United Airlines said Tuesday that it is ordering 200 Boeing Max jets and 70 Airbus planes so it can replace some of its aging planes and grow after the pandemic eases.
At list prices, the deal would be worth more than $30 billion, although airlines routinely get deep discounts, sometimes more than half, according to analysts. United declined to disclose terms.
It is one of the largest orders ever for commercial planes and underscores that airlines see a recovery underway and expect to return to the profitability they enjoyed before the pandemic crushed air travel more than a year ago.
It is also, of course, a major boost for the world’s two main aircraft makers, especially Boeing. The Chicago-based company saw orders plummet after Max jets were grounded following two deadly crashes. The pandemic has hurt sales too.
Boeing “needs to play a bit of catch-up,” and so it likely gave United a steep discount, said George Dimitroff, analyst with Ascend by Cirium.