Ethiopian Airlines Orders More Boeing 737 MAX Jets

Boeing has confirmed on Day 1 of the 2025 Dubai Airshow another order for its popular 737 MAX.

The customer is an existing one, with Ethiopian Airlines extending its reliance on the single-aisle model, ordering 11 more of the series.

Ethiopian Airlines now positions itself as the airline with the largest backlog of Boeing aircraft in Africa, as the business aims to ramp up expansion over the coming decades.

The latest contract signed with the American planemaker will see the airline expand its regional and international short-haul network out of its Addis Ababa hub, with the 737-8, part of the 737 MAX family, explicitly selected.

We are thrilled to be announcing our agreement with Boeing for additional 11 737-8 airplanes today during Dubai Airshow. The order will support our growth plans that we have set as part of our vision and strategy. We are happy that our partnership with Boeing continues to grow over the years and we look forward to flying Boeing airplanes for years to come and that we will continue to serve our customers by bringing them high performance airplanes with passenger comfort.

Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mr. Mesfin Tasew.

For Boeing, they highlight the strong ties they have with the region, noting a nearly 80-year partnership with the airline and the broader region, and reaffirming their pride in helping develop Ethiopian Airlines.

That backlog now includes not just more 737 MAX jets but the 787 Dreamliner and the upcoming 777X, expected to completely reshape how the business offers long-haul connectivity and open up fresh possibilities on the route network.

737 MAX Plays A Key Role Already

Ethiopian Airlines already operates the 737 MAX on service to destinations within Africa; however, at a broader level, it flies the aircraft to cities in the Middle East, India, and Southern Europe.

Based on available fleet data, the airline has 22 of the 737 MAX jets in service, these planes averaging 3.8 years and forming a key part of expansion and renewal efforts across the business.

For Ethiopian Airlines, they complement a commitment to the 787 Dreamliner, where this model, alongside the Airbus A350, forms the backbone of the next-generation long-haul fleet, which is soon also to see the 777X join once certification and deliveries commence.