that boeing 787 Since entering commercial service in 2011, it has proven to be a huge commercial success for the American manufacturer. Nearly 15 years later, more than a billion people around the world fly the 787, and the aircraft operates more than 2,100 flights a day. With these impressive statistics, Airbus may be asking itself what it needs to do to make its competing aircraft, the A350, a success.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what has made the Boeing 787 so popular over the past 15 years. We also have aircraft’s closest competitor: Airbus A350.
All about Boeing 787
Let’s start with an overview of the Boeing 787, the best-selling wide-body airliner in aviation history. The 787 program first began in 2004, with the American manufacturer hoping to repeat the success of the previous 777 by building a wide-body aircraft for the next generation. The 787 eventually entered commercial service in October 2011. All Nippon Airways (ANA) Flights from Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT) to Hong Kong International Airport (HKG).
Specifications (per Boeing) | Boeing 787-8 | Boeing 787-9 | Boeing 787-10 |
|---|---|---|---|
length | 186 feet | 206 feet | 224 feet |
Typical passenger capacity | 242 | 296 | 318 |
Maximum passenger capacity | 296 | 336 | 440 |
range | 8,400 miles | 8,705 miles | 7,285 miles |
The larger 787-9 made its first passenger flight with Air New Zealand from Auckland Airport (AKL) to Sydney Airport (SYD) in August 2014. Boeing produced three variants of the 787: the 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10. The 787-8 was launched first, followed shortly thereafter by the larger 787-9. The specifications for each variant are summarized in the table above.
Over 1 billion passengers
that 
boeing The 787 recently passed the remarkable milestone of transporting more than one billion passengers since the aircraft type entered commercial service 15 years ago. The number of passengers who travel by air is surprisingly high. Each passenger will have had their own unique experience on board, some good, some not so good.
Its 787 worldwide fleet of 1,276 aircraft has flown nearly 5 million flights, accounting for more than 30 million flight hours. Scott Stocker, Boeing 787 Program Vice President and General Manager, celebrated reaching one billion passengers:
“This milestone would not have been possible without our customers’ trust and confidence in the 787 operation, and we are incredibly grateful to each of them. The 787 Dreamliner family is designed to connect people and places like never before. Flying more than one billion passengers in a relatively short period of time demonstrates how the aircraft has delivered on its promise to transform air travel with operational versatility, efficiency and comfort. This achievement is a testament to the dedication, talent and innovation of the team members and partners who brought the 787 to life.” Thank you to every driver who flies the 787 and every billion passengers who fly on the Dreamliner.”
Boeing 787’s closest competitor
The closest competitor to the Boeing 787 is the Airbus A350. This is one of the newest wide-body aircraft. airbus Equipped with cutting-edge technology, materials, and aerodynamic design, it delivers improved fuel efficiency, reduced exhaust emissions, and improved passenger comfort. More than 50% of the A350’s structure is made of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer to reduce weight and increase fuel efficiency.
The A350 offers a 25 percent improvement in fuel efficiency compared to older aircraft, and its unique, streamlined fuselage and wing design with adaptive winglets optimizes the aircraft’s performance in a variety of flight conditions. Qatar Airways was the launch customer for the A350-900, the first variant of the Airbus A350, when it deployed the aircraft on flights from its Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH) hub to Frankfurt Airport (FRA) in January 2015.
that oneWorld Carrier was also the launch customer for the A350-1000, the second larger variant of the A350. This first commercial flight took place in February 2018 from Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH) to London Heathrow Airport (LHR).
Why is the Boeing 787 more popular than the Airbus A350?
Despite the impressive credentials of the Airbus A350, why has the Boeing 787 become more popular with airlines around the world? The 787 has been in commercial service for about four years longer than the A350, giving airlines more time to buy into the program. Additionally, the 787, and especially the 787-8, is sized well for long-haul, thin routes that cannot support the higher capacity offered by the larger Airbus A350. This type has also proven popular with low-cost long-haul airlines such as: rush and North Atlantic Airlines.
This means that although fewer Airbus A350s have been sold to date, the program would have generated more revenue for the European manufacturer. This is possible considering the significant amount of compensation Boeing had to pay to airlines for long delivery delays.
Fast facts about the Boeing 787
As previously mentioned, the 787 has transported more than 1 billion passengers worldwide on approximately 5 million flights and operated more than 30 million flight hours. The Boeing 787 is the world’s best-selling wide-body aircraft, with more than 2,000 orders from airlines around the world. To date, 1,276 units have been delivered.
The 787 aircraft operates from more than 520 airports in 85 countries, including more than 400 new direct routes to destinations never served before. The Boeing 787 operates more than 2,100 flights daily and carries more than 480,000 passengers. That equates to about 14 million passengers a month, and on average each 787 is in the air for more than 12 hours a day.
Currently, the world’s longest route operated by the Boeing 787 is Perth Airport (PER). 
london heathrow airport (LHR). Qantas launched the 9,010-mile route in March 2018. Meanwhile, the shortest direct route flown by a 787 is the TUI service between Aruba Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA) and Curaçao International Airport (CUR), which is just 74 miles long.
Safety concerns about the Boeing 787
Despite the initial fanfare surrounding the Boeing 787 at launch, the aircraft soon suffered from a number of problems, beginning with an in-flight lithium-ion battery fire in 2013. These accidents grounded aircraft around the world for months while Boeing developed a solution.
Then, in 2019, Boeing discovered a series of manufacturing defects that affected how parts of the aircraft came together. As a result, deliveries were significantly disrupted and then completely halted from May 2021 to July 2022.
The Boeing 787’s safety record was called into question in June 2025. Air India Flight 787, operating flight AI171, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad Airport (AMD).Heading to London Gatwick Airport (LGW). Flight 787 crashed for the first time, killing all but one of the 242 passengers on board, and 19 people on the ground.
Should Airbus be worried?
On the surface, the impressive statistics surrounding the Boeing 787 might make Airbus wonder whether its A350 can match it. But a closer look reveals that sales of the 787 surpass those of the A350 for a number of reasons, none of which are inherent to the A350 itself. Instead, this stems from current market conditions and the fact that the 787 will be available for purchase for longer.
With this in mind, Airbus can sleep peacefully knowing that the A350 is one of the most technologically advanced, fuel-efficient and quiet wide-body aircraft ever created. passenger. Over time, as more airlines look to expand or replace their aging wide-body fleets, they may find the A350 an ideal solution. Only time will tell…
