United Airlines has placed the largest-ever order from a U.S. carrier for wide-body jets, having signed a deal with Boeing for a firm order of 100 787 Dreamliners with an option for up to a further 100 of the aircraft. The 100 planes will be delivered between 2024 and 2032 and the airline will have the option of purchasing the 787-8, 787-9 or 787-10 variants to give it a degree of flexibility for routes chosen for the new aircraft.
On top of this mammoth order, United has also exercised its option for a further 44 Boeing 737-MAX narrow-body jets while placing a further firm order for 56 more MAX jets. The 44 MAXs will be delivered between 2024 and 2026. These new orders are part of United Airlines’ United Next plan to bolster the American carrier’s position in the international and domestic travel sectors while also remaining consistent with the United Next 2026 capacity plan. All in, United Airlines anticipates taking delivery of around 700 narrow-body and wide-body jets between now and 2032, delivering at a rate of two per week in 2023 and over three per week in 2024.
Approximately 100 planes of the new wide-body order are expected to replace older Boeing 767 and Boeing 777 jets, with all 767 aircraft removed from the United fleet by 2030, resulting in up to an anticipated 25% decrease in carbon emissions per seat for the new planes compared to the older planes they are replacing.
