How much is that jet?

A price war is looming in the market for commercial jetliners, where Boeing (left) and Airbus are the dominant competitors. Just as consumers rarely pay full price for a new car or truck, airlines rarely pay full price for a new jet, especially during high-profile events like the Farnborough International Air Show (9 July - 15 July).

Both Boeing and Airbus feature their newest models and like to announce major multi-jet deals before, during and after this show. It's not just for bragging rights: Market share must be preserved to avoid losing so many jet deals that manufacturing costs go up as economies of scale are lost.

One London researcher who follows the jet industry tells Reuters: "Boeing is adamant there is a price war with Airbus coming into their territory and that they can't accept a 58/42 or 60/40 [share] split."

With list prices that are sky-high (up to £250 million for the largest jetliners), a lot is at stake when buyers and sellers negotiate. Reports indicate that the discounts airlines receive are, on average, approximately 45% of the list price. Of course, the larger the order, the more bargaining power the buyer has. With so much money at stake, how much will jets sell for this year?