United closes in on $30b post-pandemic jet order

United was putting the finishing touches Monday to an airplane order potentially worth $30b at list values for up to 270 narrowbody jets in a bid to secure a pandemic recovery at favorable prices, industry sources said. The order could include up to 200 Boeing 737 MAX and some 70 Airbus A321neo which competes with the top end of the MAX family for single-aisle trips needing most range. Such a deal would notionally be worth $33b at the most recently published list prices, but analysts say airlines typically pay less than half price for deals of this size. None of the parties commented ahead of an announcement expected at a United investor event on Tuesday. Negotiations are complex and numbers of units can shift, the sources cautioned. The deal would be the industry’s biggest since the coronavirus pandemic pummelled air traffic and airline balance sheets, eclipsing recent orders for more than 100 MAX from Southwest.<br/>