At first glance, Boeing 777-300ER and boeing 787 It can be seen that they play a similar role. After all, both are twin-engine widebody aircraft built by Boeing, both are used on long-distance routes, and both are operated by major airlines around the world. However, upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that these two aircraft were designed for very different purposes.
The 777-300ER was developed to transport large numbers of passengers over long distances and to replace older four-engine aircraft such as: Boeing 747-400 And the Airbus A340. In contrast, the 787 was designed with a focus on efficiency, flexibility and reduced operating costs, especially on long-haul but low-demand routes.
Differences in size, weight, passenger capacity, and power clearly indicate that these aircraft occupy different positions in Boeing’s widebody lineup. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how the 777-300ER is significantly larger than the 787 from almost every physical and operational standpoint.
Overall size and dimensions
One clear way to compare the size of the Boeing 777-300ER and 787 is to look at the basic dimensions. The 777-300ER is approximately 73.9 meters (242 feet) long, making it longer than all variants of the 787, including the stretched 787-10. The 787-10 is approximately 224 feet (68.3 m) long, while the smallest variant, the 787-8, is only 186 feet (56.7 m) long.
Wingspan further highlights the differences between the two aircraft. 
boeing The 777-300ER has a wingspan of approximately 64.8 m (212 feet). The 787’s wingspan is approximately 60.1 m (197 feet), and while the 787’s wings are built using advanced composite materials and optimized aerodynamics, the 777’s wings are larger to support its heavier structure.
In terms of height, the 777-300ER is approximately 61 feet (18.5 m) tall, while the 787 is approximately 56 feet (17 m) tall. When viewed from a ramp or gate like this, the larger size of the 777-300ER is immediately noticeable.
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passenger capacity
One of the most important practical indicators of aircraft size is passenger capacity, and this is an area where the Boeing 777-300ER clearly surpasses the 787. In a typical two-class configuration, the 777-300ER seats between 350 and 370 passengers, with some high-density layouts exceeding 400 seats. Airlines operating aircraft on high-demand routes often configure their aircraft to maximize capacity, making them truly long-distance carriers.
for example, 
emirates airlinesthe world’s largest operator of the Boeing 777-300ER, has six different configurations across a total of 118 aircraft, with total seating capacity ranging from 324 to 421 people. These different configurations for each AeroLOPA are summarized in the table below.
aircraft | first class | business class | Premium Economy | economy class | gun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Boeing 777-300ER (v1) | 6 | 38 | 24 | 256 | 324 |
Boeing 777-300ER (v2) | 8 | 40 | 24 | 256 | 328 |
Boeing 777-300ER (v3) | 8 | 40 | 24 | 260 | 332 |
Boeing 777-300ER (v4) | 8 | 42 | – | 304 | 354 |
Boeing 777-300ER (v5) | 8 | 42 | – | 310 | 360 |
Boeing 777-300ER (v6) | – | 35 | – | 386 | 421 |
The Boeing 787 is noticeably smaller inside. The 787-8 typically seats about 230 to 250 passengers, while the 787-9 seats roughly 260 to 290. The largest model, the 787-10, can seat between 300 and 330 passengers, which is still well below the capacity of the 777-300ER. These differences reflect the purpose of each aircraft. The 777-300ER is designed for major hub-to-hub routes with consistently high demand, while the 787 is optimized for thinner routes where it is difficult to accommodate very large aircraft.
Maximum takeoff weight and engine power
The Boeing 777-300ER has a maximum takeoff weight of approximately 775,000 pounds (351 metric tons), allowing it to carry a full passenger load, significant cargo, and enough fuel for long-haul flights. By comparison, the Boeing 787-10 has a maximum takeoff weight of approximately 560,000 pounds (254 metric tons), while the smaller 787-9 and 787-8 have much lower weight limits. This actually means that the 777-300ER can lift 200,000 pounds (90 metric tons), which is significantly more than the largest 787.
These differences are reflected in the aircraft structure. The 777-300ER features heavy-duty landing gear with six wheels on each main gear assembly, while the 787 uses a lighter four-wheel configuration. A stronger structure is needed to support the larger size and weight of the 777.
Bigger aircraft require more power, so the Boeing 777-300ER is equipped accordingly. The aircraft’s power sources include: general electric The GE90-115B engine is the most powerful jet engine ever used in commercial aircraft. Each engine can produce up to 115,000 lbs of thrust, and the fan diameter is so large that it exceeds the width of the fuselage for many of its narrow bodies.
The Boeing 787 uses either: rolls royce Trent 1000 or General Electric GEnx engine. Although these engines are very efficient, they produce much less thrust, typically between 64,000 and 76,000 lbs, depending on the aircraft variant. This stark difference in engine power highlights just how much larger and heavier the 777-300ER is, and that the aircraft requires enormous thrust to get it off the ground, especially when operating long-haul flights from hot or high-altitude airports.
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cargo capacity
The Boeing 777-300ER offers much more than just transporting passengers. cargo Its greater capacity than the 787 further strengthens its status as a much larger aircraft. The 777-300ER’s wide fuselage and extended length allow for expanded underfloor cargo space. These cargo holds can accommodate a large number of standard containers and the aircraft can carry significant cargo even when fully loaded with passengers.
This makes the 777-300ER particularly valuable on long-haul routes where freight plays a key role in overall route profitability. The Boeing 787 is still a capable cargo carrier, but it has less space under the floor. The smaller fuselage diameter and lower maximum takeoff weight limit the amount of cargo that can be carried along with passengers.
While some routes require airlines to prioritize passengers over cargo on the 787, the 777-300ER can often do both without compromise. For airlines serving major global hubs with high cargo demand, this additional capacity provides a clear operational advantage to the 777-300ER and further highlights the size gap between the two. aircraft.
market position
A final way to understand why the Boeing 777-300ER is larger than the 787 is to examine how airlines deploy each aircraft. The 777-300ER is a high-capacity long-distance aircraft that is often used to replace older large-capacity aircraft such as the Boeing 747-400 and Airbus A340. It operates on some of the world’s busiest long-haul routes, and airlines rely on these routes where demand is strong and consistent enough to justify very large aircraft.
The Boeing 787, in contrast, was designed to complement rather than replace larger widebodies. Its small size allows airlines to fly longer routes with fewer passengers while maintaining strong fuel efficiency, making it excellent for opening new markets and connecting secondary cities.
This difference is intentional, as Boeing never designed the 787 to compete directly with the 777-300ER. Instead, the two aircraft occupy different segments, with the 777-300ER firmly at the larger end of the widebody spectrum.
How does airline cabin layout on the Boeing 777-300ER vary across North American airlines?
Three different North American airlines operate the Boeing 777-300ER.
The world’s largest operator of each aircraft
According to the latest data from ch-aviation, Emirates has a total fleet of 118 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, which the airline is based on: 
Dubai International Airport (DXB) is by far the world’s largest aircraft operator. Emirates followed suit. 
Qatar Airways Air France has a total fleet of 57 and 43 777-300ERs respectively. The world’s largest commercial airlines for the Boeing 777-300ER are summarized in the table below.
ranking | airline | Boeing 777-300ER |
|---|---|---|
1 | emirates airlines | 118 |
2 | Qatar Airways | 57 |
3 | air france | 43 |
4 | Cathay Pacific | 35 |
5 | saudi | 35 |
6 | turkish airlines | 35 |
7 | EVA Air | 33 |
8 | Air China | 28 |
9 | Korean Air | 25 |
10 | Singapore Airlines | 22 |
For Boeing 787, All Nippon Airways It is currently the world’s largest airline with a total fleet of 90 aircraft across three models: 36 787-8s, 44 787-9s, and 10 787-10s. 
united airlines and 
american airlines They are the second and third largest operators, with fleets of 85 and 70 respectively. The world’s largest operators of the Boeing 787 family are:
ranking | airline | Boeing 787-8 | Boeing 787-9 | Boeing 787-10 | gun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | All Nippon Airways | 36 | 44 | heat | 90 |
2 | united airlines | 12 | 52 | 21 | 85 |
3 | american airlines | 37 | 33 | – | 70 |
4 | Qatar Airways | 31 | 20 | – | 51 |
5 | Etihad Airways | – | 37 | heat | 47 |
6 | Japan Airlines | 23 | 22 | 45 | |
7 | British Airways | 12 | 18 | 12 | 42 |
8 | air canada | 8 | 32 | – | 40 |
9 | Hainan Airlines | 10 | 28 | – | 38 |
10 | LATAM Airlines | 10 | 27 | – | 37 |
newcomer 
Riyadh Water The fledgling airline will soon become one of the world’s largest Boeing 787 operators, as it has a total of 40 787-9s on order to operate from its hub at Riyadh King Khalid International Airport (RUH). Currently Riyadh Air flies to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) with 787-9s, but the airline has ambitious plans to connect destinations around the world via Riyadh.
