‍DUBAI — South Africa's low-cost carrier and Boeing 737 operator Safair (FA) has signed a lease agreement with AerCap for three new Boeing 737-8 and 2 737-800 jets.

Announced on day 2 of the 2025 Dubai Air Show, the deal will see the pair of 737-800s delivered in Q3 of next year, with the 737-8 following in Q1 of 2028.

This is the airline’s first commitment for the 737 MAX, making it the first operator in South Africa after the less than week-long stint with the type in 2021 of now-liquidated Comair.

"We are very pleased to welcome FlySafair as a new customer to AerCap, and to support their fleet modernization plan," said AerCap Chief Commercial Officer, Peter Anderson. "We thank the team at FlySafair for their partnership and wish them every success as they expand their network to meet growing customer demand."

FlySafair Chief Marketing Officer, Kirby Gordon, also stated, "We're thrilled to embark on this next stage of our fleet development with AerCap as we introduce the Boeing 737 MAX to our operations. This partnership represents a meaningful investment in efficiency, sustainability, and passenger experience.”

FlySafair currently operates an all-Boeing 737 fleet consisting of 4 737-400s and 35 737-800s, all second-hand aircraft with all-economy cabins.