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Dubai's DAE signs sale-leaseback deal with Saudia for four Boeing 777F freighters
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise will lease back four Boeing 777F freighters to Saudia, supporting the Saudi carrier's cargo expansion, with deliveries running from October 2026 to May 2027
- PUBLISHED: Mon 10 Aug 2026, 11:55 AM
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) has signed a purchase and leaseback agreement with Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, for four new Boeing 777F freighter aircraft.
Under the agreement, DAE has bought the aircraft and entered into long-term leases with Saudia, with deliveries scheduled between October 2026 and May 2027.
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Firoz Tarapore, chief executive officer of DAE, said the transaction reflected the company’s commitment to supporting airline customers with high-quality, in-demand aircraft.
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He said the freighters would support Saudia’s expanding cargo operations and strengthen its ability to serve key markets across its global network.
The Boeing 777F is a long-range, widebody freighter known for its payload capability, operational efficiency and reliability, and is widely used by leading cargo operators worldwide.
DAE currently owns, manages, and is committed to owning more than 1,000 aircraft, including over 250 from Boeing, and has plans to further expand its fleet to meet growing market demand.
Headquartered in Dubai, DAE operates through two divisions, DAE Capital and DAE Engineering, serving more than 200 airline customers across over 85 countries from eight offices worldwide, including Dubai, Dublin, London, Amman, Singapore, Miami, Seattle and San Francisco.
DAE Capital, an aircraft lessor, has an owned, managed and committed fleet of about 1,000 Airbus, ATR and Boeing aircraft with a fleet value of $35 billion.
During the first half of 2026, DAE announced the acquisition of Macquarie AirFinance and the formation of two long-term co-investment programmes. These co-investment programmes are sized to add approximately $15 billion of new aircraft assets over the next five years to its total fleet.
