United Airlines' Record 20 Boeing 787 Deliveries Set for 2026

United Airlines will oversee one of its most significant widebody fleet transformations this year, with the carrier expecting a total of 20 Boeing 787 Dreamliner deliveries over 2026. With more than 80 Dreamliners already in its fleet, the new arrivals will boost the sub-fleet to over 100 aircraft, enabling the airline to make network expansions and phase out older, less-efficient widebodies. United has been steadily growing its long-haul operations in recent years, now offering more long-haul flights than any other airline in the world. As an operator of all three Dreamliner variants — the 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 — United is also among the world's largest 787 operators. United To Welcome Up To 20 Boeing 787s This Year In its recent Q4 and full-year earnings report, United revealed it would be taking delivery of around 20 new 787s in 2026, representing the largest widebody intake of any US carrier since 1988. United was one of the first Boeing customers to start flying the Dreamliner, taking delivery of its first airframe over 13 years ago. The newly-delivered 787 Dreamliners will feature United's updated 'Elevate' interior, delivering the highest premium capacity of any US-registered widebody at 64 Polaris seats, 35 Premium Plus seats, and 123 economy seats. As per ch-aviation data, United has a total of 81 Dreamliners in its fleet as of mid-January, comprised of 12 787-8s, 48 787-9s and 21 787-10s. Despite recently converting 56 of its Dreamliner orderbook from the 787-9 to the larger 787-10, all of its new Dreamliners this year will be the 787-9 model — in fact, United hasn't taken delivery of any 787-10s or 787-8s in almost three years, with its most recent deliveries all being the 787-9. As it stands, the carrier has outstanding commitments for 140 Dreamliners, consisting of 84 787-9s and 56 787-10s. United said, "United plans to use these new aircraft to profitably expand its network, including its industry-leading international routes and growing domestic network." Significant Narrowbody Growth United also revealed it would be inducting up to 100 narrowbody aircraft over the next 12 months, representing an average of around eight new narrowbodies each month. This will include both the Airbus A321neo and Boeing 737 MAX, including the first of United's Airbus A321XLR aircraft. These new single-aisle jets will help United replace older models — such as the Boeing 757, along with older Airbus A319/A320 and 737s — as well as expand its overall capacity. United still has over 300 737NG aircraft in its fleet, with an average age of over 22 years, while its A319s and A320ceos are also a similar age. Under its "United Next" fleet modernization plan, United is aiming for the majority of its fleet to be comprised of new-generation aircraft by 2030. This will enable the carrier drive down its operational costs, whilst also meeting increasingly stringent airport and environmental regulations around emissions and noise. Optimism For The Year Ahead United reported better-than-expected results for the full year in 2025 and has forecast record-breaking earnings for 2026. Premium revenue has been a key factor, with the airline recording an impressive 11% year-on-year increase in premium takings. Delta Air Lines is also reaping the rewards of investing heavily in premium capacity, recently revealing that its Q4 premium revenue had overtaken its main-cabin revenue for the first time ever. Although United's operations remain dominated by domestic services, the long-haul market accounts for many of its most lucrative routes. According to scheduling data from Cirium, United's long-haul network will see an average of 148 daily departures this year, representing a 4% year-on-year increase. The 787 Dreamliner offers significant efficiency upgrades on previous-generation aircraft in the United fleet, particularly the Boeing 767 and older 777 models. Given its exceptional range, the 787 has become a particularly important part of UA's ultra-long-haul network, operating the majority of its routes of 15 hours or longer.