Confirming the rumors for weeks, United Airlines placed a joint order for 270 Boeing and Airbus aircraft in the biggest deal of its kind in the past 10 years.
The US airline has expanded orders for the A321neo with Airbus from 50 to 120 aircraft, which will be equipped with the “Airspace” cabin. In the original order, United opted for the A321XLR, but this time it did not specify the 70 complementary jet variant.
Boeing, in turn, was awarded a new order for 200 737 MAX jets, 150 of them of the MAX 10 variant, for up to 230 passengers – the other 50 aircraft will be of the MAX 8 version, which the airline has just received the first unit , still from a previous order.
The combined deal will expand the availability of seats available on domestic flights by 30%, United said.
“By adding and upgrading this many aircraft so quickly with our new signature interiors, we’ll combine friendly, helpful service with the best experience in the sky, all across our premier global network,” said United CEO Scott Kirby.
United Airlines now has combined orders for more than 500 single-aisle aircraft. According to the company, 40 of them will be delivered in 2022, 138 in 2023 and as many as 350 in 2024 and beyond.
The carrier is expected to decommission more than 200 older and smaller planes in the coming years.
The 737 MAX 10 and A321neo will feature 20 first class and 64 economy plus seats, the company revealed, but without providing the total seats on both jets.
United’s dual deal, estimated at about $30 billion based on list values, thus trumps Southwest Airlines’ recent order, which ordered 100 737 MAX 7 jets in March.
