In a landmark deal hailed as the largest in Boeing’s history, Qatar Airways on Wednesday signed a $96 billion agreement to purchase up to 210 widebody jets from U.S. aerospace giant Boeing.
The signing, witnessed by President Donald Trump and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, marks a major win for U.S. aviation diplomacy in the Gulf region.
The deal includes 160 firm orders—130 Dreamliner 787s and 30 777X aircraft—with options for 50 more.
All planes will be powered by GE Aerospace engines, with Qatar selecting the GEnx engine over rival Rolls-Royce’s Trent 1000 for the 787s. The 777X, meanwhile, will be exclusively powered by GE’s GE9X.
GE Aerospace CEO Larry Culp confirmed the order includes 400 engines, making it the largest engine deal in the company’s history. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, who signed the agreement alongside Qatar Airways CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said it represents Boeing’s biggest widebody sale ever.
The announcement provided a moderate boost to U.S. markets, with Boeing shares rising 0.6% and GE Aerospace stock climbing 0.7%.
This mega-deal also underscores Qatar Airways’ confidence in Boeing’s long-haul fleet, even as the 777X program faces delays—deliveries are now expected to begin in 2026, six years behind schedule. Qatar Airways already holds 94 777X orders, while regional rival Emirates leads with 205.
Industry analysts note the order bolsters Boeing and GE at a time when Airbus’ A350 faces performance issues in the Gulf’s extreme heat conditions, giving the U.S. duo an edge in the competitive Middle East aviation market.
President Trump, on his second stop of a Gulf tour after signing commercial and defense deals in Saudi Arabia, called the deal “a historic win for American industry and workers.”
As of April 30, Boeing’s order books included 521 777X and 828 Dreamliner 787 aircraft, underlining sustained global demand for widebody jets.
