Boeing On The Brink Of New 787 Order

AerCap is close to placing a new order for Boeing jets as the Farnborough Airshow 2026 commences.

As talks progress rapidly and are described as being in their advanced stages, the fresh contract would be for up to 15 of the 787 Dreamliners to evolve the widebody backlog.

Cementing itself as the world’s largest aircraft lessor, the business would, if the latest deal is finalised, yet again show greater reliance on the mid-sized widebody.

Reports Say A Deal Is Close For 787s

Bloomberg, among other outlets, has reported that AerCap Holdings NV is considering as many as 15 of these 787s; the deal would be a top-up, given that the lessor has long been committed to the jet and is the largest single customer.

Those familiar with the matter say the lessor is currently evaluating two variants: the 787-9 and possibly the 787-10, with the latter, the high-capacity variant, of particular interest.

However, with the deal in its advanced stages, this is ultimately something that has yet to be formally signed. The exact breakdown and final number of planes ordered will be subject to the concluding negotiation process.

While the deal risks not happening at the Farnborough Airshow, AerCap is very much looking to expand its backlog, and knowing that the 787 has long been a solution to airlines’ renewal efforts means a fresh order makes sense.

AerCap is no stranger to Farnborough; the lessor has placed several orders at previous shows, with deals for the Boeing 737 MAX and 787 over the years.

Why More Boeing 787s For AerCap?

As the largest aircraft lessor, we are adding more Dreamliners in direct response to industry-wide demand for widebodies. Additionally, it aligns closely with the fleet strategy that the lessor is building out.

With Boeing seeing its widebody and narrowbody programmes sell out deep into this decade, if not the next, the planemaker’s CEO, Kelly Ortberg, has openly admitted that selling planes isn’t the problem; servicing them is.

As a consequence of the inability to service the backlog at the intended rate, the backlog has ballooned, and the knock-on effect has heightened the need for lessors and airlines in the race to secure production slots.

The Boeing 787 is a proven series for AerCap and its customers, as demand for growth and renewal increases. Adding to the backlog the business already has for this aircraft is an important strategic move.

Given the 787’s performance metrics and backlog, it’s in demand, and AerCap’s buying more units means it can offer growth and replacement lifts to a wider set of airlines with locked-in production slots. This mitigates the risks of slots being sold out when airlines in the early 2030s come knocking, and the lessor cannot provide the required capacity.

AerCap, through this proposed contract, is also able to maintain a large pool of widebody assets that can be placed and even re-placed across different leases as contracts are signed, thus spreading the risk and maximizing utilization wherever possible.

For Boeing, it keeps its 787 line warm, if it wasn’t already, and the push to scale production is all the more critical to stabilise lines and finances and to meet customer requirements that have not been met for a prolonged period.