Low-cost carrier Flydubai has announced a new agreement with Boeing for 75 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, in a deal valued at around $13 billion at list prices. The announcement was made at the Dubai Airshow 2025, and the airline also holds options for another 75 aircraft, so the final number could eventually reach 150 new Boeings.

This new order comes just one day after Flydubai revealed a massive Airbus A321neo order for 150 aircraft worth about $24 billion, marking a major expansion phase for the fast-growing Dubai carrier.

For travellers, this is not just a big number on a press release – it’s a sign that more routes, more frequencies and tougher competition on fares are coming in the next few years.

Key facts: Flydubai’s new Boeing 737 MAX order

• Aircraft type: Boeing 737 MAX (single-aisle jet family used on short- and medium-haul routes).
• Number of aircraft: 75 firm aircraft, with options for 75 more.
• Deal value: Around $13 billion (approx. €11.2 billion) at list prices.
• Type of agreement: Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed at Dubai Airshow 2025 – still provisional, but a clear signal of intent.
• Fleet flexibility: Flydubai can later decide which mix of 737 MAX 8, MAX 9 or MAX 10 it wants.
• Fits into a bigger plan: Follows the separate 150-jet Airbus A321neo deal (with options for 100 more) announced a day earlier.

Why Flydubai is doubling down on single-aisle jets

Flydubai has been a Boeing 737 operator since it started in 2009, building its network across the Middle East, Europe, Central Asia, Africa and the Indian subcontinent with a mix of 737-800 and 737 MAX aircraft.

The new order continues that story:

• The Boeing 737 MAX family offers better fuel efficiency than older 737s, which helps Flydubai keep operating costs and fares low.
• Narrow-body jets like the MAX and A321neo are ideal for 4–7 hour flights, a sweet spot for routes from Dubai to Europe, North Africa, Central Asia and South Asia.
• With both Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A321neo on order, the airline gains flexibility:

– A321neo for longer, higher-demand routes
– MAX for core regional network and medium-haul routes

So while the Airbus order stole headlines for “breaking up” Flydubai’s all-Boeing history, this Boeing deal shows the airline still sees the 737 MAX as a backbone of its fleet.

How many planes is Flydubai ordering in total?

If you put the recent deals together, Flydubai is effectively planning for hundreds of new aircraft:

• 150 Airbus A321neo jets (plus options for 100 more).
• 75 Boeing 737 MAX jets (plus options for 75 more).

This is on top of Flydubai’s existing backlog of Boeing 737 MAX orders and a separate order for 30 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners placed in 2023, which will introduce wide-body aircraft into its fleet for the first time.

For Dubai, this is part of a much bigger strategy: the emirate is preparing to move more traffic to the expanded Al Maktoum International Airport, a project worth around $35 billion, which is expected to handle up to 150 million passengers a year by around 2032.

What does this mean for travellers and cheap flights?

For readers of TravelFree, the natural question is: will this help me fly cheaper?

It’s impossible to link a specific sale to one order, but this kind of capacity growth usually means:

1. More routes from Dubai

With so many single-aisle jets coming, Flydubai will need to add destinations and increase frequencies to use them efficiently. Expect:

• More secondary cities in Europe (not just capitals)
• Additional flights to popular sun destinations and islands
• Stronger links between Dubai and Central & Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Caucasus and Central Asia

More capacity often pushes airlines to launch promo campaigns, especially when they open new routes.

2. Denser network and better connections

Flydubai works closely with Emirates, so extra 737 MAX capacity can:

• Improve connection options via Dubai to Asia, Africa and Oceania
• Offer more departure time choices on key routes
• Give passengers more chances to combine Flydubai (short/medium-haul) with Emirates (long-haul) on one itinerary

3. Pressure on fares

When an airline adds a lot of seats into the market, it usually tries to fill them with aggressive pricing, especially off-peak and on new routes.

Good news for budget-minded travellers:

• More introductory fares when new routes launch
• Stronger competition with Wizz Air, Ryanair, Air Arabia, Pegasus and other low-cost carriers on overlapping markets
• Potentially cheaper one-way and return tickets via Dubai compared to traditional hubs

What are Boeing 737 MAX planes like for passengers?

The exact experience depends on Flydubai’s configuration, but generally the 737 MAX offers:

• A quieter cabin compared to older 737s
• Modern LED lighting and newer interiors
• Better fuel efficiency, which helps airlines maintain competitive fares
• Typical seating around 166–189 seats in a two-class or high-density layout

Flydubai’s current MAX aircraft already feature business class and economy, with Wi-Fi on many aircraft and paid extras such as extra-legroom seats on some routes.

When will we see these new planes in the sky?

Flydubai and Boeing have not yet published a detailed delivery schedule for the new 75-jet order. However, large orders like this are usually spread over several years, often close to a decade, depending on production slots and airline needs.

What you can expect:

• A gradual increase in capacity, not an overnight jump
• Older aircraft slowly leaving the fleet as new MAX and A321neo jets arrive
• A steady stream of route announcements and frequency increases rather than one big change

If you like to hunt for deals, this means it’s worth keeping an eye on Flydubai route launches and seasonal sales over the coming years.

Summary: Good news for travellers who like to route via Dubai

To sum it up:

• Flydubai has signed a $13 billion agreement for 75 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, with options for 75 more, at Dubai Airshow 2025.
• The order comes immediately after a 150-jet Airbus A321neo deal, showing how aggressively the airline is planning for growth.
• For travellers, this should translate into more routes, more frequencies and stronger competition on fares, especially between Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

For TravelFree readers, this is definitely a story to watch: as new aircraft arrive, Dubai will become an even more important hub for cheap long-haul and multi-stop trips – and a great starting point for combining low-cost flights with exotic destinations.