Air Cambodia Seals Historic Boeing Deal for Up to 20 737 MAX Aircraft

Air Cambodia, the national airline of the Kingdom, has just sealed a historic agreement with Boeing for the acquisition of up to 20 737 MAX aircraft, marking its entry into the American manufacturer's fleet.

Announced on February 3, 2026, at the Singapore Airshow, this mega-contract, estimated at $3 billion, strengthens economic ties between Cambodia and the United States

Details of the Agreement

The firm order covers 10 737-8 aircraft, with options for 10 more, finalized in December 2025 but publicly revealed at the Singapore airshow. These will be the first Boeing aircraft operated by a Cambodian airline, which until now has primarily used European planes like Airbus models.

Air Cambodia's CEO, Dr. David Zhan, hailed this acquisition as "the ideal alliance of range, capacity, and fuel efficiency" to develop direct routes to North and Southeast Asia. Brad McMullen, Boeing's Senior Vice President for Commercial Sales, emphasized the manufacturer's commitment to supporting aviation growth in Cambodia.

Strategic and Economic Context

This contract fits into a broader bilateral rapprochement, following the U.S. reduction of customs tariffs on Cambodian exports from 49% to 19%, which facilitated trade negotiations.

Cambodian Minister of Civil Aviation Mao Havannall sees it as a "strong message of optimism" for cooperation with Washington.

Air Cambodia, which currently operates a fleet of six aircraft on domestic routes and to Vietnam, Thailand, China, Japan, and Hong Kong, aims for major expansion in a booming Southeast Asian market. Boeing has outpaced China's COMAC, which signed an MOU for C909 aircraft in September 2025, affirming its regional dominance.

Benefits of the 737 MAX for Air Cambodia

The 737-8 offers up to 178 seats in a two-class configuration, a range of 3,500 nautical miles, and a 20% reduction in fuel consumption and emissions compared to previous generations. Ideal for high-demand intra-Asian routes, they will modernize Air Cambodia's fleet, with eight deliveries planned by 2031.