Planemakers and airlines have announced close to 300 aircraft orders at Britain’s Farnborough Airshow, with Boeing narrowly outpacing European competitor Airbus in the race to lock in deals.
Despite the activity, industry insiders say the overall volume of agreements is expected to come in well below earlier hopes of 800 or more aircraft. Both Airbus and Boeing continue to face challenges related to supply chain disruptions and production slowdowns. According to a Reuters count, approximately 288 firm orders have been recorded — a figure consistent with the total from the previous Farnborough show in 2024.
SMBC AVIATION CAPITAL
Boeing and SMBC Aviation Capital announced a deal in which the global aviation finance and leasing company ordered 100 737 MAX jets, broken down into 60 737-10 aircraft and 40 737-8 models. Separately, SMBC also placed a firm order with Airbus for 100 aircraft from the A320neo family, consisting of 65 A321neo and 35 A320neo jets, with deliveries expected to begin in the first half of the next decade.
RIYADH AIR
The Saudi airline activated options for 28 Boeing 787 Dreamliners tied to an order originally placed in 2023, converting 20 of those planes to the larger 787-10 version. The carrier also confirmed a purchase of six Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, bringing its total firm orders for that model to 31 planes.
PHILIPPINE AIRLINES
Boeing announced that Philippine Airlines has placed a new order for up to 20 787-10 Dreamliner wide-body jets, with 15 as firm orders and five as options. The airline additionally ordered nine Airbus A350 aircraft and secured the right to purchase five more, with the first delivery anticipated in early 2030.
AERCAP
Major aircraft leasing company AerCap signed on for 15 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, with deliveries scheduled to run through 2033.
OTHER NOTABLE ORDERS
Uganda Airlines announced plans to acquire four Boeing 737 MAX narrow-body jets and four Boeing 787 wide-body aircraft. Boeing and MSC Air Cargo revealed that the cargo operator has purchased five 777-8 freighter planes. Luxembourg-based carrier Luxair ordered two Boeing 737-10 jets valued at approximately $124 million based on estimated post-discount pricing, according to aviation advisory firm IBA. Tajikistan-based Shohin Airlines placed orders for four aircraft from the Airbus A320neo family.
EMBRAER ORDERS
Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer reported that Japan’s Fuji Dream Airlines placed a firm order for two E175 regional jets, a deal already reflected in Embraer’s order backlog. South American airline group Abra ordered 20 E2 aircraft from Embraer — the first order the Brazilian manufacturer has received from that airline group. Additionally, Spanish regional carrier Binter ordered five E2 jets, adding to its existing fleet of Embraer’s newest-generation regional aircraft.
ENGINE DEALS
British Airways announced it has chosen Pratt & Whitney GTF engines to power up to 63 upcoming Airbus A320neo jets. Singapore-based leasing firm BOC Aviation placed its largest engine order ever, purchasing up to 300 CFM International engines to support its growing fleet of Airbus and Boeing narrow-body aircraft. India’s largest airline, IndiGo, signed a memorandum of understanding with CFM International to purchase more than 1,000 LEAP-1A engines — a deal that would set a record for the engine manufacturer, which has recently faced criticism from the aviation industry over maintenance delays.
