The final purchase prices paid by airlines for additions to their fleets are among the commercial aviation industry's most closely guarded secrets. The big two manufacturers, Airbus and Boeing, do publish annual lists of what are called book prices, but it's no secret that no carriers end up paying these published numbers.

The factors that come into play when determining the final prices are various, including the number of aircraft in the order; the historical relationship between the manufacturer and the carrier; and the interest of the manufacturer in getting a given aircraft model used by a reputatable airline, which can add zeros to its own bottom line across the industry.

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