Boeing’s flagship 787 Dreamliner and its popular 737 MAX are the centerpiece of a new set of deals in Central Asia, with three national carriers planning to buy up to 37 of the advanced aircraft. The U.S. Commerce Department, acting under the Trump administration, announced the orders from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan on Thursday. The sales, signed in Washington, highlight the growing demand in the region for modern, fuel-efficient airplanes to expand international travel.
The breakdown of the orders showcases a significant investment in long-haul travel. Kazakhstan’s Air Astana is planning the largest purchase, with an intent to buy up to 15 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. Tajikistan’s Somon Air is opting for a mixed fleet, with plans for four 787s and ten 737 MAX airplanes, for a total of 14 jets. Uzbekistan Airways is also placing its confidence in the Dreamliner, ordering eight additional 787s to augment its fleet.
This new technology will unlock new possibilities for the carriers. Air Astana’s fleet of 15 new 787-9s will be a dramatic change from its current wide-body fleet of three 767s. The airline, which currently connects Kazakhstan with Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, will use the new jets to expand its map. Boeing confirmed that the 787’s range is key to Air Astana’s plan to launch its first-ever routes to North America.
The deals were formally announced during the C5+1 Summit in Washington, a meeting celebrating a decade of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and the five Central Asian republics. The Trump administration used this platform to champion the sales as a win for American industry and a sign of strong U.S.-Central Asia relations. The event demonstrated a clear link between U.S. foreign policy and its commercial interests.
These 37-plane orders join a growing list of hundreds of new airplane sales Boeing has won this year, many of which were announced as part of broader trade agreements and negotiations with foreign governments, a key strategy of the Trump administration. While this deal solidifies Boeing’s presence in Central Asia, the company is also pursuing an even larger, 500-jet sale to China, a landmark deal that remains under negotiation amid ongoing trade discussions.