United has ordered 50 new planes from both Boeing and Airbus

United Airlines said Tuesday it plans to buy its first new jets in over 11 years. The carrier has placed 50 orders, splitting it between Airbus and Boeing, and expects the new fleet to be rolling down the runway between 2016 and 2019.

The price tag for this purchase? A mere $10 billion! United ordered 25 of the long anticipated Boeing 787 widebody jet and 25 of the Airbus A350.
United has not commented on how they will pay for these planes, but it is expected that the manufacturers will provide loans if needed.

This would be the first time that United purchased new jetliners from a company other than Boeing. The third-biggest U.S. airline stated that the new planes will reduce fuel burn and environmental impact. In addition, United expects to expand service to more international locations as these babies arrive over the next decade.

Source Associated Press

Picture courtesy of Flickr member cliff1066