Russian flagship airline Aeroflot said on Wednesday it had signed a firm order to buy eight Boeing 777s , in line with earlier plans, partly to boost its fleet ahead of the Winter Olympics in 2014.

The eight planes -- six Boeing 777-300s and two Boeing 777-200s -- have a ticket value of $2.17 billion according to Reuters data, although an industry source told Reuters the carrier had received a discount and would pay around $1.6 billion.

A spokesman for Boeing in Russia said the order was part of Aeroflot's longer term plans to buy 16 new Boeing 777s for $4 billion over the next six years.

First deliveries will be made in 2013 -- in time for an expected boost in demand for Russian international air travel ahead of the Winter Olympics, which will be held in the Black Sea resort of Sochi in 2014.

Aeroflot continues to have an outstanding order for 22 of the much delayed Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which are now around three years behind schedule. The Boeing spokesman confirmed the Dreamliner order was still in place.

The signing of the Boeing-Aeroflot deal took place as part of a visit to Russia by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.

(Reporting by Gleb Stolyarov, Steve Gutterman, John Bowker; Editing by David Cowell)

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