United Plans to Order Up to 150 Jets: Report

United Airlines plans to order up to 150 new airliners and has asked Boeing(BA Quote) and Airbus to propose dueling bids for the jets, a report says.

The Wall Street Journal reports the deal could be worth more than $10 billion. By staging a winner-takes-all competition between the two airplane makers, United's parent, UAL Corp.(UAUA Quote), is hoping to obtain better terms than otherwise might be available, the Journal notes, citing people familiar with the situation.

United sent a formal request to Boeing and Airbus on Tuesday, the newspaper reports. United's request focuses on replacing many of its 111-airplane wide-body fleet, as well as some of its 97 older Boeing 757 narrow-body planes, these people said. United has a total fleet of 400 jetliners, according to the Journal.

United has hired aviation consulting firm Seabury Group to help it negotiate with the airplane makers.

A spokesman for Airbus, a unit of European Aeronautic Defense & Space, declined to confirm or deny United's request, the Journal reports. A Boeing spokesman declined to comment.

United could sign a major order as early as the fall, the newspaper notes, if Boeing or Airbus agree to certain conditions.