Boeing announced Wednesday that Qatar Airways has committed to purchase up to 210 widebody aircraft, marking the largest widebody jet order in Boeing’s history and the biggest-ever fleet expansion for the Middle Eastern airline.
The deal includes firm orders for 130 787 Dreamliners and 30 777-9 aircraft, with options for an additional 50 widebody planes from the 787 and 777X families.
Ten of the 787 orders had previously been listed as unidentified in Boeing’s order book.
The agreement was signed during a ceremony attended by U.S. President Donald Trump, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar, Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg, Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stephanie Pope, and Qatar Airways Group CEO Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer.
According to Boeing, the order is expected to support roughly 400,000 jobs across the United States and signals continued strength in the commercial aviation market as global travel rebounds.
“We are happy to announce our agreement with Boeing and our partnership in the largest aircraft order in our history,” said Al-Meer. “After two consecutive years of record-breaking commercial performance and with this historic Boeing aircraft order, we’re not simply chasing scale, we’re building strength.”
Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, called the agreement a milestone. “We are deeply honored that Qatar Airways has placed this record-breaking order with Boeing,” she said. “Our team is looking forward to building 787s and 777s for Qatar Airways into the next decade.”
The 787 Dreamliner is known for its long-range capabilities and fuel efficiency, offering a 25% improvement in fuel use over the aircraft it replaces.
The 777-9, the world’s largest twin-engine aircraft, also promises a 25% reduction in emissions and fuel use.
The airline currently operates more than 150 Boeing jets, including passenger and cargo versions of the 777 and 787. With the new purchase, Qatar Airways will become the largest operator of 787s in the Middle East.
Qatar Airways, named the World’s Best Airline for the eighth time by Skytrax in 2024, has focused heavily on fleet modernization and environmental initiatives.
It was the first Middle Eastern airline certified at the highest level of IATA’s environmental assessment program and the first global carrier certified for efforts to prevent illegal wildlife trafficking.
The airline operates flights to more than 170 destinations worldwide through its hub at Hamad International Airport in Doha, which has also received repeated accolades as the world’s best airport.
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