Two Chinese airlines, Spring Airlines and Juneyao Airlines, plan to purchase a total of 55 Airbus A320-family jets worth up to $8.2 billion, with deliveries expected between 2028 and 2032, pending government approvals.
Boeing has handed over a 787 Dreamliner directly to a Chinese airline, Juneyao Airlines, for the first time since November 2019. This milestone could potentially lead to deliveries of Boeing's best-selling jet, the 737 Max, to Chinese airlines. China had grounded the 737 Max in 2019 following two fatal crashes, and the country's pause on deliveries is nearing its fifth year. Boeing has been working to increase production and deliveries of new jets, with a significant portion of its inventory dedicated to Chinese airlines.
Boeing is set to deliver its first 787 Dreamliner jet to China since April 2021, marking a potential easing of trade tensions between the two countries. Juneyao Airlines will fly the new plane from Seattle to Shanghai, opening the door for future deliveries of the 737 Max. This development comes as Boeing also secures a significant order from Lufthansa, indicating a positive outlook for international travel demand. The resumption of deliveries to China is expected to have a positive impact on Boeing's financials, potentially contributing $10 billion to its free cash flow target for 2025 to 2026.