Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner

Boeing announced the 787 programme on 26 April 2004, with All Nippon Airways (ANA) as launch customer for 50 aircraft, initially split between a proposed short-haul 787-3 and the long-haul 787-8. The 787-3 was later cancelled in December 2010 as Boeing focused resources on the 787-8 and the stretched 787-9.

The first 787-8 rolled out at a public ceremony in Everett, Washington on 8 July 2007, though its first flight was delayed roughly two years by production and supply-chain issues. The Boeing 787-8 finally flew for the first time on 15 December 2009 from Paine Field. The FAA certified the 787-8 in August 2011, and the first delivery went to All Nippon Airways on 25 September 2011, entering commercial service the following month.

The 787-8, along with the rest of the fleet at the time, was grounded worldwide from January to April 2013 following lithium-ion battery fires, before Boeing’s redesigned battery system was approved. From 2019 onward, broader 787 programme quality-control issues caused a significant production slowdown, and from January 2021 into August 2022 deliveries across the whole 787 family nearly ceased while the FAA reviewed Boeing’s inspection and rework processes.

Most recently, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was involved in the type’s first fatal accident and hull loss: Air India Flight 171 on 12 June 2025. That investigation remains open as of July 2026.

The Boeing 787-8 was originally designed around an 8-abreast (2-4-2) economy layout intended to preserve extra personal space, though most operators today fly it 9-abreast (3-3-3) for higher density, similar to competing wide-bodies. Because each airline designs its own cabin, seating totals vary; typical two-class capacity is generally cited around 234 to 248 passengers, with higher-density configurations reported at some operators.

The dimensions and weights below reflect standard 787-8 production data.

The Boeing 787-8 is offered with a choice of two engine types, both developed specifically for the Dreamliner programme.

In-seat amenities vary by operator. Boeing 787-8 cabins typically feature LED mood lighting that can shift colour and intensity to reduce jet lag, electrochromic dimmable windows (among the largest fitted to any airliner), and a lower cabin altitude and higher humidity than on older aircraft for improved comfort on long flights. Wi-Fi provision is not universal, and in-flight entertainment systems vary by operator and delivery date.

Boeing assembles the 787-8 at its North Charleston, South Carolina, facility.

The Boeing 787-8 is flown by a broad group of long-haul carriers, though many of the largest 787 operators have since concentrated new deliveries on the 787-9 and 787-10.

Unlike some newer widebody types with a clean individual safety record, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner has two specific, well-documented safety events attached to its history.

Notable safety events specific to the Boeing 787-8 include: