Uganda Airlines orders Boeing 737 MAX and 787 Dreamliners at Farnborough Airshow

Uganda Airlines has placed an order with Boeing for four 737 MAX 8 aircraft and four 787-9 Dreamliners. 

Announcing the order at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026, the Ugandan flag carrier said it would use the new narrow- and wide-body airframes to both modernise and grow its existing fleet.

The order is Uganda Airlines’ first purchase agreement placed directly with Boeing. 

Boeing 787 Dreamliner to join fleet in Uganda Airlines colours

Uganda Airlines currently operates the Airbus A330-800neo as its sole long-haul fleet type. The carrier has two of these, one in service and one which is currently parked.

The new Boeing order, confirmed on Tuesday but first revealed last month, will see the carrier operate the 787 painted in its own livery for the first time. 

Uganda Airlines has previously operated Boeing 787s, but only through a wet-lease agreement with Ethiopian Airlines after engine issues grounded its Airbus A330-800neos.

In March, the airline signed the agreement to wet lease an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787-8 for long-haul operations to London Gatwick and Mumbai.

Aircraft to support regional and long-haul expansion

It will also be Uganda Airlines’ first time operating the MAX. The carrier currently has a single Boeing 737-800 in the fleet.

Boeing has not revealed the exact cabin layouts for the eight aircraft heading to Uganda Airlines.

Announcing the deal, Boeing only outlined the generic configuration for the 737 MAX-8, saying it had capacity to fly 160-180 passengers in a two-class configuration with a range up to 3,500 nautical miles (6,480 km).

The manufacturer said that the airframe was well-suited for Uganda Airlines’ intra-Africa routes and service to the Middle East and India. 

The aircraft offer an approximate 20-25% fuel saving compared with the aircraft they replace, namely the 14-year-old Boeing 737-800. Uganda Airlines also operates a fleet of four Bombardier CRJ-900s. 

It added that the Boeing 787-9, with a range up to 8,300 nautical miles (15,370 km), would support the airline’s “high-demand long-haul routes to the Middle East, Asia and Europe”.

“This commitment with Boeing marks a defining step in Uganda Airlines’ growth journey and in our broader ambition to position Entebbe as a strategic aviation hub for the region,” said Ato Girma Wake, Uganda Airlines CEO. 

“The aircraft will strengthen our ability to connect Uganda more efficiently to regional, continental and international markets, while supporting trade, tourism, investment and cargo development.

“This partnership brings together Uganda Airlines and Boeing in a long-term relationship focused not only on fleet growth, but also on technical excellence, training and capacity building.”

Details of the deal between Uganda Airlines and Boeing were first revealed in June following a meeting between the Ugandan president and Boeing officials.

At the meeting, an agreement for two freighters was also reportedly signed – for a wide-body Boeing 767 converted freighter and a narrow-body 737 converted freighter.

However there was no mention of the freighters in the Farnborough Airshow announcement.