Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

Boeing initially targeted the 787-9 for a 2010 entry into service, but the stretch was postponed from 2010 to at least 2012 and prioritised behind the 787-8 so the smaller variant could reach the market first. The prototype 787-9 made its maiden flight from Paine Field on 17 September 2013, flying for 5 hours and 16 minutes, and was subsequently displayed at the 2014 Farnborough Air Show. The 787-9 received both FAA and EASA type certification on 16 June 2014, and Boeing delivered the first aircraft to the launch customer, Air New Zealand, shortly after, with revenue service beginning in August 2014.

Unlike the 737 MAX family, the 787-9 has never been subject to a type-wide grounding. It was not yet in commercial service during the 787 programme’s 2013 lithium-ion battery grounding, and the March 2024 LATAM seat-switch incident, while serious, resulted in a targeted airworthiness directive and inspection programme rather than a fleet grounding. Boeing continues to develop the type, with an increased maximum takeoff weight (iMTOW) variant certified by the FAA in March 2026, extending range and payload options for airlines.

All three 787 variants share the same 5.74 m (18 ft 10 in) cabin width, allowing airlines to configure economy in either a 2-4-2 or, more commonly, a 3-3-3 layout. Because each airline designs its own cabin, seating totals vary considerably. Typical two-class capacity is generally cited around 290 passengers, sitting between the 787-8’s ~248 and the 787-10’s ~330.

The dimensions and weights below reflect standard 787-9 production data.

The Boeing 787-9 is offered with a choice of two engine families, a point of difference from the single-source 737 MAX 9.

In-seat amenities vary by operator. Many carriers’ Boeing 787-9 fleets feature large dimmable windows, mood lighting, in-seat power/USB and seatback or streaming entertainment, though Wi-Fi provision is not universal. As with any in-production type, cabin standards can differ between an airline’s earliest and most recently delivered 787-9 airframes, and between Trent 1000- and GEnx-powered examples of the same fleet.

Boeing assembles the 787-9 at its North Charleston, South Carolina facility (all 787 final assembly has been consolidated there since 2021).

The Boeing 787-9 is flown by a broad, geographically diverse group of operators, reflecting its role as the “sweet spot” long-haul widebody in the Dreamliner range.

The Boeing 787-9 has no fatal accident or hull loss on its record to date. Notable safety events specific to, or affecting, the Boeing 787-9 include: