Boeing opened the Farnborough International Airshow on July 20, 2026, with commitments for roughly 128 aircraft on the first day of the show. The two headline deals came from lessor SMBC Aviation Capital and Saudi startup carrier Riyadh Air, according to Boeing and the customers’ own announcements.
The opening-day tally sets a confident tone for Boeing after a difficult few years, and it lands during a show where order announcements are the main event.
The two deals behind the number
SMBC Aviation Capital ordered 100 Boeing 737 MAX jets, split between 60 of the largest 737-10 variant and 40 of the smaller 737-8, Boeing said. It is the lessor’s first purchase of the 737-10, and it lifts SMBC’s owned, managed, and committed 737 MAX portfolio to about 450 aircraft.
Riyadh Air exercised options for 28 more 787 Dreamliners as part of its long-term fleet plan. The agreement also converts 20 of its aircraft to the stretched 787-10, and Boeing said the carrier’s firm 787 order book will reach 67 once a remaining tranche is finalized.
Riyadh Air separately committed to six Airbus A350-1000s the same day, a reminder that a launch airline can split a widebody fleet between both manufacturers rather than pick a single supplier.
Why a lessor order counts as much as an airline’s
A leasing company like SMBC does not fly the jets it buys. It orders aircraft in bulk, then leases them to airlines around the world, which lets carriers add capacity without financing every airframe up front.
That makes a 100-jet lessor order a broad vote of confidence rather than one airline’s bet. Lessors buy where they expect steady demand, so the 737-10 commitment matters for a variant that has been waiting years for its own certification to be completed.
The distinction between a firm order and an option also shapes how to read the day. Riyadh Air’s 28 Dreamliners came from exercising options it already held, converting earlier placeholders into confirmed aircraft, while a conversion to the 787-10 changes the model without adding a fresh airframe to the count.
How to read airshow numbers
Headline totals at Farnborough mix firm orders, exercised options, and model conversions, and figures often climb as the week continues. The roughly 128-jet figure reflects the two marquee deals announced on opening day, not a final show total.
For Boeing, the value is as much about signal as volume. A strong opening day at the industry’s biggest sales event points to steadying demand for both its 737 MAX family and the widebody 787, the two programs that carry most of its commercial backlog.
It also frames the running contest with its European rival, a rivalry that shapes nearly every major fleet decision. AeroCorner’s explainer on why Airbus and Boeing dominate covers how a duopoly turns each airshow into a scoreboard.
Sources and references used for research and fact-checking.