Dubai Aerospace Enterprise and Saudi Arabian Airlines have signed a purchase-and-leaseback agreement for four Boeing 777F freighter aircraft [1].
The deal expands the global freight capacity of Saudia Cargo, a move intended to align the airline with the strategic goals of Saudi Vision 2030 [1].
Under the terms of the agreement, the four aircraft [1] will be operated by Saudia Cargo. The delivery window for the fleet is scheduled to begin in October 2026 [2] and conclude by May 2027 [2].
This partnership connects two major aviation hubs in the Middle East, linking Dubai-based DAE with the Saudi national carrier. The use of the Boeing 777F, a dedicated long-haul freighter, allows the carrier to increase its volume of goods transported across international routes.
Industry analysts said that sale-and-leaseback arrangements allow airlines to maintain fleet growth while managing capital expenditure. By selling the aircraft to a lessor like DAE and leasing them back, Saudia can keep the planes in service without holding the full asset on its balance sheet.
The expansion comes as Saudi Arabia seeks to transform its logistics sector into a global hub. Increasing cargo capacity is a primary component of the kingdom's effort to diversify its economy away from oil reliance, a central pillar of its national development plan.
“Dubai Aerospace Enterprise and Saudi Arabian Airlines have signed a purchase-and-leaseback agreement for four Boeing 777F freighter aircraft”
This agreement signals a continued push by Saudi Arabia to scale its logistics infrastructure to meet the targets of Vision 2030. By utilizing a sale-and-leaseback model with DAE, Saudia Cargo can rapidly scale its fleet of heavy-lift freighters to compete with other regional logistics giants without the immediate capital burden of outright ownership.
