Dreamliner and 737 MAX: Central Asia’s Airlines Bet on Boeing

Three Central Asian airlines are placing a major bet on Boeing’s flagship products, with new agreements for 37 aircraft, including both the 787 Dreamliner and the 737 MAX. The deal, involving Kazakhstan’s Air Astana, Tajikistan’s Somon Air, and Uzbekistan Airways, was announced by the Trump administration as a major U.S. commercial win.
The aircraft mix shows a strategic approach to fleet modernization. Somon Air is acquiring both long-haul and short-haul jets, with four 787s and ten 737 MAXs. Air Astana and Uzbekistan Airways are focused on long-haul growth, committing to 15 and eight 787 Dreamliners, respectively.
The Commerce Department unveiled the deals at the C5+1 Summit in Washington. This 10th-anniversary diplomatic meeting was used as a platform to highlight the administration’s transactional approach to diplomacy, where U.S. business interests are a key component of foreign relations.
For the airlines, these planes are transformative. Air Astana, for example, will use its 15 new 787-9s to replace its small 767 fleet and explore new long-range destinations. Boeing noted this would enable the carrier to launch its first-ever services to North America.
This 37-plane deal fits a clear pattern under President Trump, where Boeing orders are frequently announced as part of larger trade and diplomatic initiatives. It adds to a strong year for Boeing, as the industry also watches for a potential 500-jet mega-deal with China.