Israel’s El Al chooses Boeing 737 MAX

El Al Airlines, which recently cited that it needed to order aircraft

soon to ensure available delivery positions, has placed an order for 30 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to replace its current Boeing narrow-body fleet.

The carrier had planned to grow its fleet by 28-31 aircraft in 2028, and this order, with deliveries scheduled for 2027, should help the carrier replace 24 older 737-800 and 737-900ER models currently operated.  At list prices, the value of the transaction, which includes spare engines and some parts provisioning, is worth between $2.0 to $2.5 billion.

El Al has been a long-time Boeing customer and has an all-Boeing fleet.  The relationship between Israel and the United States is one that is essential for Israel to maintain, as much of the country’s military equipment and anti-missile technology comes from the United States.  While El Al did evaluate Airbus aircraft, it is in a situation where a decision for Boeing has positive consequences that Airbus is not in a position to match.