China Southern Airlines Co Ltd said on August 3 that its subsidiary Xiamen Airlines signed an aircraft acquisition agreement with Boeing Co to buy 40 737 aircraft.

The list price of the airplanes is $3.36 billion. The planes will be delivered between 2016 and 2019, said China Southern Airlines, which has 51 percent stake in the company.

Xiamen Airlines' fleet, which only has Boeing planes, will increase to 121 aircraft after the order.

The new aircraft will increase China Southern Airlines' transport capability by 7.93 percent compared to December 2011.

The new planes will also facilitate the airlines' internationalization, it said.