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Qatar Airways Orders 160 Boeing Jets During Trump’s Gulf Visit

Qatar Airways Orders 160 Boeing Jets During Trump’s Gulf Visit
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Qatar Airways has placed a massive order for 160 Boeing widebody jets, in a deal witnessed by U.S. President Donald Trump and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani during Trump’s state visit to the Gulf nation.

The agreement includes 130 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 30 Boeing 777X aircraft, with options to buy 50 more, making this the largest widebody aircraft order in Boeing’s history, according to the White House.

Deal Valued at $96 Billion

The full order, including engines from GE Aerospace, is valued at $96 billion. President Trump, who attended the signing ceremony alongside the leaders of Boeing and Qatar Airways, called it a major win for American manufacturing and a symbol of strong U.S.-Qatar relations.

“This is the largest jet order in Boeing’s history,” Trump said during the event.

Boost for Boeing and GE Aerospace

The deal is also a significant boost for Boeing and GE Aerospace, especially as rival Airbus continues to face engine maintenance issues in hot climates like the Gulf. GE will supply 400 jet engines, making it the largest engine order in the company’s history, according to CEO Larry Culp.

Qatar Airways selected GE’s GEnx engines for the 787s, bypassing Rolls-Royce’s Trent 1000. The 777X will be powered exclusively by GE’s GE9X engines.

A Milestone Order

Boeing said its order book as of April 30 included:

  • 521 orders for the 777X

  • 828 orders for the 787

This latest agreement from Qatar Airways will expand those figures significantly. The airline already has 94 777X aircraft on order, and competitor Emirates holds 205 orders for the same model.

Deliveries Begin in 2026

The Boeing 777X is still in development and is expected to begin deliveries in 2026, six years later than initially planned. Despite the delay, the aircraft remains a key component of long-haul expansion plans for major Gulf carriers.

This order was finalized during Trump’s second stop in the Gulf region after he secured trade deals in Saudi Arabia earlier in the week.

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