Boeing 777X Delivery Updates

Cathay Pacific believes that Boeing is on track to deliver its first 777X sometime in 2027.

The Hong Kong-based airline confirmed the planned first delivery target timeframe during its most recent quarterly earnings call.

The move follows Cathay Pacific announcing an order for 14 additional Boeing 777X jets, part of a continued commitment to the long-haul plane, which is on track for certification in the coming year.

Fourteen additional 777-9s were ordered 12 years after the first deal for the new jet was placed, when the aircraft had just been announced, and purchase rights were included in the contract.

The newest purchase means that Cathay Pacific will take on at least 35 of the 777-9s when all is said and done, if it doesn’t eventually look to secure more of the type to elevate its long-haul flying.

Additionally, the carrier confirmed that the 777-9, while entering into the fleet in the next couple of years, will not force an immediate retirement of the 777-300ER, which is also operational.

This aircraft type, which will begin to show signs of age in due course, is expected to stick around for quite some time longer, according to current forecasts, thanks to comments from the airline’s executive stating the 777-300ERs will fly until the mid to late 2030s.

The retirement of the older Boeing 777s is not being rushed, especially with the newer nature of the product available and also the necessity for 777X jets to be delivered and capacity requirements.

Despite this, optimism is high that Cathay will receive its first 777X in the next two years, 2027 being the target, permitting all goes according to plan between now and then.

Progress On The New Boeing Aircraft

The last couple of weeks for the Boeing 777X have been incredibly positive, giving many customers renewed confidence that this aircraft will be certified in the short to medium term rather than ballooning out once more.

Boeing received the all-clear from the key governing regulator overseeing progress on the jet, the Federal Aviation Administration, to begin key system demonstrations, which means the 777X has returned to the skies for flight testing.

More important than the tests to be conducted themselves is the process this represents in the overall flight testing campaign, which commenced last year. The system demonstrations represent the fourth of five areas. Jon Ostrower of The Air Current is leading reporting.

Despite this commencing, it doesn’t guarantee a smooth remainder of the certification program with roadblocks still a possibility; however, the airline’s confidence is increasing with Boeing in a better position than it has been arguably across the last half decade plus.

First Delivery For 777X In 2026?

While Cathay Pacific forecasts a first delivery of its 777X in 2027, this is not reflective of the entire industry, with delivery slots meaning other airlines will expect their first unit from the new aircraft series sooner.

Airlines such as Emirates and Lufthansa have been two of the more outspoken customers regarding the upcoming passenger aircraft, which they are both customers of.

These two carriers predict the first delivery of the 777X will come sometime towards the latter stages of 2026, aligning with an approval from the FAA also this same year.

A 2026 first delivery and ultimately a 2026 certification follow late-2024 reporting, where the American planemaker confirmed that its previously outlined 2025 forecasting for certification would not likely occur after an internal review was conducted into the state of the program.

Now, Boeing has fully set its sights on the revised timeframe of 2026 to certify the new long-haul jet and get first deliveries off to airline customers shortly after that.

After the first delivery occurs, there’ll be a period in between here and the passenger jet entering regular commercial service as customers conduct routine familiarisation flights on shorter segments with crew aboard.