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Boeing 787-9 Leads 2026 Widebody Deliveries as Airlines Replace Older Aircraft
In 2026, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner is driving fleet modernization at four airlines by replacing older widebodies like the 767, 777-200, and A340.
The gist
The 787-9 Dreamliner is the top widebody delivered in 2026, replacing legacy aircraft across multiple global carriers.
Global air travel demand continues its upward trend, prompting airlines to modernize fleets and expand routes to meet passenger growth. The International Air Transport Association projects passenger volumes to double by 2050, intensifying the need for efficient, long-range aircraft. Aircraft manufacturers Boeing and Airbus have been ramping up deliveries after pandemic-related delays, with 2026 marking the highest half-year delivery pace since 2018.
Aviation analytics firm Cirium reports that during the first half of 2026, Boeing and Airbus delivered nearly 650 commercial aircraft — just 5% shy of the 2018 record. This uptick has been led mainly by narrowbody aircraft, with single-aisle types like the A320 family and 737 MAX seeing robust demand. Meanwhile, widebody deliveries, including twin-aisle jets, remained steady, with the 787-9 Dreamliner emerging as the most delivered widebody variant so far this year.
Specifically, Boeing handed over 35 units of the 787-9 up to mid-2026, with 52 scheduled for full-year delivery across 13 airlines. Since entering service in 2014, the 787-9 has become a key component in long-haul fleets worldwide due to its superior fuel efficiency and extended range, making it an attractive replacement for older aircraft.
Several airlines are actively retiring legacy widebodies such as the Boeing 767, 777-200, and Airbus A340 models, substituting them with new 787-9s. United Airlines exemplifies this transition; as an early 787 Dreamliner adopter, it now operates over 80 Dreamliners, including all three variants. The airline is retiring its older 767 and 777-200 aircraft because higher operating costs and lower efficiency no longer justify their use.
United’s 787-9 fleet serves diverse long-haul routes spanning Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Australia, and South America. It is also the platform for United’s premium Polaris Studio suites, which debuted in 2026 featuring larger, enclosed seats with advanced entertainment and connectivity options. United aims to operate around 20 'Elevated' 787-9s with Polaris Studio by the end of the year, expanding to 47 by 2028, emphasizing premium passenger experience.
Similarly, Air India is deploying the 787-9 Dreamliner to replace older widebodies like the 777-300ER on key international routes. In July 2026, Air India transitioned its Mumbai to London Heathrow flights to the 787-9, and in August, introduced the aircraft on the Delhi-Toronto service. The airline also briefly used the 787-9 on Delhi to Tokyo Haneda and Mumbai to Frankfurt routes, signaling a strategic redeployment of its widebody fleet.
Air India's 787-9s include new line-fit aircraft with three-class cabins comprising 30 Business Class suites, 28 Premium Economy seats, and 238 Economy seats. The Dreamliner fleet grew in part through the merger with Vistara, adding 787-9s previously operated by the smaller carrier. These aircraft underscore Air India’s commitment to modernize its long-haul operations through enhanced fuel efficiency and passenger comfort.
Lufthansa is phasing out its Airbus A340-600s and substituting their services with Boeing 787-9s and soon, the Boeing 777X. The German carrier deployed 787-9s on several North American routes during its latest northern winter schedule, including flights from Frankfurt to Atlanta, Detroit, and Newark Liberty, which were historically operated by the A340-600. Lufthansa’s A340-600 fleet has shrunk from a peak of 24 aircraft to fewer as retirements continue.
Although Lufthansa planned to retire its A340-600s by 2025, delays in Boeing 787 deliveries forced some A340s to remain in service longer. The airline currently operates 18 Boeing 787-9s alongside a broad widebody fleet including Airbus A330s, A350s, A380s, and Boeing 747s. Its widebody order backlog features over 50 new Boeing 787-9s and 777Xs, highlighting a significant fleet renewal underway despite ongoing production delays.
The widespread introduction of the Boeing 787-9 across major carriers illustrates a clear trend in aviation fleet strategy: replacing older, less efficient widebodies with technologically advanced aircraft that provide enhanced economics and passenger amenities. With nearly half of the projected annual deliveries completed by mid-2026, the Dreamliner’s role in long-haul aviation is strengthening, mirroring a broader industry push towards modernization amid rising air travel demand.
Frequently asked questions
- Which aircraft is leading widebody deliveries in 2026?
- The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner is the most-delivered widebody aircraft in 2026, with 35 units delivered in the first half of the year.
- Which airlines are replacing older widebodies with the 787-9?
- United Airlines, Air India, and Lufthansa are among the airlines actively replacing older widebody types like the 767, 777-200, and A340-600 with Boeing 787-9s.
- What enhancements does United Airlines offer on its 787-9?
- United Airlines’ 'Elevated' 787-9s feature Polaris Studio suites, providing larger, enclosed seats with 27-inch 4K OLED screens, privacy doors, wireless charging, and premium amenities to enhance long-haul travel.
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Lufthansa Charges Extra for Most Lufthansa Allegris Business Class Seats
Lufthansa is in the process of rolling out its much anticipated new Allegris business class cabins, and so far, they're installed on select Airbus A350-900s and Boeing 787-9s, consistently available on some long haul routes . Lufthansa has heavily marketed how its new Allegris business class product is all about choice, and that the airline offers at least five different business class seating options. The catch is that a majority of these seats are actually buy-up options, so they'll cost you extra if you just book a standard business class ticket. In this post, I'd like to take a look at how Lufthansa Allegris business class seating actually works in terms of the fees. How much will you pay to assign the various types of Allegris business class seats, and what happens if you don't pay for a seat in advance? Is waiting until check-in to get a seat assignment going to get you the worst seat, or is that the hack to get the best seat? Let's start with covering the basics of Lufthansa's different kinds of Allegris seats, and then we'll talk about how much assigning them will cost you. Types of Lufthansa Allegris business class seats I've now had the chance to fly Lufthansa's Allegris business class on both the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 . It's a massive improvement over the old product, and there's also a huge difference in terms of the quality between the various seats in this configuration. Lufthansa Allegris business class cabin Lufthansa publishes the below maps of the two plane types that have Allegris, which shows you the different kinds of seating options. Lufthansa Allegris seat map Airbus A350-900 Lufthansa Allegris seat map Boeing 787-9 Let me use the Airbus A350-900 as an example, which has 38 business class seats. Here are the five types of seats, including which cost extra, who can assign them for free, etc.: The classic seats (12 of 38 seats), which are the standard seats closest to the aisle, can be assigned in advance by all passengers at no extra cost The privacy seats (10 of 38 seats), which are the "true" window seats that offer extra privacy, are free for Miles & More HON Circle and Senator members and their companions, and can be booked at an extra cost by others The extra space seats (four of 38 seats), which are the middle "throne" seats that offer a lot of space, are free for Miles & More HON Circle and Senator members and their companions, and can be booked at an extra cost by others The extra long bed seats (four of 38 seats), which are select middle seats with extra long beds behind the extra space seats, are free for Miles & More HON Circle members and their companions, and can be booked at an extra cost by others The business suites (eight of 38 seats), which are the super spacious seats with doors in the first row of each cabin, are available at an extra cost for all passengers Lufthansa Allegris business class privacy seat How much Lufthansa charges for Allegris seat assignments How much does Lufthansa charge to assign seats in Allegris business class? It depends on the length of the flight and the exact seats. Lufthansa actually no longer publishes the amounts (best I can tell), so I guess the pricing is technically dynamic. That being said, at launch the airline did publish these prices, and I think the pricing is largely still similar, so let me share those numbers (while noting that they may be a little different now). The prices shown are in three different currencies. For shorter long haul flights, including to and from Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, you can find the seat fee chart below. Lufthansa Allegris business class seat fees For medium long haul flights, including to and from Angola, Eastern Canada, India, Kazakhstan, Kenya, and the Eastern United States, you can find the seat fee chart below. Lufthansa Allegris business class seat fees For longer long haul flights, including to and from Argentina, Brazil, Western Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, and the Western United States, you can find the seat fee chart below. Lufthansa Allegris business class seat fees To summarize: The extra space seats range in cost from €130 to €230 The extra long bed seats range in cost from €100 to €170 The privacy seats seats range in cost from €100 to €170 The business suites range in cost from €400 to €600 Lufthansa Allegris business class classic seat What happens if you don't assign a seat in advance? What happens if you are flying in Lufthansa Allegris business class, and don't assign a seat in advance? That could either be because there are no classic seats left to assign, or simply because you want to gamble, and see what you end up with. For example, I recently played around with this a bit on a flight from Austin (AUS) to Frankfurt (FRA). Before online check-in, below is what the seat map looked like (I assume the pricing was showing in CAD since I had redeemed Air Canada Aeroplan points). Lufthansa Allegris business class seat fees As you can see, there was a classic seat left to assign, but it was a center seat in the last row. Meanwhile there were were a few business suites, a couple of privacy seats, and an extra long bed seat, so I figured there was no downside in waiting. Worst case scenario, I'd end up in the only seat I could assign at no cost anyway. Once online check-in opened, I noticed that the privacy seats were available to select at no additional cost. Meanwhile the business suites and extra long bed seats continued to show the same pricing. Lufthansa Allegris business class seat map Lufthansa Allegris business class seat fees So the system seems to be that privacy seats become assignable at no cost when online check-in opens. I understand the concept of wanting to still charge for business suites, but for extra long bed seats? I find that to be weird, as it's a really niche product. Now, who ended up getting the business suites? I know in theory Lufthansa tries to upgrade its top elite members to those seats, but more often than not, things don't seem to play out that way. I was monitoring the seat map, and those seats seemed to go to the last people who checked in, when there were no remaining seats. I of course can't say with certainty, but the people didn't strike me as Lufthansa frequent flyers. So of course it depends on the situation on a particular flight, but it seems that the best way to get a business suite at no cost is to be among the last to check-in. Of course that could also mean you get the worst seats in the cabin, so it goes both ways. Lufthansa Allegris business class extra space seat My take on Lufthansa's Allegris pricing approach As you can see above, the average business class passenger can assign fewer than one-third of Lufthansa's Allegris business class seats at no extra cost. Miles & More elite members can assign more seats at no extra cost, but the front row business class suites are only available for purchase, and aren't given to anyone for free, unless it's for operational reasons. With that in mind, a few thoughts: It's disappointing to think that even having the privilege of looking out the window comes at an extra cost in Allegris business class Those who don't want to pay extra for assigning seats in Allegris business class are going to often find themselves not being able to assign a seat in advance, and/or may also have issues assigning seats next to a travel companion (which is a problem in Allegris business class in general, given that the only seats together are the center business suites) I guess we can't be too judgmental of the concept of charging for business class seat assignments, given that this is something that British Airways has done for years, and which Air France-KLM have adapted as well Lufthansa's first row suites in Allegris business class are excellent, among the better "business class plus" products out there;
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