion to five parallel runways and 400 aircraft gates over the next decade. The airport currently has only two runways, like Dubai International. The additional slots will allow Emirates and FlyDubai to expand their networks and require more aircraft to operate the new routes.

Rosoboronexport, Russia’s main arms exporter, displayed aircraft and weapons systems at a large pavilion at the far end of the air show. The UAE has maintained economic ties and flights to Moscow despite the war in Ukraine and Western sanctions.

Rosoboronexport showcased a stealth fighter, the Sukhoi Su-57, and a full-scale Pantsir-SMD-E surface-to-air missile system. Air defence systems have become increasingly important in the Middle East following attacks on Qatar by both Israel and Iran this year. Iran also saw its systems largely destroyed by Israel during a 12-day conflict in June.

Highlighting the UAE’s ties with Russia, the Emirati president and ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, visited the Russian pavilion on Monday. He watched a short video showing a Russian drone striking an armoured vehicle and climbed the stairs to inspect the cockpit of the Su-57.

Earlier, US fighter pilots from the 55th Fighter Squadron, which operates F-16 Fighting Falcons, also examined the Su-57. When asked if they thought they could shoot it down, one airman smiled and said simply: “It looks cool.”