A Flydubai Boeing 737 MAX 8 performs a display flight at Al-Maktoum International Airport during the Dubai Airshow 2025 in Dubai on November 17, 2025. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP)
Dubai: Low-cost airline flydubai signed an initial order for 75 Boeing jets as the city's fast-expanding carriers bolstered their fleets again at the Dubai Airshow on Wednesday.
Flydubai's 737 MAX order valued at $13 billion came a day after another initial agreement for 150 Airbus planes -- its first deal with the European manufacturer.
Emirates, flydubai's long-haul partner airline, signed for eight Airbus A350-900s worth $3.4 billion on Wednesday, after snapping up 65 Boeing 777Xs earlier in the week.
The Dubai state-owned carriers are growing capacity ahead of the 2032 opening of a new airport, slated to be the world's biggest, in the Middle East financial hub.
"Looking ahead, proactive fleet planning is essential to ensuring we are well-placed to meet the rising demand for travel," said flydubai chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum.
Dubai International Airport enjoyed a record quarter with 24.2 million passengers in the three months to June, underlining the sector's buoyancy.
Third-quarter numbers grew 1.9 percent, taking passenger traffic so far this year to 70.1 million, and putting Dubai on course for a record 95.2 million this year.
"I think the underlying reason is the attractiveness of Dubai as a city to come and live or visit," Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths told AFP.
The airport, a major hub linking Europe, Asia and Africa, has been ranked the world's busiest for international passengers for 11 years.
The latest jet order from flydubai, which already operates a fleet of more than 90 Boeing 737 aircraft, is another boost for the US manufacturer following a torrid period marked by deadly crashes and delivery delays.
