DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing [NYSE: BA] and flydubai today announced a commitment for up to 100 737 MAX 8 airplanes and 11 Next-Generation 737-800s on the opening day of the Dubai Airshow.

The commitment from the airline of the emirate of Dubai, valued at $11.4 billion at list prices (including orders and purchase rights), is the largest ever Boeing single-aisle airplane purchase in the Middle East. The investment continues flydubai’s legacy operating an all-Boeing 737 fleet.

“flydubai is pleased to continue its partnership with Boeing. We believe that the commitment for up to 111 Boeing 737 aircraft will give flydubai one of the best performing aircraft available in the single-aisle market,” said His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of flydubai. “This will ensure that flydubai is well positioned to continue to set new standards in aviation and support the further economic development of the United Arab Emirates.”

“We are extremely proud of the confidence that flydubai continues to place in our products operating an all-Boeing fleet,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner. “We look forward to continue strengthening our partnership and seeing the Next-Generation 737-800 and subsequently the 737 MAX play a central role in flydubai’s rapid expansion plans.”

The 737 MAX will build on the Next-Generation 737’s popularity and reliability while delivering customers unsurpassed fuel efficiency in the single-aisle market. The 737 MAX 8 is expected to be 8 percent per-seat more fuel efficient than the future competition.

Development of the 737 MAX is on schedule with firm configuration of the airplane achieved in July 2013. First flight is scheduled in 2016 with deliveries to customers beginning in 2017. Already a market success, the 737 MAX has accumulated more than 1,600 orders to date.

flydubai placed its first order for 50 Next-Generation 737-800s in 2008. The airline took delivery of its first airplane in 2009 and was the first airline in the world to debut the Boeing Sky Interior, an enhanced onboard experience. To date, flydubai has taken delivery of 33 Next-Generation 737-800s.

In the past two years, flydubai has more than doubled the number of destinations it flies to and has around 1,200 weekly flights. flydubai carried 5.1 million passengers in 2012 and has become the second largest carrier, by passenger numbers, operating out of Dubai International.