Will United Airlines Order The Boeing 777X?

United Airlines is one of the industry’s largest companies but hasn’t shown interest yet in purchasing the upcoming Boeing 777X. Is this going to change?

Introducing The Boeing 777X

The Boeing 777X was announced in the early to mid-2010s and was seen as a perfect aircraft to build upon the success enjoyed with the existing 777 platform.

Upon its announcement, the aircraft received substantial orders from major international airlines, who saw it as pivotal for their long-term fleet renewal efforts.

Furthermore, the aircraft was arriving at a point where airlines were beginning to say goodbye to their quad-engined widebody types and move towards more fuel-efficient twin-engine aircraft.

The 777X has new efficient engines in the GE9X, while other substantial enhancements, such as folding wingtips and updated avionics, aim to offer a greater experience for passengers and airlines financially.

However, similarly to the Airbus A380, one region that hasn’t seen the 777X from Boeing as favourable has been the United States, despite Boeing being an American manufacturer.

United Says No To 777X

Only in August 2024, United Airlines’ Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning & Alliances, Patrick Quayle, spoke exclusively with Business Insider about prospects of taking the 777X in the future.

While the 777X’s purpose is clear, and once certified and delivered, it will be a fantastic aircraft for airlines, this is a plane that doesn’t work for United.

In fact, the airline executives have been pretty clear that they don’t believe that it will be fundamentally a type that’ll feature in their fleet unless something changes.

The United Airlines Business Model

A lot of United’s desire not to use the 777X comes from the same reason ordering the Airbus A380 wasn’t ever considered, and that’s driven by the business model.

United focuses on having multiple hubs across the United States, with the degree of demand varying quite substantially. This model type differs from most airlines that have already committed to the 777X.

In the case of 777X customers such as Emirates, Etihad, Cathay Pacific, ANA, Qatar, and even British Airways, these airlines all have one thing in common: they often use one core airport for their operations.

As a result, these airlines will look to have larger aircraft to meet demand and connect their hub to worldwide destinations. In the case of United Airlines, however, it is the opposite, and they feed traffic internationally or domestically through hubs across the United States.

This business model means that nowadays, ultra-high capacity airliners that offer less flexibility and have hefty costs are not deemed as favourable.

The model also focuses on serving key international markets from many different hubs United calls home within the United States, whether through markets such as London or Sydney.

As a result, the airline doesn’t necessarily need to use high-capacity aircraft to have passengers travel to just one location acting as a central hub for international operations.

Why United Airlines Flies So Many Boeing 787s

Instead of ordering an aircraft such as the 777X from Boeing, United, another equally popular widebody has relied heavily on the 787 Dreamliner.

The Dreamliner’s use has been so significant that the airline flies every variant, from the 787-8 to the middle ground 787-9, alongside the largest 787-10.

Ultimately, the 787 has become so favourable for the company because of its available variants and significant levels of flexibility.

Whether the requirement is for high-capacity flying from coast to coast within the United States, long-range flights towards Australia, or markets within Europe, the 787 is the perfect solution.

Furthermore, with the airline not having one central hub but a wide array, it doesn’t need aircraft with 500+ seats to cater to demand; instead, it can use its Dreamliners to serve markets adequately.

Nowadays, United Airlines has just over 70 Dreamliners in its fleet. Still, this number is expected to grow even further thanks to fresh commitments in recent years.

Moreover, with no plans to order the 777X and the arrival of the A350 seemingly becoming increasingly unlikely as the year progresses, the 787 is the only option left to operate its widebody missions.

Will United Order The 777X?

Ultimately, for reasons such as a love for the Boeing 787, a proven business model that focuses on utilising several hubs, an order for the 777X seems unlikely.

United Airlines doesn’t doubt that the 777X has potential and will be a favoured aircraft worldwide. However, it’s not what the company is after moving forward.

Reliance on the 787 will continue, with this aircraft type becoming the sole widebody the airline operates with. Eventually, the airline will look to retire the 777s that are beginning to age.