Hawaiian Airlines switches five Boeing 787-9 orders to higher-capacity Boeing 787-10

Currently, Alaska Airlines’ 787-9s are configured with about 300 seats in two classes—34 business class and 266 economy. Introducing premium economy would likely reduce this number to between 250 and 260 seats on the -9 variant. By switching some orders to the larger -10 version, AAG expects to offer a three-class configuration with up to 320 seats.

The longer-range capability of the -9 model is considered unnecessary for most of AAG’s future international routes out of Seattle. Many airlines have found that operating the higher-capacity -10 on routes under roughly 6,000 nautical miles improves seat-mile economics by up to 15 percent compared with smaller variants. This strategy aligns with practices at other major carriers such as United Airlines and ANA that operate both types in their fleets.

AAG has also announced several route expansions since acquiring Hawaiian Airlines. New flights from Seattle include Tokyo Narita Airport and Seoul Incheon International Airport as well as upcoming service to London, Rome, and Reykjavík starting next summer.

Additionally, Alaska Airlines will unveil a new livery for its Dreamliner fleet beginning in January. The design features colors inspired by the Aurora Borealis and will be displayed across all Dreamliners by spring.

At present, four Boeing 787-9s are in operation within AAG’s fleet; another will arrive before year-end. With this conversion included, twelve additional deliveries are expected over the next two or three years—five of which will be the larger -10 variant. By decade’s end, Alaska Airlines plans to operate twelve intercontinental routes from Seattle—a move that places it in direct competition with Delta Air Lines at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Hawaiian Airlines continues operations as a full-service carrier based at Honolulu International Airport and Kahului Airport under IATA code HA and ICAO code HAL since its founding in 1929.