Boeing has scored a major sales victory in Central Asia, with three airlines from the region committing to orders for up to 37 new jets. The deals, announced by the Trump administration’s Commerce Department, involve the 787 Dreamliner and 737 MAX aircraft. The airlines—Air Astana of Kazakhstan, Somon Air of Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan Airways—are all looking to modernize their fleets and expand their international footprint.
The order details reveal a significant bet on Boeing’s long-haul technology. Air Astana leads the pack with its intent to purchase up to 15 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. Tajikistan’s Somon Air is close behind in number, planning to buy 14 aircraft, including four 787s and ten 737 MAX planes. Uzbekistan Airways is also growing its long-haul capabilities, adding eight more 787 Dreamliners to its order book.
This infusion of new aircraft is set to be a game-changer for the region’s connectivity. Air Astana’s 15 new 787-9s are particularly noteworthy. They will replace the airline’s small, aging fleet of three 767 wide-bodies. According to Boeing, this upgrade will provide the necessary range and efficiency for Air Astana to achieve a long-term strategic goal: launching its first-ever non-stop flights to North America.
The announcement was made on a significant diplomatic stage: the C5+1 Summit in Washington, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. This meeting of U.S. and Central Asian leaders provided a high-profile platform for the Trump administration to demonstrate the commercial benefits of its foreign policy, linking strategic partnerships directly to sales for American companies.
This deal is part of a larger pattern of U.S. trade policy under President Trump, where Boeing orders have frequently been symbolic centerpieces of negotiations with foreign governments. Boeing has accumulated hundreds of orders this year through such agreements. In this context, the 37-plane deal is a solid win, even as the company remains in discussion for a potentially massive, 500-jet order with China, a deal that would mark a major breakthrough in that market.