United Airlines has entered into a purchase and leaseback agreement with Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) for 10 new Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft.
The Government of Dubai-owned lessor said on July 28, 2025, it had signed a purchase agreement with United for 10 new aircraft and agreed long-term leases.
The new Boeing 737-9 aircraft are scheduled to be delivered between August 2025 and February 2026, according to DAE.
“We are delighted to continue building on our valued relationship with United. Today’s announcement of the purchase-lease back agreement of 10 Boeing 737-9 aircraft follows our recent acquisition of an Airbus A321neo on lease to United and reflects our continued commitment to the North American market,” said Firoz Tarapore, Chief Executive Officer of DAE.
He added: “We congratulate United on their continued success and look forward to further strengthening our partnership in the years ahead.”
According to ch-aviation, United are currently waiting for delivery of 116 Boeing 737-9s and is actively operating 102 of the aircraft type.
In May 2025, DAE completed the $2 billion acquisition of 100% of the outstanding share capital of rival Irish lessor Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC).
This boosted DAE’s fleet to approximately 750 owned, managed and committed aircraft.
In addition, DAE has commitments to acquire approximately 100 aircraft from Boeing, Airbus, ATR, and trading counterparties.
1 comment
Exciting news for United Airlines! This purchase-leaseback deal seems like a smart move, especially with the Boeing 737 MAX 9s. I’m curious about how this will affect their fleet efficiency and customer service.