Boeing Lands Record $96 Billion Aircraft Deal with Qatar During Trump Visit
Boeing has secured a landmark agreement with Qatar Airways for up to 210 widebody aircraft, marking what U.S. officials describe as the aerospace giant’s largest-ever deal of its kind, with a total estimated value of $96 billion. The announcement was made on Wednesday during U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Doha.
The deal, which includes firm orders for 130 787 Dreamliners and 30 777-9 aircraft, also includes options for 50 additional jets. The White House hailed the agreement as a major milestone in U.S.-Qatar economic relations, describing President Trump as the “dealmaker in chief” and positioning the transaction as a key achievement of his second-term foreign trip.
The agreement was among a series of deals unveiled during the president’s visit to the Gulf nation, which collectively total over $243 billion in U.S.-Qatar trade and defense commitments. Other major deals included sales of GE Aerospace engines and military equipment, part of broader efforts to strengthen bilateral ties.
While the Boeing deal boosts America’s largest exporter at a time when the company is navigating multiple setbacks — including a decline in orders and a massive strike in late 2024 — it also sparked political scrutiny. Some critics questioned the optics of Qatar potentially donating a Boeing 747-8, initially intended as an Air Force One replacement, to Trump’s presidential library post-office. Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani downplayed the controversy, calling the jet transfer a “government-to-government transaction.”
Boeing, which has been struggling to regain footing after a turbulent year marked by production delays, safety incidents, and supply chain disruptions, welcomed the Qatar Airways order as a crucial vote of confidence.
“We are deeply honored that Qatar Airways has placed this record-breaking order with Boeing,” said Stephanie Pope, CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “This commitment underscores the strength of our widebody fleet and reinforces our partnership with one of the world’s leading airlines.”
While Boeing shares closed slightly higher following the announcement, analysts remain cautious, noting that order commitments can still be withdrawn. In 2024, Boeing’s gross orders dropped 60% compared to the previous year, and deliveries fell by more than a third, partly due to a door plug incident on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max and the September machinists’ strike.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration appears to be leveraging such high-profile aerospace deals as part of its broader trade negotiation strategy. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick recently revealed a separate $10 billion aircraft commitment from a British airline, later identified as IAG.
In addition to commercial agreements, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed several defense cooperation documents in Doha, including statements of intent for unmanned aerial systems and counter-drone technologies. These follow similar announcements of major tech and defense deals in Saudi Arabia earlier in the week, totaling $600 billion, as President Trump continues his regional tour with a final stop scheduled in the United Arab Emirates.
