The carrier, known as Saudia, has been negotiating with both Airbus and Boeing for wide-body jets for months and its chief executive told Air Transport World in March that a decision for planes like the Airbus A350 or Boeing 787 was expected soon.

The order for wide-body aircraft, which could also include a number of smaller A320-family narrow-body aircraft, may be announced at the Paris Airshow, the people said.

Airbus declined comment.

Saudia Arabian Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Airbus and Boeing are battling for wide-body aircraft orders worth well over $10 billion as the clock ticks toward next week's Paris Airshow, industry sources said on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher, Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta)