Boeing 777X To Battle Airbus A350-1000

Boeing will be hopeful it can add another order to its upcoming 777X program following fresh reports; however, it’ll face competition from Airbus.

The airline in question, which is pondering the acquisition of a new long-haul widebody, is LATAM, which is evaluating its future fleet backlog and the mix it will have moving forward.

As part of the ongoing evaluations, LATAM is considering the Boeing 777X family and even the A350-1000; these planes would be viewed as the ideal option to replace its fleet of 777-300ERs.

Flagged by FlightGlobal and commentary shared by the airline’s Chief Executive Officer, Roberto Alvo, last month at the ALTA annual meeting, the first prospect of a new order was subtly hinted at.

LATAM’s fleet of Boeing 777s stands at 10 aircraft, with an average age of 14.6 years, making them the oldest widebody model in the business at this point.

The company has been transitioning to newer planes over the past few years, with the Boeing 787 leading its widebody fleet. 37 deliveries have taken place, and this fleet type now averages 9.5 years of age.

Despite a reliance on the Boeing 787, and previously the Airbus A350 before this fleet type was axed, there’s a general appetite to replace the 777-300ER with another high-capacity long-haul product such as the 777X and A350-1000.

This is not driven by the Boeing 787 being a bad aircraft, but rather the realisation that the 787 is likely too small to replace the outgoing 777-300ERs, known not just for their range but also for their healthy capacity.

The 777-9 and A350-1000 represent the largest planes currently on the market for airlines, with manufacturers having decided to scrap superjumbos. Airlines have to get creative with what’s currently on the table for their operations and make compromises.

What Airbus and Boeing now have the opportunity to do is engage in lengthy discussions with LATAM to better understand what the company is seeking. From there, the company can determine the best direction.

The airline’s executive confirmed that there’s no rush at this stage in the order process; the deal is likely to go into the next decade, allowing time for both programs to mature and develop further, especially the 777X, which remains uncertified.

Boeing and Airbus Study Larger Planes

What LATAM having time to come to a formal decision possibly also allows is the opportunity for Airbus and Boeing to pitch larger models from their existing flagship products.

At the 2025 Dubai Airshow, Boeing subtly confirmed that it had begun feasibility studies for what is known as the 777-10. This would be the third passenger model in the series if released and the largest.

Meanwhile, Airbus during the same week also confirmed that it was studying the possible release of an A350 Stretch, which would position the A350 to better compete with the 777X family and look to erode any potential market share the American planemaker could win over in the space without competition.

Both of these aircraft are only in their study stages, and neither is confirmed to be launching anytime soon, especially at Boeing, which has bigger concerns than adding another model to its already complicated lineup that still lacks certification.

However, comments from Airbus’ Chief Executive at least offer the insight that there are genuine prospects for these larger aircraft moving forward, as it’s not just one customer calling for their release, with airlines seeking to add valuable capacity to their operations amid increasing demand.

Emirates has warned of this concern: demand increases, and airports are unable to update their infrastructure quickly enough to meet it, requiring airlines to once more transition back to high-capacity alternatives.