Is United Airlines ordering 110 more planes from Boeing and Airbus?

United Airlines orders 110 Airbus, Boeing jets in a bet on travel demand. Oct 3 (Reuters) - United Airlines (UAL. O) on Tuesday announced an order for 110 aircraft from Boeing (BA. N) and Airbus (AIR.PA) for delivery beginning in 2028 as it seeks to expand its international network.



Yes, United Airlines has officially placed a massive order for 110 additional aircraft, split between 50 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and 60 Airbus A321neos. This order is a key component of the "United Next" strategy, which aims to modernize the fleet and "upgauge" flights—meaning the airline will fly larger planes with more seats on existing routes to increase capacity and efficiency. The new aircraft are scheduled for delivery starting in 2028, and the order includes options for up to 50 more Boeing 787s and purchase rights for 40 additional A321neos. By the end of 2032, United expects to have taken delivery of approximately 800 new aircraft. This aggressive expansion makes United the largest operator across both the Atlantic and Pacific, with the 150 Boeing 787s on firm order representing the largest Dreamliner commitment of any airline in the world, ensuring that 75% of their fleet will be new-generation by 2030.

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Airbus has led in aircraft deliveries for the past four years, with the most substantial difference in 2019 due to the B737 MAX grounding. Covid-19 hit both manufacturers equally in 2020. In total, Airbus delivered 676 aircraft in 2022, while Boeing delivered 480.

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Airbus emphasizes commonality across its aircraft models, meaning that pilots can more easily transition between different Airbus aircraft. This approach benefits airlines by reducing training time and costs. Boeing's aircraft, in contrast, have more variation in cockpit design and systems.

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United had 657 aircraft on firm order at the end of June, its latest fleet plan shows. That includes 45 Airbus A350s that were ordered by the airline before its merger with Continental Airlines in 2010, and have been postponed repeatedly in the decade-plus since. The airline maintains its A350 order, Nocella said.

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The 787's simple pivot trailing edge flaps allow for much smaller flap track fairings than on conventional aircraft. This gives the airplane highly efficient lift-to-drag characteristics that reduce fuel consumption and costs.

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Age. As you may have guessed, the 777 series is older than the 787 series. Boeing began producing 777 airplanes in 1993. In 1994, United Airlines became the first commercial airline to use the 777 in its fleet.

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Size. Another difference between the 777 and 787 series is their size. Most of the 777 variants are longer than the 787 variants. The biggest 777 variant measures over 242 long, whereas the biggest 787 variant measures just 186 feet long.

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Competitor comparison
  • Delta Air Lines Inc Headquarters. 95,000. $50.6B.
  • American Airlines Group Inc Headquarters. 132,500. $49.0B.
  • Air France-KLM SA Headquarters. France. 76,773. $27.8B.
  • Southwest Airlines Co Headquarters. 71,299. $23.8B.


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Boeing's 737 passenger jet became the world's best-selling aircraft last Wednesday, when the plane builder delivered the 8,000th jet to United Airlines. United was the first airline to order and take delivery of the second generation of the plane, the 737-200, in 1968. It has since received more than 550 737 aircraft.

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