Ryanair Holdings plc announced on May 9, 2023, that it has ordered 300 Boeing 737-MAX-10 aircraft.
Worth over $40bn at current list prices it is the largest order ever placed by an Irish company for US manufactured goods. The order, which includes 150 firm orders and 150 options, is set for delivery between 2027 and 2033, subject to shareholder approval at Ryanair’s AGM on September 14.
The fuel-efficient Boeing 737-MAX-10 aircraft, equipped with 228 seats, will enable Ryanair to create more than 10,000 high-paying jobs for pilots, cabin crew, and engineers. The airline anticipates an 80% increase in annual traffic, reaching 300 million passengers per annum (MPA) by 2034, up from 168 million MPA in 2023.
With 50% of the new aircraft set to replace older Boeing 737NGs, Ryanair aims to maintain one of Europe’s youngest, most fuel-efficient, and environmentally sustainable fleets. The additional seating capacity and enhanced fuel and carbon efficiency will further widen Ryanair’s unit-cost advantage over its EU competitors.
The investment is expected to boost traffic, tourism, and job growth across Europe while offering lower fares and reduced emissions per flight. Ryanair plans to fund the majority of the capital expenditure through internal cash flows, while remaining open to opportunistic fleet financing strategies.
