United Airways
It will soon be the world’s largest operator in The Boeing 787, with 76 of the type that already works and a huge orders for another 145. Only all Nippon Airways (Ana), the launch agent at B787, is currently working on more of the type, but ultimately, its fleet will eventually evaluate 99 aircraft with more than 220 aircraft in United.
Photo: Jared Michael Unlike
United was also one of the first airlines to deliver the plane, with its first example that enters service in 2012. This was B787-8, the smallest and the first variable that Boeing
Absolute. Although United has gained more B787-9s and B787-10S since then, it still runs an important sub-fuse of 12 B787-8s. So let’s take a closer look at the B787s in the UNITED, specifically in the B787-8S and the axes that fly from it.

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Boeing 787 strategy in United
UNITED Airlines The Boeing 787 is used as a “United Next” strategy, a comprehensive plan to modernize the fleet and the expansion of the network, which has already achieved major results, as shown in United’s recent profits.
Photo: David defender Unlike
The main elements of the following strategy are:
- Fleet renewal and efficiency: United replaces an older broad plane (such as B767S and B77772200s) with 787s fuel. The advanced compound design in Dreamliner, decreased fuel burning (up to 20-25 % per seat) helps, and reduce carbon emissions helps reduce operating costs and improve environmental performance. However, it should be noted that the increased demand for international travel delays the retirement of some old aircraft even with the arrival of the new B787 so that United maintains the ability to meet the demand.
- Network expand: The airline publishes its 787 fleet on international roads, Long -haul and High -EILD. United enables United to take advantage of the growing global travel demand, while maintaining the competitive advantage of owning the largest international network from North America, with more than 500 daily flights to and 150 international destinations.
- Trending passengers: The new B787s comes equipped with the best product on United, including united polaris Business Class, Premium Plus Seating, and improved entertainment during enlightenment. This corresponds to United to strengthen both the distinctive passengers ’revenues in addition to increasing passenger satisfaction in general.
- Financial benefits: United put a lot of the B787 application book when the market was still recovering from the epidemic, and Boeing, under The Max Fallout, was desperate for any piece of good news. It is possible that United has obtained highly declining discounts for such a large demand and will now benefit from decades of size and costs in terms of cost to operate the B787 fleet of the type one with great flexibility in terms of the size and scale of the plane.
Photo: David defender Unlike
High -level view of the B787 UNITED fleet
Looking at the United Airlines B787 fleet, we can see that it runs 12 example of B787-8, which is now approaching the age of 12. The airline has multiplied on -9 as the main B787 variable it chooses, with over 40 years in operation and distinguished requests for another 145.
The United Airlines Boeing 787 Fleet: April 2025 |
|||
alternative |
No. in the fleet |
Average age (years) |
Wonderful orders |
B787-8 |
12 |
11.8 |
– |
B787-9 |
43 |
6.7 |
145 |
B787-10 |
21 |
4.8 |
– |
However, B787-8 still plays an important role in the wide international operations in United. As the smaller alternative, it was used as a “track opening”, proving the commercial success of a new road before raising the vessels to B787S or B777 larger. It is also ideal for operating “long and thin” roads for secondary cities (for example, Kreystech) or to other alliance axes (for example, Paris).
A closer look at united 787-8s
All United B787-8s was delivered by December 2014, shortly after the first two B787-9 arrived. While all 12 aircraft originally had 219 seats, they were later updated among the epidemic, which was completed in 2021. The capacity rose to 243 seats, with a heavy composition of other B787 variables in UNITED. The 1944 economy seats exceed 188 from -9s.
B787-8s was formed in a four-category design as follows:
- United Polaris: 28 Polaris seats based on the Safran Optima platform, arranged as 4 seats on the width of the cabin. All seats have a 20-inch width, direct access to/from the corridor, and convert it into a flat bed 6′-6. Each seat has a 16-inch touch screen.
- United Premium Plus: 21 Collins Aerospace MIQ is 2-3-2, with a seat width of 18.7 “, a row of 38” and tension 6 “. Each seat has a 13 HD touch screen.
- The United Economy is plus: 36 seats at the front of the 3-3-3 economic cabin, with a seat of 17.1 “, class 34” and 4 “and 4” on the interruption. Each seat has a 9-inch touch screen.
- United Economy: 158 seats for 3-3-3, with a seat of 17.1 “, row 31”, and 3 “on Recline. Each seat has a 9-inch touch screen.
If it flying as a couple, the UNITED Polaris on B787-8 has four rows of business category wings alongside the corridors.
Photo: United Airlines
United Centers that deal with -8s
United flies its full fleet in Boeing 787 out of all its seven positions in the United States. However, according to April data from CereiumIt is a global analysis company, only two of its centers operate on B787-8 roads. Both have a strong focus on Atlantic flights.
Chicago
ORD Airport in Chicago is United The largest center in terms of the number of flights It is also presented, which is the axis that provides the most Boeing 787 (18) ways. In April, United has six B787-8 roads from Chicago, according to the table below:
United Airlines B787-8 sides of Chicago (Ord) |
||
Destination |
Distance (miles) |
Monthly flights (April) |
Amsterdam |
4,120 |
60 |
Dublin |
3,674 |
60 |
Munich |
4530 |
60 |
Milan |
4523 |
36 |
then |
4,213 |
6 |
Tickets from kahului |
4,814 |
2 |
Two of these roads are inside the United States and have a low seat because they are the flight every week to KUNA, which ends this month and daily winter flights to Kahului, which changes to the weekly B787-8 service later this month. Meanwhile, the roads to Amsterdam, Munich and Dublin are standard by Atlantic.
Interestingly, the Milan service moves from B787-10 larger to B787-8 from mid-April, although it becomes the center of the UNITED partner in the near future where ITA Airways from Skyteam moves to Alliance. It should also be noted that United will add a seasonal B787-8 road from Chicago to Barcelona in May and to Shanghai in October.

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Washington, DC
United has six B787-8 roads from the country’s capital, and in total it will actually work more B787-8 flights from Chicago. You might think the smaller B787 will be used on flights from the capital to the West Coast, but like Windy City, the DULLES -8 roads focus exclusively on via Atlantic flights.
United Airlines destinations B787-8 from Washington, DC (IAD) |
||
Destination |
Distance (miles) |
Monthly flights (April) |
Athens |
5,168 |
60 |
Frankfurt |
4,081 |
60 |
Munich |
4,263 |
60 |
Ikra |
5,296 |
42 |
Lagos |
5442 |
34 |
The longest B787-8 road in United is the trip to four times to Lagos, followed by a close road for five times to Accra in Ghana. These are the six African destinations in United, which also includes Johannesburg, Cape Town, Dakar and Marraksh.
Photo: Hayden Unlike
For European roads, it may be surprising to see United flying only in the smaller B787s to its partner’s centers in the Star, Lufthansa alliance. However, the German airline also works on these roads and uses much larger planes. He is currently flying with Airbus A350-900 from Munich and Boeing 747-400 from Frankfurt, and the last road will retreat to flights twice daily during the summer with 747-8 and Airbus A340-300.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple flight
San Francisco: Winter Center for B787-8s
United also runs a limited number of flights B787-8 Growth center In San Francisco during the winter schedule from October to March. These include the following methods:
- Paris: This works as the Daily Boeing 777 service during the summer months, but it decreases to B787-8 during the winter.
- Tahiti: United currently passes five times a week to Papete in Tahiti with Boeing 787-9, but this is reduced four times a week with B787-8 during the winter.
- Craysherch: United Service three times every weekly for New Zealand Southern island You will resume in December.
Photo: Scott Philips Unlike
The Chrostchurch Road is an ideal example of a “long and gentle” path that is perfectly designed for B787-8. The following:
“After the first season of last year, we are pleased to return this seasonal service to the Kreystech, and we are excited to continue this air bridge between the United States and the southern island. This road offers demand for travel and trade, and we look forward to another promising season in the coming.”
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple flight
The biggest picture of B787-8
Although United has placed the most B787 orders and will soon become the largest B787 operator, it is far from the largest operator of the smallest alternative. Boeing 397 presented examples of the B787-8 variable to 38 different airlines since they were raised commercially for the first time in 2011, as the following airlines were the largest operator of the type:
The highest 5 b787-8 operators |
|||
Airlines |
Number in the service |
Average age (years) |
The longest road |
US Airlines |
37 |
6.7 |
Dallas Shanghai (7333 miles) |
cave |
34 |
11.8 |
Tokyo Washington, DC (6764 miles) |
Qatar Airways |
31 |
10.7 |
Duha Danbasar (4,871 miles) |
Indian water |
27 |
10.8 |
Delhi Washington, DC (7,488 miles) |
Japanese Airlines |
23 |
9.8 |
Tokyo-Lindon (5,956 miles) |
Boeing has a total arrangement book of 431 B787-8s, which means that its accumulation has decreased to only 34. This is compared to the accumulation of more than 650 of the most popular B787-9s. Moreover, a long time has passed since a 3 -variable application has been submitted, and some airlines such as South China began to withdraw the smaller (and older) Dreamliner from their fleets.
For United, it is committed to a future in which the B787 is the essence of its long fleet, so we can expect to see the B787-8s for many years to come, so that the airline picks up retired -8 other operators with its availability.