Air India Orders 30 More Boeing 737 Max Jets at Hyderabad Airshow

Boeing and Air India have confirmed a new order for 30 additional Boeing 737 Max jets, further strengthening the airline’s rapidly expanding fleet. The deal was announced at the annual Wings Airshow and lifts Air India’s total Boeing order book to nearly 200 aircraft across single-aisle and widebody programs.

The newly disclosed order consists of 20 Boeing 737-8 aircraft finalized earlier this month, along with 10 Boeing 737-10 jets that had previously appeared as unidentified on Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website. Both purchases were exercised from options secured under Air India’s massive fleet renewal program launched in 2023, signaling the airline’s continued confidence in sustained demand growth.

The additional 737 Max aircraft will play a central role in Air India’s narrowbody strategy, particularly across high-frequency domestic services and short-haul regional routes. The 737-8 offers a combination of strong dispatch reliability, improved fuel efficiency, and flexible range, allowing the airline to open new routes while maintaining cost discipline. The larger 737-10 will provide higher seating capacity and the lowest cost per seat within the single-aisle segment, supporting dense trunk routes and fast-growing leisure markets.

The order forms part of a broader transformation under the Tata Group, which is reshaping Air India into a globally competitive full-service carrier while simultaneously scaling its low-cost and short-haul operations. As the airline integrates fleets, retires older aircraft, and standardizes around new-generation jets, the 737 Max family provides operational commonality that simplifies training, maintenance, and scheduling.

Alongside its Boeing expansion, Air India has also confirmed a significant adjustment to its Airbus program. The airline will convert 15 of its existing Airbus A321neo orders to the longer-range Airbus A321XLR (Extra Long Range) variant. The conversion was announced on January 29 at Wings India 2026, one of Asia’s leading civil aviation events, held in Hyderabad.

Airbus Narrow‑Body Fleet

As of the end of 2025, Air India continued to rely heavily on the Airbus A320 family for domestic and regional operations. This list covers Air India, not Air India Express or AIX Connect.

• A319: 6 To be retired and replaced by A320neo.
• A320-200: 4
• A320neo: 94
• A321-200: 13
• A321neo: 10
• A321neoXLR: On order 15, converted A321neo order.

Air India’s mainline fleet stands at around 185–189 aircraft, depending on the timing of deliveries and retirements.

From Boeing’s perspective, the deal reinforces strong demand for the 737 Max in one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets. India’s passenger traffic continues to expand at double-digit rates, driven by economic growth, rising middle-class travel, and increasing air connectivity between regional cities. Securing additional aircraft now allows Air India to lock in production slots amid a global backlog that continues to stretch well into the next decade.

Longer term, the expansion aligns with Boeing’s Commercial Market Outlook, which forecasts that India and the broader South Asian region will require nearly 3,300 new aircraft over the next 20 years. Around 90% of that demand is expected to come from single-aisle jets, reflecting the region’s focus on short- and medium-haul travel.

With this latest order, Air India continues to convert long-term options into firm commitments, underscoring both confidence in market fundamentals and the pace of its fleet modernization. The additional 737 Max jets further cement Boeing’s role as a key partner in the airline’s transformation and highlight India’s growing influence in the global aviation landscape.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, reuters.com, boeing.com, airbus.com