flydubai goes Airbus with huge 150-strong A321neo aircraft order at Dubai Airshow
November 18, 2025
Low-cost carrier flydubai has signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus for its first-ever narrowbody aircraft order from the European planemaker. Announced on the second day of the Dubai Airshow 2025, the order comprises 150 A320neos to be delivered by 2032.
The deal marks a significant shift in flydubai’s fleet strategy. Until now, the airline has operated an all-Boeing fleet.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of flydubai, signed the MoU with Christian Scherer, CEO, Commercial Aircraft, Airbus. Also present at the signing ceremony was Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai.
“We are pleased to announce a landmark agreement for 150 A321neo aircraft, representing another important milestone in flydubai’s journey,” said HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum. “This new agreement is not only about adding aircraft. It supports the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and aligns with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.”
Airbus’s Scherer indicated that negotiations for the narrowbody have been ongoing for sometime, joking in the press conference, “What took you so long?”
Airbus and Boeing: flydubai’s evolving mixed fleet strategy
Until now, flydubai has kept to the single-aircraft-type, low-cost model, operating 26 Boeing 737-800s, 67 737 MAX 8s, and 3 737 MAX 9s. The airline’s order book would bring the flydubai Boeing 737 fleet to 175 aircraft. However, Boeing’s delivery delays have stifled the airline’s growth plan.
“Our fleet investment supports our mission to offer greater choice, enhanced convenience and improved connectivity for our passengers,” Al Ghaith said in a company announcement following the delivery of seven Boeing 737s this August. “These deliveries are part of a backlog extensively delayed in recent years, and despite receiving 12 aircraft this year, we remain 20 aircraft behind our original projections.”
Boeing’s delays opened an opportunity for Airbus to offer an alternative. “The A321neos will support the next phase of our network development and enable us to meet rising demand across our markets,” HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said in the announcement of the A321neo MoU.
For flydubai, network expansion comes first
A large A321neo fleet would offer flydubai greater operational flexibility, though it would require training pilots for two aircraft types and adding dual maintenance capabilities. The carrier clearly sees growth as a higher priority than the operational and cost benefits of maintaining a strict single-type low-cost model.
“This strategic addition diversifies our narrow-body fleet and strengthens our long-term expansion plans. This will enable flydubai to play a key role in the success of Dubai World Central’s expansion plans, an airport we aim to become the largest airport in the world,” said HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum.
The airline also has ambitions to expand its route network to long-haul routes. flydubai ordered 30 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners during the Dubai Airshow 2023 to support that strategy.
In the airline’s announcement of that order, HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said, “In 2008, when we placed our first-ever order for 50 Boeing 737 aircraft, we were confident of the vital role flydubai would play in supporting Dubai’s aviation hub. I am proud today to see flydubai evolve further, surpassing labels and challenging the traditional conventions around travel.”
As part of challenging those conventions, flydubai also announced that it would offer free Starlink in-flight WiFi on its Boeing 737 aircraft, with installation for 100 aircraft to be rolled out in 2026.
While seeing its competitor gain a share of a previously exclusive airline might be a blow to Boeing, it is not a defeat. flydubai is also expected to add to its existing Boeing 737 orders during the Dubai Airshow this year.
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Featured Image: Joanna Bailey | AGN
