Qatar Airways signed a historic deal to buy as many as 210 widebody aircraft from US plane maker Boeing, a huge victory for Boeing and President Donald Trump during his trip to the Gulf. The announcement on Wednesday, which consisted of Boeing 777X and 787 planes with engines provided by GE Aerospace and is worth $96 billion, was described in a White House statement.
President Trump and Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani were present at the signing ceremony along with Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg and Qatar Airways CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer. Trump first informed journalists that the deal was for 160 airplanes for $200 billion, but the White House afterwards clarified that the deal for up to 210 planes is worth $96 billion.
The deal is a major win for Boeing and GE Aerospace, particularly with rival Airbus experiencing engine longevity problems in warm climates with its A350 aircraft. Qatar Airways chose GE’s GEnx engines for the 787s over Rolls-Royce Trent 1000, while GE’s GE9X is the only choice for the 777X. GE Aerospace CEO Larry Culp characterized it as the company’s largest widebody engine sale to date.
Boeing stocks climbed 0.9%, and GE Aerospace rose 0.1% after the announcement.
The still-under-development 777X is projected to start deliveries in 2026 after several delays. Qatar Airways had previously ordered 94 of the 777X jets, and Emirates is the largest customer with orders for 205. Boeing’s order book had 521 777X and 828 787 jets as of April 30.
Terms on the number of each type of jet and whether the new orders were firm or optional were not released. Boeing and Qatar Airways did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
This deal comes on the heels of Trump’s blockbuster deal announcements in Saudi Arabia earlier this week.
