United Airlines Orders 100 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, With options For 100 More

United Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (N29975) - Steve Flint - AirTeamImages.com

On Tuesday, December 13, United Airlines and Boeing announced the airline's intention to purchase 100 new planes with an option to purchase 100 more. The carrier said the order for up to 200 aircraft amounted to "the largest widebody order by a U.S. carrier in commercial aviation history." 100 Dreamliners in the order will replace Boeing 767s and some of its Triple Sevens. The deal is the largest 787 Dreamliner order in Boeing’s history.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said the airline had exited the COVID-19 pandemic as "the world's leading global airline.“United emerged from the pandemic as the world’s leading global airline and the flag carrier of the United States. This order further solidifies our lead and creates new opportunities for our customers, employees, and shareholders by accelerating our plan to connect more people to more places around the globe and deliver the best experience in the sky," - Commented Scott.

According to sources, United is also purchasing 56 additional Boeing 737 Max narrow-body planes and exercising options for 44 more. 

The U.S. carrier says they expect to take delivery of the new widebody planes between 2024 and 2032 and can choose from three models to have the flexibility to support a wide range of routes: “With this investment in its future fleet, the 737 MAX and 787 will help United accelerate its fleet modernization and global growth strategy,” President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes Stan Deal commented. “The Boeing team is honored by United’s trust in our family of airplanes to connect people and transport cargo around the world for decades to come."

United Airlines Fleet Stats provided by AirNav RadarBox

For United, the carrier says it now expects to take delivery of around 700 narrow and widebody planes by the end of 2032, adding an average of two per week in 2023 and more than three per week in 2024.

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