Boeing and Korean Air have announced the airline’s intent to purchase 103 new Boeing aircraft, marking the carrier’s largest-ever order and Boeing’s biggest wide-body order from an Asian airline. The acquisition is designed to modernise Korean Air’s fleet and support growth as the airline integrates fully with Asiana Airlines in the coming years.
Once finalised, the order will be published on Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website and will represent a landmark milestone for Korean Air. The deal includes 20 Boeing 777-9s, 25 Boeing 787-10s, 50 Boeing 737-10s and, significantly, eight Boeing 777-8 Freighters – the first time Korean Air has committed to the 777-8F model. The order is expected to support around 135,000 jobs across the United States.
Walter Cho, Chairman and CEO of Korean Air, emphasised the strategic importance of the agreement: “This agreement with our long-standing partners, Boeing and GE, marks a pivotal moment for Korean Air. Acquiring these next-generation aircraft is the core of our fleet modernisation strategy, delivering significant gains in fuel efficiency and enhancing the passenger experience across our global network. This investment is also a critical enabler for our future as a merged airline with Asiana, to ensure that our combined carrier is one of the most competitive airlines in the industry.”
The signing took place during the Korea-U.S. Business Roundtable, “Partnership for a Manufacturing Renaissance,” attended by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and South Korea’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, Kim Jung-kwan.
This latest commitment builds on Korean Air’s incremental order in March for 20 additional 777-9s and 20 787-10s, meaning the airline’s total orders and commitments for Boeing aircraft in 2025 exceed 150 units. Currently operating a fleet of 108 Boeing jets – including 737s, 747s, 777s and 787s – Korean Air has 72 aircraft on order. Once this new deal is finalised, its backlog will expand to 175 aeroplanes, underlining its ambition to become a more efficient, competitive, and globally leading carrier in the post-merger era.
