Emirates orders 30 Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets

Boeing and airline Emirates have finalized a purchase agreement for 30 787-9 Dreamliner airplanes valued at $8.8 billion at list prices. The agreement was signed at the Dubai Airshow.

Emirates had previously signed an initial agreement for the larger 787-10 variant. In officially selecting the 787-9, Emirates adds a medium-sized widebody airplane to complement the airline's larger 777 aircraft.

Emirates Chairman and Chief Executive HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said, "The 787s will complement our fleet mix by expanding our operational flexibility in terms of capacity, range, and deployment. We are also pleased to reaffirm our commitment to the Boeing 777X program and look forward to its entry into service.

As part of the agreement, Emirates will update a portion of its large order book by exercising substitution rights and converting 30 777 airplanes into 30 787-9s. With this conversion, Emirates remains the world's biggest 777X customer with 126 airplanes on order and the largest 777 operator with 155 airplanes today.

"Our agreement solidifies Emirates' plan to operate the 787 Dreamliner and the 777X," said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President & CEO Stan Deal.

To support Emirates' current-generation 777 airplanes in the coming years, the companies announced that Boeing Global Services will leverage its worldwide supply chain to provide timely replacement parts, reducing maintenance times and keeping aircraft in service.

At 63m (206ft), the 787-9 Dreamliner can fly 296 passengers in a typical two-class configuration up to 7,530nm (13,950km), while reducing fuel costs by more than 20% compared to airplanes they replace.

More than 80 customers around the world have ordered more than 1,400 Dreamliners since the program's introduction.