DAE and Saudia Sign Boeing 777F Purchase and Leaseback Deal

Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) and Saudi Arabian national carrier Saudia finalized a purchase and leaseback agreement on August 10, 2026, covering four new Boeing 777F aircraft. The transaction allows the airline to expand its dedicated freighter capacity without retaining direct ownership of the airframes, while adding highly liquid widebody assets to the lessor’s portfolio.

Announced via a DAE press release, the agreement schedules the delivery of the four Boeing 777-200 Freighters between October 2026 and May 2027. The deal aligns with Saudia Cargo’s previously stated fleet expansion plans to support the National Transport and Logistics Strategy under Saudi Vision 2030.

Saudia Cargo network expansion

On July 6, 2026, Saudia Cargo outlined its intent to add four Boeing 777F aircraft to its fleet to meet rising demand for air cargo services. The Delivery timeline for this purchase and leaseback agreement matches the airline’s fourth-quarter 2026 through 2027 induction schedule.

The capacity increase follows recent network expansion efforts by the Saudi flag carrier. On July 28, 2026, Saudia Cargo signed an interline agreement with Riyadh Cargo, the freight division of Riyadh Air, to strengthen cargo connectivity across the region.

DAE portfolio growth and market position

For DAE, the transaction adds in-demand widebody freighters to a rapidly expanding leasing portfolio. The lessor currently holds more than 250 Boeing aircraft among its assets.

Firoz Tarapore, Chief Executive Officer of DAE, stated that the transaction reflects the company’s commitment to supporting airline customers with high-quality aircraft.

“These aircraft will support the airline’s expanding cargo operations and enhance its ability to serve key markets across its global network. We look forward to working with Saudia and wish them continued success.”

The Saudia agreement follows a major structural expansion for the Dubai-based lessor. On July 29, 2026, DAE completed its $9.0 billion acquisition of Macquarie AirFinance. The acquisition expanded DAE’s portfolio to approximately 1,000 owned, managed, or committed aircraft, establishing the company as the third-largest aircraft lessor globally by fleet value.

AirPro News analysis

We view this purchase and leaseback agreement as a logical step for both entities following their respective July 2026 strategic moves. For Saudia, utilizing a leaseback structure preserves capital for other Vision 2030 initiatives while securing the exact widebody freighter capacity required for its logistics network expansion. For DAE, absorbing four new-build Boeing 777F airframes immediately following the Macquarie AirFinance integration demonstrates continued liquidity and a strong appetite for premium, factory-fresh Cargo-Aircraft assets.

Sources: Dubai Aerospace Enterprise